Now if you believe the tme listing for this Picton boat – it sold, which really surprises me – she would have to win the award for the worst present vessel for sale :-)The listing states that its believed that she was built by Ernie Lane in Picton c.1940’s. 30’ in length and carvel kauri built.Powered by a Perkins 152 Diesel engine. (Tme heads up ex Ian McDonald)
MYSTERY LAUNCH QUIZ – Win A WW Long Sleeve T-Shirt Todays story / quiz is a doozy – maybe a woody will go – thats easy I know that boat, but it had myself and one of the WW guru’s stumped.All I can tell you is the photo was taken in Nelson, a couple of years ago. I have a b/w launching photo, so even if you do not know the boat – check back later to see the b/w photo – you will be very surprized 😉 Email entries to waitematawoodys@gmail.com (photo ex Nathan Herbert)
The prize to the first correct answer, emailed in after 9am 21-05-2021 (sorry KR – not everyone keeps vampire hours) gets a long sleeve WW organic cotton t-shirt. Normally reserved for F&F – (family and friends) – they are great to wear.If you are one of the many female woodys – you can swap it for the ‘Brooklyn t’ another F&F shirt (thats George Cloonys Lake Como house in the background 🙂
We Have a Winner
Mark McLaughin ID’ed the launch correctly as Hinemoana, built by Sam Ford, Also known as Princess for a short period. B/W photo below also ex Nathan Herbert
Have had a wee bit of a technology mishap – so this story could look a wee bit different – will fix up tomorrow 🙂
Travelling up the Tamaki River this afternoon aboard Angus Rogers launch – Centaurus, another story for another day, I spotted the above launch. I would very much like to get its name, it looks very familiar to me. If we can ID her, I’ll bore you with the details.
I understand that back in Feb 2021, the above 34′ launch sold on tme for approx $600, which was probably a fair price. I can’t make out her name, but its something like DORIMA ? and its rumoured to be built by Bailey & Lowe in 1927.There was no engine, being set up for twin outboards…….. At the time of sale, she was moored in the ‘Warkworth area’.
Can anyone let us know if she was bought with the intention of restoring?
Update – I was sent a copy of the front page of last weeks Hibiscus Matters’ by a WW reader named Viviene, a local newspaper the covers the area referred to locally as the Hibiscus Coast.Seems the boat is called Dorina and has attracted a lot of attention. As the paper states and confirmed by John Bullivant – The launch is/was apparently Dorina , and recently sank at Little Manly on April 10th. It was anchored off little Manly over Easter but apparently no-one returned for it. The owner was given till the 20th April to remove it, as the Harbourmaster had declared it a wreck. Don’t know how it was removed or what happened to it . It was on the front page of the Hibiscus Matters local paper on April 21.
The Back Story ex Ken Ricketts “She had recent new owners who a couple of weeks ago were taking her to her new home at Te Atatu. When they got to Whangaparaoa they realised they would not have enough fuel to get them to Te Atatu, so seeing Little Manly, in a nice calm state, at that time, decided to anchor there overnight, whilst they procured more fuel, and were to intending to continue to Te Atatu the following day. However during the night a southerly storm blew up and she took in water over the stern because the stern door was left open, sank. She was then beached at Little Manly, to be pumped out. A sad note is, that whilst there overnight people were seen removing her glass from her coamings windows, and I am told they also took fishing tackle and other equipment from inside her.I believe in a previous life, she had spent time at Thames, and at Whangarei as a live aboard. It appears she has not had inboard power for a good number of years but the prop shaft and rudder are still in place.” (photos below ex KR at Gulf Harbour in 2015)
photo at Little Manly ex Len Lawerance
HEADS-UP FOR CYA LAUNCH OWNERS
This coming Tuesday night (4th May) is the Classic Yacht Association (NZ) annual boat owners meeting – where if you are lucky, between all the sailing talk, you might get the chance to discuss the past years and upcoming seasons launch related activities. Venue is the RNZYS, kicks off at 7pm. It’s always a hoot to listen to the debate on yacht race handicapping, course selection etc. See you there 🙂
Can We ID This LaunchKOTARE Todays photo is dated 1959 and is of Kaiteriteri Beach, Motueka, Nelson – from the camera of J B Rowntree and comes to us via Maurice Sharp. Other than the addition of the commercial charter boats servicing the Abel Tasman National Park, the scene hasn’t changed much.
I have added below a close up image of the launch in the bay, are we able to put a name to her?
Input From Robbie Williams – the launch is Kotare owned by NEWTON NALDER and was the first of the boats offering trips into able Tasman national park she was twin screw powered by two 10 hp petter diesel she later burned and sank in Kaiteri under different ownership
Input From Brian Kitson – Kotare was built by Curnow and Wilton of Nelson and launched in November 1951 and burnt and sank at Kaiteriteri December 1966. 38ft long X 13ft beam X 2ft 6in draught. More than likely she was built of white pine. The ladder on the bow lowers to the beach for boarding and unloading passengers. Photo taken in Kaiteriteri
UPDATE ex John Burland – who sent in a link to a Dept of Conservation (Nelson/Marlborough) booklet on the Abel Tasman Area – screen grab below that confirms the ownership of Kotare by Newton Nalder and a photo of her in Bark Bay.
03-05-2021 Update: John Gander supplied the photo below of Kotare disembarking passengers at Kaiteriteri beach in 1959
MYSTERY LAUNCHES AT ORAKEI – Prize To Be Won Todays photo comes to us from the Auckland Libraries Kura – Heritage Collection via Nathan Herbert. We have 3 very smart looking woodys hauled up at Orakei for I suspect their winter maintenance.All quite distinctive looking so hopefully we can ID therm L > R.
During the week we had a prize on offer of a copy of Brian Peet’s book ‘Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy’, it was won by Albert Birnie . Albert advised that he was given a copy last Christmas so kindly asked that his prize be given to another woody – so Woodys, here we go – all entries that correctly ID the 3 launches (L>R), go into the draw for the book. Entries via email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com. Entry closes 6pm 21-03-21
The above Bay of Islands photo comes to us via Diane Keene’s post on fb and is from the photo album of her grandmother – Joyce Simpson. The grandmother’s diaries indicate that the photo was taken on 6th Feb 1963, and the primary focus of the photo was the submarine. Diane has checked with the RNZN & they have informed her it is either the submarine HMS Andrew which attended the 1960 Waitangi Day ceremonies, or of the submarine HMS Tapir which was present in 1963 when HM Queen Elizabeth was in attendance aboard HMY Britannia.
Putting subs to one side, Dianne enquired about the identity of the launch on the left – if my life depended on it I would say – Menai, the 1937 built Sam Ford launch, but there is no mast and she seems to have always sported one, as a second option I would say – Ian Gavin’s family launch – Florence Dawn, built in 1947 by Richard Hartley. Anyone agree or have another suggestion?
THE WORLDWIDE CLASSIC BOAT SHOW – Feb 19>28 created by the folks at Off Center Harbor
This is very cool and worth checking out – there will be hundreds of the world’s finest boats, each with its own web page with photos and description + interviews with top boat builders, museums, sail makers, festivals, etc. Effectively everything happening in classic boats around the world, all in one place.
THE “WHY?” BEHIND THE SHOW: When the pandemic started the festivals, schools, yards, and museums that are the lifeblood of the classic boating world began shutting down for distancing. At that moment, Off Center Harbor committed to utilize our worldwide audience to highlight those doing great work and bring everyone in the world of classic boats closer together. That dream becomes a reality with the Worldwide Classic Boat Show.
HOW IT WORKS:
Purchasing a digital “ticket” provides you full access to the Boat Show’s website during the 10 days of the Show. It gives you full unlimited access to everything, including the live presentations. Live presentations will be recorded and available for the entire show beginning the day after the presentation (maybe sooner). There are no physical paper tickets — as you check out and pay, you’ll choose a username and a password for logging in, and that login will be your “ticket” to the show (so write it down).
Today’s woody story comes to us via Peter Jenkins fb. Peter’s father – Des Jenkins and his uncle Murray Jenkins built the above 23’ launch in the families backyard at 67 Shakespeare Road in the early to mid 1960’s.In the photos we see the neighbours and friends assisting in turning the hull over for completion of the topside.
A transporter was later backed down the side of the house, boat loaded on an then transported to the launching ramp by the northern side of the Harbour bridge, probably Sulphur Beach boat ramp. It was sea trialed and then moored up to the jetty in Milford Creek at # 12 Craig Road, which was where Peter’s grandparents lived. The launch was used for family fishing trips around the Rangitoto Channel, and beyond.
Peter is keen to ID the design of the boat and learn what became of her. It has been suggested that it may have been a Pelin Express design.
CYA ROUND RANGI LAUNCH RACE & BBQ – THIS SATURDAY– DETAILS BELOW
The CYA are running a Round Rangitoto Launch Race and BBQ at Islington Bay, if you wish to be eligible for prizes, please nominate a female skipper, or someone that ‘looks’ the part, get your entries in to admin@classicyacht.org.nz as soon as you can.
If you want to just arrive, eat and socialise without the round island voyage, thats all good – but can you please let Joyce know on admin@classicyacht.org.nz so they can plan how many sausages to get.
The “race/log rally” will start off Orakei, using the Yacht Start Line at 10.45am (Sat 13th feb). The race is clockwise around Rangitoto and Motutapu, do it at your own speed. BBQ only boats should aim to be there by late afternoon. Families welcome, but feel free to BYO some top up food, drink etc….. There is A-Cup racing this day so if you want to watch the racing and attend the BBQ this another option.BBQ kicks off at 5pm. ish….
The Big Woody Quiz Todays story is really a quiz, it won’t be easy, they are three parts to the answer. If anyone gets all three right I’ll be very impressed, in fact entries will be weighted by the number of questions you get right e.g. one correct question = one entry, two = two etc. Entries are ONLY via email to waitematawoodys@gmail I’ll let it run until 7pm Monday 1st Feb 2021 – lots of time to do some homework.
The winner of the draw will get – WW t-shirt, WW cap, Off Centre Harbor cap, Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat 2021 Calendar. Now if no one gets even one answer right – all entries will go into the draw – so its worth entering 😉
THE QUESTIONS ARE: 1. Name the make of engine and hp
2. Who were the agents for the engine
3. Which boat was it fitted to and when
ID THE ENGINE QUIZ – The correct answers were
MAKE & HP: Stearns MDR 125hp
AGENTS: H. O. Wiles
BOAT FITTED TO & WHEN: Romance II – 1925 No one got all the answers correct – but Jason Prew and Nathan Herbert were tied at 3 correct elements (but not the same) so its a tie – they can decide what bits of the prize pool they each want 🙂
Mystery Launch – 1953 Photo Today’s woody story features one of the launches that were part of the welcome fleet for the SS Gothic. The Gothic was delivering her VIP cargo – Queen Elizebeth II to our shores.
The photo comes to us from the NZ Herald Heritage images via Lew Redwood. Anyone able to ID the launch?