Tag Archives: Mystery Launch

Waitangi Wharf Mystery Event

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WAITANGI WHARF MYSTERY EVENT

Todays photo ex Ross Griffin and from the Jim Shaw’s collection show several woody launches rafted up alongside the Waitangi Wharf.
In terms of the date of the photo, Maurice Sharp has commented that the bridge opened in 1933 and in the photo it appears to not be finished, so the likelihood is that its pre 1933. The assembled crowed are very well dressed so the photo must have marked some occasion of note.
Can anyone help us with the event and with ID’ing the launches?

Whangaroa Big Game Fishing Launch

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Whangaroa Big Game Fishing Launch

I have been sent a great collection of photos from the Whangaroa area, I need to digest them and pull the best together for a WW story – in the meantime I thought I would share one of the boats with you.
For once I know its identity – but can anyone give us a name and some history?
Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy Book Winner
The winner of yesterdays quiz to name the boat designer whose name has appeared the most on WW is Warren Jack. The correct answer was Colin Wild, lots of entries for Logan and Lane but the answer needed to be the designers name – not the ‘brand’ of boat. Warren was the only one with Colin Wild. There has always been a lot of discussion around the man and his yard, not just his boats on WW.
The consolation prize – a WW hat, was won by Simon Adams. Prizes in the post 🙂
Check out Fridays WW story for another great woody prize to be won.

Labour Weekend 1945 at Westhaven – Mystery Launch + Prizes To Be Won

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Labour Weekend 1945 – Westhaven – Mystery Launch + Prizes To Be Won
Check out the bottom right photo – anyone able to name the launch? I can’t but it should be easier for the WW train-spotters.

BOOK PRIZE DRAW – WIN A COPY OF ‘DES TOWNSON – A SAILING LEGACY’

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Correctly name the boat designer who’s name has appeared on the waitematawoodys site the most often and you go in the draw to win a copy of the Brian Peet book – DES TOWNSON – A SAILING LEGACY. If you don’t want to risk not winning a copy – order here today   https://destownson.co.nz
+ a bobby prize – a waitematawoodys t-shirt drawn from all email entries received – correct or not.
ENTRY VIA EMAIL TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com If you enter via the WW comments section, you will be disqualified (take note Ken Ricketts). Entries close 8pm 17-12-2019.
Todays woody model is Graeme Finch (MV Te Arahi) in front of the Cologne Cathedral. Us woodys get around 😉

Aries

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Launch With No Name .  Aries
 
Todays 45’ launch was built in 1957 by Owen Woolley. She is built from twin planked kauri and powered by 120hp Ford diesel engines that push her along at 8>10 knots.
She is big old girl – with a 14’ beam.
The photos probably do not do the boat justice, on face value – she appears to be very well appointed.
Thanks to Ian MacDonald for the tme heads up.
 
Can anyone put a name to the boat – she calls Gulf Harbour name.

MORE DETAILS AT THIS WW LINK https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/10/22/aries-4/

Woody Project – Wai Lani

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WOODY PROJECT

I can not tell you much about the above launch other than she is 29’6”, her TME listing states she is a Lane, but to quote HDK – Lane = the default name for most wooden boats. The motor and box are out, but ‘complete’ (what ever that means).
At a guess her name appears to be Wai Lani, but the photos are too low res to blow up to read.
Bids are sitting at around $650 for even if you don’t want the boat, there are some good fittings to be had 🙂
Harold Kidd Input – WAI LANI was built in the winter of 1916 by Dick Lang for H T D Lloyd of 19 Ring Terrace, St Mary’s Bay.
WW T-SHIRTS & CAPS
If you are thinking about ordering some WW branded gear – might be best to get a wriggle on, getting tight on some sizes 🙂
AND REMEMBER WOODYS – ITS PATIO BAY THIS WEEKEND
Its a Mark-Foy start for the CYA yachts so we should be seeing another tight finish. Launches are encouraged to get there early to secure a good viewing anchorage – and less rowing when returning from the legendary party / BBQ ashore.
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1967 Whangarei to Noumea Yacht Race Mystery Launch + Woody On The Rocks

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1967 Whangarei to Noumea Yacht Race Mystery Launch

Today’s photo comes to us from Lew Redwood’s fb and shows the spectator fleet that gathered to farewell the yachts heading off in the 1967 Whangarei to Noumea yacht race. We have a classic woody mid photo – my first thoughts were – Romance II but on closer inspection its not her.  So woodys – who do you think it is?
 
Southern Woodys – A question
Does anyone do or know of anyone that does, ‘private’ bare-boat charters in the Havelock / Pelorus / Kenepuru Sound / Picton / Queen Charlotte region? A very experienced woody is looking to come to a gentleman’s arrangement re the use of a launch in the Marlborough Sounds this coming February (2020). For more details email me on waitematawoodys@gmail.com
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SAD NIGHT ON AUCKLANDS WATERFRONT
Woody Angus Rogers sent in at around 10pm the photos below of the launch Rio Rita on the rocks outside the OBC breakwater. Coastguard were in attendance. It was high water so unless she was towed off, she will be high & dry. Very sad.

Somethings Not Right Here + Woodys On Tour

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Somethings Not Right Here + Woodys On Tour
 
I was sent the above photo by Bruce Yarnton, it had both Bruce and I confused for way too long…………
Interesting mix of vessels – anyone able to tell us what was happening?
 
Woodys On Tour
The WW t-shirts crop up all over the world – in the first photo below we see Allan & Pamela Hooper on board the 1922 schooner – Ladona, they spent a week sailing on her from Rockland in Penobscot Bay, USA.  The other photos see Allan out and about in Maine.

Sailing on Ladona Rockland

Woody yachty Steve Horsley has been in South Africa shooting Lions (only joking) it was a family wedding and Steve was flying the WW flag in Simonds Town where the Naval base is situated. Rumour has it he bought the Captain Pugwash boat (the Black Pig) to replace Ngatira 🙂
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1930’s Mystery Launch and Location

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1930’s Mystery Launch and Location

When this photo appeared on fb, no one was able to ID the vessel or confirm the location. Location suggestions were Judges Bay Parnell and Takapuna Beach.
Can we do any better?
Reminder – if you like plastic boats the Boat Show is on till Sunday down at Auckland’s Viaduct – new venue as Team NZ are squatting at the Events Centre. Lots of ’stuff’ for your woody on display / sale.
Harold Kidd Input – It’s certainly a puzzle Although the hull is very similar to Seagars’ REHUTAI (but I think a tad smaller) she still retained her funnel after she was dieselised and her wheelhouse was taller. Also, why would the Seagars pull her out at Judges Bay when they had a secure spot in the Devonport Yacht Club’s yard just along the road from their nice house in Jubilee Avenue?
Who Owns Safari ? photo below. Contact me on  waitematawoodys@gmail.com I may have something from the boats past that might interest you 😉
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Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch

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Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch
All we know about the above launch is that she is 27’, made of kauri and has a Ford 60hp does; engine that pushes her along at 5>6 knots.
From her cabin top layout she looks like she has been used as a bach ’taxi’, most likely private use.
Can any of the Southern Woodys put a name to her and any info on her past?

 

Where and when did we go wrong

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WHERE AND WHEN DID WE GO WRONG
I just love the photos above, back then even smaller boats and boats with outboards still looked like real boats. I’d like to think that if something like these boats were around today they would be popular.
The caption on the top photo reads ’The Latest Development of Outboard Motor-Boating.  A 20ft. V-bottom cabin boat built at Tauranga for use with a large-size outboard motor’
The SeaCraft runabout photo is via Peter Murton and again shows us that even small craft can look very salty.
Next week/weekend at the Auckland Viaduct Boat Show you will see some terrible examples of companies NOT using the skills of a designer or marine architect  – but there will be some cool examples e.g. Dickey Boats from Napier seem to get it right every year 🙂
HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE EVER VIEWING waitematawoodys YESTERDAY

Interesting day yesterday, WW struggles with the UK market, despite lots of promotional activity we just can not seem to crack it. Yesterday was the biggest number of individual people ever on one day visiting the WW site, with UK visitors 2nd in numbers to NZ for the 1st time ever. Checking out the stats the WW story titled ‘Electro-Chemical Damage Update’ by Chris McMullen was the single biggest viewed page.

I can only assume that somewhere in the UK, maybe a wooden boat building school or a tech university etc told all their pupils to check out Chris’s findings – what ever the reason its great to see the WW site and Chris’s research findings getting exposure around the world 🙂