Can We Put A Name ToThis Classic Launch – ALARA
Todays woody recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) and other than that she is 28’ long and powered by a 150hp Diesel engine, the other info supplied was a tad light e.g. ‘classic lovely wooden boat with electric winch, toilet, stove.
Home is Birkenhead, Auckland.
Possibly named Alara
MYSTERY 1939 LANE LAUNCH
A recent addition to tme this 27’ Lane, 1939 built launch is powered by a Perkins 40hp diesel engine, and that woodys is all we know, other than current home is Whangarei.
Can we put a name to her and maybe learn where she has spent the last 80+ years.
(Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up)
29-10-2023 Input ex Mark Sorrenson – Looks like Lyrebird. I bought her from Brian Juers in 2004. She was on a swing mooring at that time off McLeods Bay. Brian believed she may have been a Lanes and that she had spent time on the Hokianga Harbour. My late father Graham helped me bring her down the coast to Milford marina. It was a great journey.
We sold her to a couple of gals that lived at Mangawhai Heads. They motored her over the bar and she was on a mooring in the Mangawhai Harbour for a number of years.
She featured on W/W in 2015.
She is very hard chined and would be quite a speedster with a higher powered modern lightweight engine. I had a dream that I would buy her back and repower her, but I’m in the final throws of refurbishing my current boat Manapouri and I will have to wait for the next time she comes up for sale.
BABY LU
Earlier in the week Ken Ricketts sent in the above photo of the launch Baby Lu. The photo is ex the NZ Herald 12 October 1929 issue, and comes to us via fb.
The NZH story was highlighting the fact that the previous week, Baby Lu had been stolen from her Auckland mooring and was found abandoned several days later afloat off Bucklands Beach.
Back in March this year we ran a story around a mystery launch ist photo below, at the time Nathan Herbert commented that (with a few alterations) Baby Lu could have morphed into this launch. NH also pointed out the similarities to another craft – named Waratah, 2nd photo below) that has appeared on WW.
Now that we have a tagged Baby Lu photo – what to the brains trust think around the DNA of these craft.
01-11-2023 UPDATE – Photo below of Baby Lu > Waeatah ex Harold Kidd
15-01-2024 UPDATE – photo below ex K Rickettsis probably Baby Lu (confirmed by Nathan Herbert)
Mystery Wellington Launch
Woody John Wicks was recently visiting Wellington and tooth opportunity to do a spot of marina mooching at Chafers Marina.
One woody leapt out to the eye, hard not to when painted ‘Rescue Yellow’ 🙂 John was unable to sight a name, but dockside chat is that she may have come down from Auckland.
Given the colour – hopefully we can ID her and learn more about her.
Nathan Herbert Input – That’s the Rehutai, ex Arawa, Nomad, Irihapeti. Converted to this guise by Allan Williams in Milford
FREE TO THE RIGHT HOME– Have been recently contacted by a gent that has a pair of wooden game poles (5m high x .800m wide) that he will donate to someone that will use them – so no profiteers need apply 🙂
Mystery Lake Taupo Launches
Todays woody photo has a launch leaving the Waikato River at Taupo for an excursion on the lake. The photo appeared in The NZ Herald on the 9th January 1937.
And woodys that is all we know, so keen to ID the launch and also the sedan cruiser in the background.
I suspect my inbox will ping me an alert from one of the Drake brothers with the answers 🙂
INPUT ex Nigel Drake – In my view the boat leaving the harbour is Waihora and the sedan launch on the beach is probably Destiny. Will leave someone else to hopefully confirm and provide more detail.
INPUT ex Paul Drake – Yes the above is a great photo of WAIHORA, run commercially by a Mr Tabernacle (Tabby) who was an A grade mechanic and the only person in New Zealand qualified to work on Rolls Royce engines. WAIHORA had a Chrysler Ace or possibly a Chrysler Crown. Last seen at Lake Rotoiti in the early 1980’s with the usual ugly plywood cabin but not seen for many years.
I don’t think the other boat is DESTINY.
Photo below of WAIHORA at Lake Rotoiti dated Feb 8th 1983.
03-09-2023 INPUT ex Michael Drake – I agree that the launch in the foreground is Waihora, going far too fast in the river and with two fenders still down. But I doubt if the sedan launch in the background is Destiny, as the launch in the photo is too highly wooded at the stern, and the Destiny’ s cabin sides were visually lower than shown in the photo.
WOODYS BOAT BOOT SALE – SPACE FILLING UP – RSVP TODAY to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
MYSTERY LAUNCH 23-08-23
Today we have another woody from Sue Rivington’s family album. Photo most likely taken by her grandfather – George Hyaulason.
Looks to be around 32’ in length and her hull design looks familiar – fingers crossed Nathan Herbert can ID the launch.
The ‘eye-brow’ on the forward edge of the cabin top is a perfect example of the difference they can make to the appearance of a launch – and even the davits are a good look – very salty both get my tick 🙂
INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – I’d like to say it’s Boucher’s boat, the Baby Lu, with altered windows (pre or post racing era I’m not sure). Furthermore, I’ll add that I think she may be the present/recent ‘Waratah’. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/16/waratah-needs-a-new-home/
Waitemata Woodys Gear Update
Start saving your pennies – we have just ordered another run of the WW canvas caps – these ones are now the #1 selling WW crew gear.
And after years of hearing “where are the WW flags” we have pushed the green light on production – 100% canvas, printed both sides with the Waitemata Woodys logo (below) using old-school screen printing method (long lasting) and pennant shaped.
Ordering details soon – in time for Fathers Day 🙂
MYSTERY COULDREY LAUNCH
As always its only a mystery because the broker deletes the name 🙂 What we know is she was built by Bill Couldrey in 1972 so slips into the ’spirit of tradition’ grouping. 34’4” in length with a beam of 11’ 4” built from double diagonal kauri (+ glassed….). Powered by a 80hp Ford diesel that pushes her along at 7 knots. Appears to be well spec’ed. As always thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads us.
Can we put a name to the launch.
UPDATE 11-08-2023 ex Harold Kidd – She wasn’t BUILT by Bill Couldrey; he stopped building shortly after WW2.
“Start off slow… and then ease up. It’s summer”
The headline above comes from a t-shirt that the boys at Off Center Harbor gave me and it fits todays story perfectly. Some photos that drop into my inbox go straight to the ‘WoW Keeper’ file – todays is one of those, it comes to us ex Tauranga Library archives via Dean Wright.
The chap in the deck chair doesn’t look like he has been on the end of a paint brush, maybe an owner supervising the work, or maybe just taking in the vista. What ever he is doing I think we all need to do more of it 🙂
The photo is tagged ;ady-Julie Nov 1960, I suspect that is a typo and it should read – Lady-Julie, so woodys are we able to ID launch in the background?
Mystery Launch & Location 12-07-2023
Earlier in the week I had a what I would call a WW windfall – Bay of Islands based woody – Dean Wright shared 80+ black and white photos from NZ’s boating past.
Some have appeared on WW before but the majority are new to my eyes.
Todays photo immediately caught my eye – everything captured is just a delight and records a special moment in time. I’ll stop now before I start sounding like K Ricketts 😉 The photo is currently my laptop screensaver image 🙂
The possible date of the photo is January 1961, and comes to us from the Tauranga Library archives.
So woodys – a very long shot but can we ID the launch and possibly the location. I’ll give the last of the winter corduroy WW caps to the first person that can name both, I’ll need more than a guess, so – tell me in a little detail why you think your answer/s are correct. ALL ANSWERS VIA EMAIL ONLY TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com
MYSTERY LAUNCH 30-06-2023
Todays woody was nearly one of those projects that got started then life and time got in the way – thankfully Simon Raikes discovered the hull and took on the project.
What we see above is the result of Simon’s very talented skills. Simon’s company Craftbuilt won the 2023 Supreme Award at the Master Joinery Awards.
The launch is 30’ in length, constructed of diagonal laminated kauri planks and powered by a 80hp Ford D series engine. Not a lot more is known about the launch, so if anyone recognizes her – let us know.
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