Tag Archives: Mystery Launch

Blue Seas

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BLUE SEAS

The above photo popped up in my ‘odds and sods’ file – it is dated late Jan 2022 so may have been from when I was helping deliver – Korawai to the BOI. But the photos code tells me it was taken on a Samsung device and I do not touch those, so maybe one of the other crew.

Anyway the launch is most likely named – Blue Seas, can anyone tell us if that is her name and any more intel about her.

INPUT ex Graham Hunter – She is still named BLUE SEAS Waiheke Island is also on the transom. She is now on a Mooring in Whakatakata Bay By OBC

25-07-2022 Input below from Chris Cotter (co-owner)

MY LIPS ARE SEALED – NO NAMES

If you need more proof on why not to bond your wooden boat and attach anodes – have a look below – luckily it was very localised. Very scary, the rudder shaft and surrounding area was VERY close to just not being there and you can guess what would have happened.

And if you need more read the most referenced story on the WW site – link below

https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/11/20/what-does-electrochemical-deterioration-in-a-wooden-boat-look-like/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/12/30/electro-chemical-damage-in-wooden-boats-update-revisited/

28-07-2022 UPDATE – Looking a lot healthier 🙂

30-07-2022 UPDATE – All fixed 🙂

Cynthia C

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CYNTHIA C

Todays woody photo comes to us ex the Tauranga City library collection, via Nathan Herbert. The launch is Cynthia C and that folks is all we know at this stage – so throwing it out there to see if we can uncover more about her.

INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – Cynthia C at Cowes bay 1930s (ex Auckland Libraries Kura)

18-07-2022 INPUT FROM HAROLD KIDD – CYNTHIA C was bought by Hector Clarke in 1936. Prior to that she had been owned in Tauranga by W. Hamilton as PIERRETTE. Hamilton bought her in 1933 from the estate of Henry Thode of Herne Bay. Thode bought her from R.H. Meynell as ALPHA LASS with an Alpha marine engine.
She was probably built in 1925 by the Alpha agent Peter A. Smith who contracted out his hulls, often to Dick Lang.

Also Ron Wattam has sent in the photo below of a yacht sailing west in front of St Mary’s Bay and would like help to identify the yachts name and sail #.

1953 Jorgensen Mystery Launch

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1953 JORGENSEN LAUNCH

Earlier in the year todays classic 30’ woody launch made an appearance on tme. We do not know much about her but she built by Jorgensen in 1953 using carvel kahikatea.

Powered by an 80hp Ford, she has a beam of 7’11” and draws 3’11” – and that is all we know. Given the level of presentation she looks to be a recent recipient of some serious TLC.

If anyone (or her new owner) can update us more on the launch that would be great.

Input ex Geoff Bagnall – Most likely named Sea Princess and used call Milford Creek home.

Mystery Launch 04-06-22

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Mystery Launch 04-06-22

I know there is a name (its very short) on the life rings but I can’t read it. But given the very distinctive design of the launch, I’m sure we can ID the boat.

I came from a very old file I had so hopefully I have not posted the image before 🙂

How Well Do You Know The WW Site ? Hopefully on Sunday (if Saturday is a crap weather day) I will do a story on the WW site, I have spoken to several people recently that were unaware of the full functionality of the WW site – so I’m putting together some ‘flying’ instructions.

Mystery Whitford Launch

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Mystery Whitford Launch

Todays photograph, taken c.1965 by D.J Shaw comes to us via Lew Redwoods fb. The location is the Turanga Creek, Whitford and the caption states that the bulldozer was cutting through the sandstone bar.

Can we identify the launch – angle of the photo makes it a tad difficult but the two larger cabin windows (TVOne & TV2), are quite distinctive, so fingers crossed they jolt someones memory.

A Woody Quiz

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A Woody Quiz 

Haven’t had a quiz in a while so, all correct answers, via email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com go into the draw for one of the new WW summer caps.

Questions below – one correct answer = one chance in the draw – get all three correct = three chances. Tell us what colour cap you would prefer.

1. Name the boat

2. Who owned it at the time

3. Where was it off to with all those tins of fuel aboard

REMEMBER ENTER VIA EMAIL ONLY – WINNER DRAWN 8PM 19-05-2022

Correct answers were Frangipani / Zane Grey / Off to Tahiti via Rarotonga

Pistachio
Autumn
Khaki

OMG – How did this happen

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OMG – How did this happen

A woody mooching around the gulf over the weekend spotted the above craft at Scotts Landing, Mahurangi.

Can somebody explain how it all works , if in fact it does work.

And just to remind you what a boat should look like – the 1910 HN Burgess built launch – Florence, at anchor in West Bay, Rakino Island.

Mystery Picton Launches

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Mystery Picton Launches + Win A WW T-Shirt

The above Picton photo popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb earlier in the week, at the time Nathan Herbert commented that two of the launches are theses days moored alongside each other in Orakei Basin. I’m guessing the one on the left side of the dock (with people on cabin top) is Silver Spray, but I’m more often wrong than right 🙂

I’m sure at some stage during the day Nathan will correct me.

First woody (excluding J Prew esq) that emails the correct boat names to waitematawoodys.com wins a WW T-shirt. Mr Herbert will be the judge. 

Gwenelda

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GWENELDA

I was recently sent the above photos of the launch – Gwenelda, by Mike Shaw, along with a note saying that a friend of his had bought the boat in Whanganui and knew nothing about the woodys history.

Can anyone help out and shine some light on this old girl? There appears to be a nice hull below that timber shed 🙂

Mystery Bay of Islands Woodys + Heritage Basin

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Mystery Bay of Islands Woodys

The above photo dated 1939 and tagged – Russell, comes to us from Lew Redwoods fb.

Can we ID any of the vessels ?

Short story today, as the message below needs some air time – the dullards driving this project appear to have tunnel vision and be deaf. Maybe the mainstream media need to know what is happening down at OUR waterfront.