Tag Archives: Mystery Launch

Mystery Launch 09-10-2020 (White Cloud)

Posted on by
4

MYSTERY LAUNCH – 1968 Sam McGreedy
The above 39’ carvel planked, 1968 launch popped up on trademe, light on photos, the tme ones are very average. The stated builder is Sam McGreedy, thats a new one to me.Power is from a 130hp Ford diesel. Appears to be well fitted out.

From the photos I suspect it a Panmure boat – can on of the river rats enlighten us more on the boat?

That was easy, thanks Ken R – its White Cloud see more here 

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/11/18/white-cloud/

Also video of launch day

https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/06/10/white-cloud-movie-leaving-the-shed-launch-day/

HOST VENUE: NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School 17 Totara Rd, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland – Saturday 17 October 2020 – Sunday 18 October 2020

This is a two day course introducing you to the use of hand tools. Over the two days you will build a small tool box and a bench stop incorporating a number of woodworking joints and skills including cutting a simple scarf joint and then using copper nails and rivets to turn that piece into a handy Bench stop. Marking and cutting pieces for the tool box, preparing the timber with planes and a cabinet scraper, marking and cutting a dovetail joint, marking and drilling dowel joints, turning a square piece of wood into a round handle, final assembly and clean up.

This is a great course for someone wanting to learn how to cut accurately and use chisels and planes and other hand tools in a practical manner. Students will leave with a completed toolbox and bench stop and an introduction to many new skills. The tutors for this course are Olaf Wiig and Allan Hooper.

NOTE: Min of three students required, max of six students- COST $290 – includes materials for toolbox.

Click link for more details on NZTBS + space bookings http://nztbs.org.nz/course/an-introduction-to-fine-woodworking/

Classic Wooden Boats At Kawau Island

Posted on by
5

Classic Wooden Boats At Kawau Island 

At Sundays Stillwater woodys picnic I was chatting to boat builder Greg Lees and he showed me the above photograph (in its frame) of Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island that a neighbour had given him. Interesting that for once the bay is almost bare of yachts – maybe they were off racing at the time.


Are we able to ID some of the launches? I have numbered the boats in the b/w photo below + included a couple of blow ups of the photo, which may help.

Mystery Launch 22-09-2020

Posted on by
11

MYSTERY LAUNCH 22-09-2020
The above photo comes to us from the Andy Donovan collection via Chris Collins (RNZYS Historian). The vessel is a total blank to me, but given all the very distinctive features and her size, I’m sure someone will be able to enlighten us on her name and provenance.

The ‘train spotter’ that names the boat and ID’s the pennant correctly – wins a WW bucket hat – normal rules – enter by EMAIL ONLY and if more than one correct entry, we do a draw. Closes at 7pm 22-09-2020. Enter here waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Mystery Launch 03-09-2020

Posted on by
5

Mystery Launch 03-09-2020


The above photo of an unknown launch popped up on Mitchell Hutchings fb. Might be the perspective of the camera, but she appears to have a far sized boom relative to the mast.
Can anyone help out ID’ing this woody?


Morning Dog Walks

Hard not to love boating and the sea when your early morning dog walk looks like this – no special effects, straight off the iPhone 🙂 You can just see the Devonport Yacht Club peeping out on the left from under the pohutukawa tree.

RSVP to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Mystery B.O.I. Launches – WW Gear To Be Won

Posted on by
1

Mystery 1

Mystery Launch #1

mystery 2

Mystery Launch #2

ID These Mystery B.O.I. Launches – Win WW Merchandise

Ok woodys, double banger competition today – we have two photos (by Tudor Collins) sent in by Nathan Herbert. All those that can correctly name the two launches, go into the draw for a WW T-shirt (s/s) and hat. Entries close at 8pm 18-08-2020.

ENTRY BY EMAIL ONLY to  waitematawoodys@gmail.com

WW Merch copy

Lake Taupo Launches At The Landing

Posted on by
8

Screen Shot 2020-08-03 at 10.07.41 PM

Lake Taupo Launches At The Landing
The above photo comes to us via NZ Vintage Postcard fb and is captioned – The Landing, Taupo and is possibly from the 1930>1940’s period.

A question for Paul Drake – is the boat ‘closest to the channel‘ your 1914 Bailey and Lowe launch – Romance  ? If so, that would date the photo post 1931.

Can we ID any of the other boats?

Input from Paul Drake – Yes the launch nearest the channel is ROMANCE, still at Taupo and owned by the Drake Brothers. She arrived ex Napier post 1931 earthquake as a flush decker, and had her cabin raised when acquired by Jack Taylor and put to work as a commercial boat, probably in 1932. The counter stern boat is KINGFISHER. Thomas Ryan ran the 60 foot steamer RMS TONGARIRO ( Bailey and Lowe 1899 and built at Taupo) until 1925. She eventually rotted away on the foreshore between the Boat Harbour and Acacia Bay – photo below at the Taupo Wharf, before the 2 storied cargo shed was built , so quite early on in the 1900’s.

Tongariro

Input from Nigel Drake – The boat between Romance and Kingfisher looks to be Waihora, about 23 feet in length and probably a Couthard built boat, (not to be confused with the Brin Wilson built Waihora). She was on the lake for a long period of time and ran for hire under local identity “Tabby” Tabernacle.
POHUTUKAWA 
Lock-down = less going out = more fires, so collected a load of firewood today, life is easy when there is an arborist in the family 🙂
While at his yard, I spotted this magnificent pile of Pohutukawa logs, the coffee cup is there to give you an indication of the size of the 12 logs . A huge tree came down in a recent storm, blocking a road so out with the big chainsaws. Not destined for firewood, I’m told a few coffee tables and bar tops.
IMG_6706
IMG_6707

Mystery Devonport Launch

Posted on by
Reply

Screen Shot 2020-08-03 at 11.05.55 AM

Mystery Devonport Classic Launch

Today’s launch popped up yesterday on Keith Humphrey’s fb. The location is Queen’s Parade on Devonport, Auckland waterfront. Date is c.1925. Keith commented that on the extreme right of the photo is the Flagstaff Hotel which was relocated from the site of the present Esplanade Note. In the middle of the photo should be Anne Street.
This before the sea wall was built and in those days boats were hauled out on the slope alongside the road.
Keith also commented that military style tents can be seen on Mount Victoria.
So the question woodys is – any anyone ID the launch moored in the foreground.
There is a great collection of small launches hauled out.
In the 1927 photo below we see the sea wall and carpark under construction.
(Photos ex Devonport Historical and Museum Society)
Our Youngest Woody
Boat builder Greg Lees sent in the photo below of his very new (less than a week old) granddaughter. Daughter (& mother) Rosie didn’t waste any time introducing her to the woody speedboat – ’Summertime,  Rosie built. WW link below
https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/24/10216/
IMG_6456

Westhaven Classic Launches

Posted on by
6

1-2-2001_016

1-2-2001_017

1-2-2001_015

WESTHAVEN CLASSIC LAUNCHES 

Today’s photos come to us from Scott Taylor and are from the same batch that Scott sent in earlier in the week. You may recall that Scott is the son of the late Mac Taylor, the Westhaven based boat broker.
Scott told us that the photos was probably taken by himself over fifty years ago while he was tagging along with his Dad at Westhaven.
In the top photo we see the 1970, Salthouse built launch -Idler, previously on WW  https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/03/27/idler/
In the 2nd photo, closet to the camera, we have a very new looking, modern, mystery launch, which I suspect used up a lot of sheets of plywood in her construction. Alongside her is what I assume is Connie V, the 1949 Lane Motor Boat Co. built launch. These days tucked away at The Slipway Milford, previously on WW
I’m unable to put a name to the last photo – Nathan?
She is an impressive looking craft.

Help Needed Identifying Waiheke Launch

Posted on by
4

Screen Shot 2020-07-12 at 3.46.06 AM

Mystery Waiheke Launch

Today’s woody is seen anchored in Matiatia Bay, Waiheke Island and comes to us from the Williamson family collection via Mitchell Hutchings fb.
And that woodys is all we know. Looking for help on this one 🙂
Update ex Nigel Minn – She is Matanui – more here

Mystery Westhaven Launch

Posted on by
4

1-2-2001_018

MYSTERY WESTHAVEN LAUNCH 

I have been sent the above photo by Scott Taylor, son of the late Mac Taylor, the Westhaven based boat broker. Scott advised that he had been going through a box of old negatives which he converted into digital photos and came todays woody is one of them.
Scott commented that  the photo was probably taken by himself over fifty years ago while he was tagging along with his Dad at Westhaven Marina.
Are we able to ID the launch – to me it screams late 1940’s Lidgard bridge-decker and I suspect I know the owner – but I have been wrong before 🙂