Tag Archives: Mystery Launch

Gold Bell

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GOLD BELL  Mystery Launch Quiz

The above 1936 photo from the Tudor Collins (Auckland Museum) collection shows a dark hulled launch in the foreground, the first woody that can correctly name her, wins a copy of the 2017 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar (still available to purchase via Rachel at  zea.rachel@gmail.com ). Entries via the ww comments section. Also keen to ID the other vessels in the bay. photo emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.

Harold Kidd Input

GOLD BELL. She was built by Alf Bell (ex Collings & Bell) at St. Mary’s Bay in September 1929. She had a hard chine and was painted gold.
Funny story about that; Dick Coughlan and I helped clear out Alf’s basement in St. Mary’s Bay after his widow (Dick’s great aunt) died. It was a treasure trove of automotive parts going back the early 1900s including an incredibly early single cylinder Cadillac engine which we gave to John Stewart of St. Heliers, a bandsaw using two 1905ish De Dion Bouton car wheels, the major components of a 1914 Wolseley and yards of launch gear patterns, mostly borer ridden.
On Alf’s workbench was a very large wax vesta tin which was extraordinarily heavy, weighing at least 25lbs (11kg). I opened it and found it full of glittering metal grains.We knew Alf had done some panning at Coromandel (as did most early yachtsmen). The Estate Duty had been paid on the estate, so there was an ethical problem.
Anyway, eventually it was analysed and found to be just bronze filings that Alf had used to mix into the paint for the hull of GOLD BELL!

Mystery Launch at Nelson

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Mystery Launch at Nelson

My woody spy in Nelson, John Burland sent me the above photo with a note saying the vessel could named Kaituna – any woodys able to ID the vessel &/or supply more details on her.
To confuse us there appears to be a few additions added over the years 🙂

FREE TO GOOD HOME
No not a box of kittens – this gift is both useful & valuable.
ww woody Jason Prew who is currently restoring (aka rebuilding) the 1925 Dick Land launch My Girl ( https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/08/the-restoration-of-my-girl/ ) contacted me with the offer below.
” I have a heap of leftover wood cut down to size to use for ribs, it’s red beech and takes to steaming well, a very durable NZ hardwood.  32mm x 16mm x 2.5m is the cut size, but i also have a heap of 8mm x 32mm, free to a good home, also use of a steamer that fits if you wish”

Felisa @ Oneroa

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FELISA

Every so often you get sent a photo of a vessel & you just go ” where the hell did that come from”. Today’s launch was photographed last Sunday anchored in Oneroa, Waiheke Island by Lindsay McMorran & folks she is a complete stranger to me – any woodys able to put me curiosity to rest ?

UPDATE – that was fast it is Felisa & you can read all about her here , Harold Kidd has all the details 😉

Felisa

Looking for a Sounds Floating Bach or a Lake Boat?

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Looking for a Sounds Floating Bach or a Lake Boat?

Today’s woody lives in the Marlborough Sounds but could equally be a perfect North Island lake boat. She measures 24’6″ & is constructed with kauri carvel hull, with glass on ply cabin & deck.
Power comes from a 3QM Yanmar 30hp diesel & as you can see in the photos had been fitted out to a very high standard.
Asking price is $9.5k, that is not a lot of $$ for a woody that is presented in the condition this one is 😉

Its hard to read her name but Ian McDonald who tip me off on the trademe listing feels it could be either Scuffy or Scuppy – any woodys able to ID the boat & supply more details on her?

Lake Boat Truckers

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El Alamein

Lamorna
Okataina
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Katoa

Lake Boat Truckers

Rotorua boat builder Alan Craig sent me the above selection of photos that he ‘uplifted’ from a book owned by Tony Mitchell, its called – Urewera Trucks and Truckers, by Gavin M. Abbot. The photos showcase some of the boats that the truckers used to cart around the lakes.

Now ID’ing the first one is easy, El Alamein, because its got a name plate on her bow, how many of the others can we ID? Remember you can enlarge photos by clicking on them 😉

Unfinished Project

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Unfinished Project – Yeah right

The above 33′ launch is located in Kerikeri & the trademe listing states that the owner auto bid on two boats & won both auctions & now this ones surplus to needs 🙂
There is no reserve & the opening bid is $1 so it could be a good buy for someone looking for a project. The seller states that the previous owner could finish her, on behalf, if a buyer was interested – all very confusing. Thanks to Ian McDonald for pointing out the listing on trademe.

Anyone know more about the vessel?

Unknown Motorboat & Seaplane + Cool Event Invite

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UNKNOWN MOTORBOAT & SEAPLANE

Hello woodys, triple header today – name the motor boat, the seaplane & event / gathering, if there is one? Lots of people lining the breakwater, so possibly a VIP onboard. Photo belongs to the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts (as is the M-class photo below)

CLASSIC YACHT & LAUNCH EXHIBITION INVITE

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Once again the Tino Rawa Trust is hosting the annual Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition – this years exhibition celebrates the iconic Mullet Boat.
On this Saturday & Sunday 10am > 4pm – Karanga Plaza – Halsey ST, Wynyard Quarter (in front of the ‘old’ Team NZ base)

ENTRY IS FREE – Further details here http://www.tinorawatrust.co.nz

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I APOLOGIZE
If sometimes I’m a tad slow in answering your emails – that is because I average around a 100 emails a day relating to ww. BUT keep them coming, I love hearing from you all. 🙂

Harold Kidd Input

The PanAm flight was a proving flight in late December 1937. PanAm  had set up an infrastructure at Mechanics Bay for their Sikorsky flying boat SAMOA CLIPPER which Imperial Airways’ Short Empire CENTAURUS also used. Capt Edwin Musick was pilot in command of the Sikorsky. Musick Point was named after him when the SAMOA CLIPPER caught fire and crashed at Samoa while dumping fuel preparatory to landing. The Short arrived just after the Sikorsky, obviously to show that the Brits were up to it as well as the Yanks. The Short’s range made it unable to carry a viable payload across the Tasman however.
As for the runabout/launch, the only reference I can find is that PanAm had a “special launch” at Mechanics Bay. Need to dig deeper.

Mystery Launch 21-09-2016

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 21-09-2016

As they say today is hump day, middle of the week, all down hill from here to the weekend. Finders crossed its a fine one, some boat TLC is on the agenda. And to cap off the weekend, on Sunday evening we have the screening of the movie – ‘Birds of a Feather’. Produced & directed by Nina Wells, it’s based on the annual Great Waikato Seagull outboard race on the Waikato River. ww has been plugging the screening at The Vic Theatre in Devonport, for the last few weeks & its a sell out – not the biggest theatre in NZ, but still amazing to sell out. If there is a re-run – you will hear about it here.

The first woody to correctly ID the above boat – name, builder, year – will win the last two tickets to the movie screening. All entries via the comments section on ww. I will also hold off posting this story live on ww until 7.00am (sorry overseas readers) so more people get a chance to enter.

Enjoy 🙂

Poster

Mystery Boats & Location – Win a ww t-shirt

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Mystery Boats & Location – Win a ww t-shirt

Today’s post could be interesting, the first woody that can ID any of the boats & the location will win a ww t-shirt. Rules are simple – first correct answer in the ww Comments section wins. If by 6.00pm no one has answered correctly, we will count backwards e.g. first woody with one of the two answers wins, if no one gets that, then the best (in my eyes) answer wins.
Only one other condition – the prize has to be either a size XL or 2XL shirt, that is all I have left until the next print run – p.s. they are smallish sizing.

Would have to question the effectiveness of those bilge stabilizers – a little like a pimple on a pumpkin 🙂

AND WHILE I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION – A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR HELP
Hi All
I am the project manager for Windhaven the Col Wilde ketch undergoing refit at Yachting Developments. Trying to find some original photos so we can look at restoring to as near as possible to her former glory. promise to be on the harbour this summer.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. pls send to garyatsea@gmail.com
Thx
Capt Gary

Alan H comment – a wee tip – if you keep spelling Wild with an E, you won’t get much help from  HDK 😉
Below are a couple of photos that I assume you have already seen?
Can any woodys help Gary out with more info / photos?

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 29-07-2016 – Photo below ex Mike Drummond from the John Salthouse collection showing Windhaven being ‘removed’ from Colin Wild’s Stanley Point yard. The view is looking north over the Bayswater Peninsular.

Col wild yard

 

 

Mystery Launch 13-07-2016

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Mystery Launch 13-07-2016

Today’s post is a going to test the talents of you woodys. Baden Pascoe sent me the above photos of a launch that is ‘parked’ outside Horopito Motors (central North Island). Baden commented that he was told by a Barbara Cole that it last floated at Whakatane, given its condition – that would have been a while ago 🙂

Barbara thinks the vessel may have been called ‘Gay Lee’.

So woodys what are the collective thoughts on her.

Update from Andrew Pollard –  I have a poor quality photo of this boat, i found it online sometime ago. See below.
I have it under the name Gay Lee also.

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