Tag Archives: Mystery Launch

Mystery Picton Boat

Posted on by
11

Screen Shot 2016-01-29 at 7.22.08 AM

MYSTERY PICTON BOAT

Its only a mystery because the broker selling it obviously doesn’t want to sell the vessel. Why else would you not include the vessel’s name & designer / builder details?

I can tell you this bridgedecker is made of wood, 42′ long, built in 1929, is powered by a 75hp 5LW Gardner diesel & sleeps 6.
Her current home is Picton & at $49k ono its appears a reasonable buy – unless of course it was built in India 🙂

Just re-read the listing & hows this – they list the design of the tender (Seabird)………………

Update – so it looks like it is Rio Rito / Resolution, the photo below of Resolution was sent to me by Don Macleod, taken in Mercury Cove in summer of 2011.

DSC03209

Mystery Launches 13-01-2016

Posted on by
12

Mystery Launches
photos ex Harold Kidd

The two photos above are of the same place and probably taken at the same time period (if not consecutively). We have the 1942 Vos built, ex NZRN (ML410) ship La Reta* alongside in one, can we ID the location & the other boats?
The wee clinker with the Seagull is very cute.

* to read more on La Reta link this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/20/6468/    there is a great tale there from her later years when she was operated as a day fishing excursion vessel from Princess Wharf launch steps 🙂

Katoa

Posted on by
18

Katoa
photos ex John Burland, Paul Drake & Judith Wallith

Morning woodys, I know there has been a few ‘mystery boats’ lately but that’s how it rolls, you post one & it triggers another.

Today’s launch arrived in Mapua, Nelson two days ago & no one knows much about her. An interesting mix of styles, a little bit of everything there.
Can we shed some light on her?

UPDATE

Today’s post had woodys the length of the country digging out there photo albums & cameras & we have uncovered some very cool details.

Paul Drake via his brother Roger sent in the b/w photo below of Katoa (is she still named that?) when 60 years ago she was berthed at Lake Taupo. Owned by the Bull family at the time.

Judith Wallath sent in the below photo of a painting she did c.2000 of a launch anchored at Forestry, Great Barrier Island that must be the same boat.

John Burland, who blogs on the very funky blog http://notthenelsondailyphoto.com/ who put me originally onto the boat, today sent in more photos. He had also un-coverd that she is owned by a gent called David Smith who owns a business in Mapua. The launch used to be at the Nelson marina and before that, it was at Riwaka for a long time.

08-12-2015 Update from the owner via John Burland. (edited by Alan H)

Current owner bought the launch for $27,000 in Jan. 2015 from a gent in Riwaka called John (surname unknown, possibly passed away).
Built 1911 “by 2 brothers in Auckland”. There’s a 1913 bridgedecker at the Nelson marina built by the same  “couple of brothers”.
Currently powered by a 60hp (American) 4 cylinder Ford, (fitted 30 years ago).  42’ long, beam 8’, draws 1.1m,  displaces 5.5t

Legend has it that she was sailed (motored) to Fiji at one time. Cruises at 7 knots, tracks like a dream and he used 2 litres of fuel from Nelson to Mapua.
The engine is very forward (like Seabird) – 25’ drive shaft. What appears as the funnel is actually the chimney for the wood burner stove.

All of the above needs confirmation, John B is attempting to access further info.

16-05-2017 Update  –  Photos below from her new owners Ra Hammer & Joseph Henrey

Mystery Launch 27-11-2015

Posted on by
1

 

Mystery Launch 27-11-2015
photo ex John Wicks

The above launch has just been hauled out at Hobsonville Marina (the old/new Westpark). Now in some eyes she is a bit of a potpourri but there is a honey of a hull there. As John commented, the shape comes down from Norse / Viking craft & later on whale boats.
Would not take much to drive her along a hull speed & above 😉

Any woody able to expand on her?

Update from John Wicks

“Today I was able to interrogate her owner. Had to inflict considerable pain – you know how reluctant boaties are to talk about their boats 😀
She’s “Florence” (not to be confused with the larger double-ender now known as “Florence II”). Her current owner has been restoring her for a couple of years and she’s about to get wet for the first time in a while. He believes she was built by Miller & Tunnage back in the early 1900s and was originally an inshore fishing boat. She’s had other commercial uses, apparently including being a line handling boat round shipping wharves – Port Chalmers?
I’m sure some other WW-er will know more of her history. HDK???
At any rate she’s now looking spick ‘n’ span and it’ll be good to see her out and about.”

ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT TO ORDER WW T-SHIRTS

Remember to get your order in – limited print run, full details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/22/waitematawoodys-t-shirts/

WW Logo Brown (1) copy

Mystery Location 26-11-2015

Posted on by
26

Mystery Location 26-11-2015

The photo view is looking out to the bay, taken between two large macrocarpa trees on the beach front. A ferry can be seen in the bay heading south as well as a yacht & 2 launches. Taken in the early 1900’s. Anyone want to have a go at ID’ing the location & if your really good the launch on the right.

Remember you can enlarge the image by clicking on it 😉

waitematawoody t-shirts – remember to get your order in – limited print run, full details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/22/waitematawoodys-t-shirts/

Old Logo ww shirt

Onehunga Launches

Posted on by
6

Onehunga & Launches 22-10-2015
photo ex Nathan Herbert ex MYMBC

I suspect that today’s photo will be a challenge for woodys to ID. Initially all I’ll say is that it is Auckland.
Eight+ years ago when I purchased Raindance (then Nona C & previously Lady Gay) & was in discussion with Harold Kidd as to her provenance, I was staggered when Harold told me that in the early 1900’s there were 100’s of sub 35′ launches, most following a very standard design, built in & around Auckland both as workhorses & pleasure craft. When I see a photo like the above I can understand the difficulty ID’ing those that survived 🙂

Bruce Pullan Input

Onehunga Basin prior to the reclamation, now motorway. Manukau Hotel to the left, Tearooms in the centre, Wharf in the background.

J I Thornycroft Coastal Motor Boat

Posted on by
19

J I Thornycroft Coastal Motor Boat
photo ex Peter Loughlin ex Historic NZ Photos

Today’s mystery motorboat could be a real challenge – what I can tell you is  (1) its obviously the inner Waitemata with the Devonport Naval Base in the background (2) the launch is fast, very fast (3) the Historic NZ listing says c.1930 but I’d say its earlier than that (4) the seagull above the boat almost definitely had a bowel movement when the boat went by 🙂

All Is Revealed Thanks To Harold Kidd

Harold says that the solution was to identify the cruiser first (REPULSE) and with a little help from Papers Past the rest fell into place. The news clip from the Auckland Star 13 May 1924 below explain all.

 

19-09-2015 Further reading below (ex Peter Loughlan). The first link is for CMB9 which is under restoration, the second link some specs for the entire series.

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/2430/dcb1

http://www.navypedia.org/ships/uk/brit_c_f_cmb40.htm

Lady Ellen

Posted on by
21

LADY ELLEN (Mystery Launch 25-06-2015)
photo ex Jason Prew

At the recent CYA visit to Chris McMullen’s workshop, Jason & crew arrived in the Tino Rawa Trust 1902 Logan Bros. day boat Otira (below).

On route Jason photographed some of the wooden boats moored on the Tamaki River – an amazing number of craft.
Can anyone ID todays launch & provide details on her?

Update from Shane Billingham – She is Lady Ellen , is on dads wharf, unfortunately in bit of a sad state.  Was owned by my grandad (Harry Collard) for years (from 60’s? would need to check with mum).  Now owned by Ian collard since early 1990ish, unfortunately deteriorating.

Otira- 1902 Logan Bros

Otira- 1902 Logan Bros

21-11-2016 Ken Ricketts has been digging into Lady Ellen’s past in regard to the boats original name & existence of an axillary engine. See below.

Input from Ian Richards (grandson of the second owner) edited by Alan H

“Lady Ellen was renamed after my grandmother, it was granddad who had named it after his wife Ellen who was JR’s mother. I do not know the original name of the boat but will see if I can find anything out.”

Input from Cameron Collard (son of present owner – Ian Collard) edited by Alan H

“My Grandfather Harry Collard brought Lady Ellen in c.1962.  I think  (his original log books are still on the boat so all the details are there) from Mr Richards. I was told Mr Richards renamed the boat after his wife Ellen. Also told it was taken to Fiji by one of the previous owners – has second log for an axillary engine and mountings for forward tanks however both had been removed by 1962. In the 70’s the fore deck was re-canvassed and then a few years later the cabin top was glassed both done by Lanes. In 1985 the 96Hp 6 cylinder Lees Ford was replaced with a 135HP Lees Marine Ford.
After my grandfather passed my father purchased the boat in 1990. My father has been overseas for the last 5 years, hence the present condition.”

Update – 26-04-2017 ex Ken Ricketts

 

Mystery Launch 12-06-2015

Posted on by
4

Mystery Launch 12-06-2015
photo ex Dean Wright

The photo of the above launch was taken by Bay of Islands based professional photographer Dean Wright,  so again I assume the location is up ‘North’.

Can anyone ID the vessel & supply any details on her?

Ngarunui

Posted on by
30

NGARUNUI
photo ex Dean Wright

The photo of the above motor-sailer (or maybe its more a launch with a steadying sail) was sent to me by Bay of Islands based professional photographer Dean Wright so I’m assuming the location is ‘North’.

Can anyone ID the vessel & supply more info on her?

Details from Robin Elliott

Its Ngarunui. To my mind she is the best looking boat in the Bay. Could do with a more sympathetic colour scheme, the lolly blue doesn’t appeal to me,  but that’s just being picky.

Jim Young built about 1955, so I assume a Young design as well. Registered with the AYMBA by J.A.K. Spicer and C.R. Pollard in 1957 with dims of 48ft x 46ft x 11ft 8 in x 4ft 3 in and a 165hp diesel of undeclared make.

She was based in Whangarei when I moved up here around 2006 but has lately been moored in Te Uenga Bay (Parekura Bay). Haven’t seen her out much recently but we did sight her a couple of times over the summer.

Harold Kidd Update

According to Lloyds Yacht Register she was designed and built by J.H. Young in 1955 for J.A.K. Spicer and C.R. (Russ) Pollard. She is 48’x46’x11’8″x4’3″ and was originally powered with twin GM 165hp diesels of 1942 vintage (obviously ex-USN) + an 11hp Coventry Cub. Beautiful craft!

25-01-2016 Update

As ID’ed by Russell Ward (3 June 2015) Ngarunui has 2 prop shafts, one above the other. See Ken Ricketts photos below.

NGARUNUI 2 prop 4

27-01-2016 Update

Stewart Lodge (current owner) reports that Ngarunui had a single 165 6-71, and this was replaced with a 210hp version of the same. Always had the aux engine mounted behind the main with shaft above. The current engine is a Doosan (Korean) commercially rated engine at 200hp, solid mounted.