Mystery Whangaroa Launch 1930’s
Todays woody is a big ask to identify – the caption is captioned ‘1930’s Whangaroa’ but the vessel is unnamed.Its mooching around a large school of Kahawai so no doubt is trolling a lure.
The photo comes to us from the British Museum via Lew Redwood fb and the photographer is probably J.M. Booth.
Are we able to put a name to the launch?
REMEMBER – WOODY STILLWATER DOCKSIDE PICNIC TOMORROW
MYSTERY NAPIER LAUNCH
Todays woody is what appears to be a very smart sub 30’ double-ender launch, seen in the above photo anchored in Napier’s Inner Harbour.
The photo comes to us from a late 2022 Maurice Sharp fb post.
Would love to put a name to the launch and an approximate date to the photo.
Tall Ships At The 2023 Australian Wooden Boat Festival Short video to given you a quick overview of the Tall Ship eye candy at the festival – all earning their keep doing inner harbour cruises. Enjoy 🙂
Mystery 40’ Bridge Decker
Todays 40’ woody if you believe her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) was built / launched in 1928 by Miller and Tulloch.
Forward motion is from a 120hp Ford diesel. Home port is Tauranga. And that woodys is all we know about her.
I did have a note I had written with the name – Aoroa on it, but I can’t remember if that is the vessels name or not.
Anyone able to ID the boat and tell us more?
INPUT ex WILLIAM BROWN – Check out an earlier WW posting https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/03/12/aoroa-a-peek-down-below/
Someone please buy her and restore her to her former glory!
Mystery Two Masted Launch
Recently Brian Peet shared with us a selection of old boating images that came from a family album. The photo above does look vaguely familiar but I can’t recall a name, so if it has appeared on WW before it must be a while ago.
Very unusual looking cabin / dog house + the twin masts make her very distinctive, so hopefully we can ID the vessel and learn more about her.
Weather gods permitting I’m off to Lake Rotoiti (Nth Is.) tomorrow for the annual Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade, always a great day afloat. If you are around the central north island over the long weekend and looking for something to do, check out the parade. The best shore based viewing is from the public picnic area 200 metres south of the Okere Store, starting at 11am. There will be an MC announcing the boats as they pass. More details on the parade here: https://www.woodenboatparade.co.nz
Mystery Launch + Competition (Posiedon > Bontia)
Yesterday I was contacted by Brian Peet regarding the above photo. I’ll let Brian tell the story-
“My late father’s cousin Graham Hamblin gave me a photo of a launch owned by another long departed family member, Percy Hewitt. We don’t have a name or any other details for the boat, but to my untrained eye, it looks under 30ft long, 1950s with possibly American influences. The bow looks most unusual and not a styling that got picked up by NZ designers to any extent. Percy lived at Bucklands Beach and apparently raced the launch a few times in the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta”.
INPUT EX KEN RICKETTS – well that was easier than expected, KR advised the boat was named Posiedon, later changed to Bonita – details here in her 2013 WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/21/posiedon/
So woodys has anyone ever seen this launch before? Might be hard to confirm the accuracy of suggestions, so how does this sound – the most believable / entertaining suggestion will get a WW t-shirt and Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat calendar. Suggestions in the WW comments section please. Closes off midnight 21/01/23.
Waitangi Hotel – Mystery Launch – Quiz
Todays photo comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb and the quiz is – name the launch in the middle of bay, out from the Hotel Waitangi.
All answers to waitematawoodys@gmail.com closes 6pm today (23-12-2022) All correct answer go into the draw – PRIZE is a 2023 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar.
Seaway At Waikawa Marina
Todays woody comes to us from the camera of Dean Wright, taken on his recent southern jaunt.
Can we learn more about Seaway?
WOODY 2023 CALENDARS
The nice folks at Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat have produced another impressive calendar, limited print run so order today. See link below to order a copy – $15 or three for $40 https://form.jotform.com/221770838085866
Mystery Lake Okataina Launch – Can We Now Confirm Her ID
Back in February 2022 we ran a story, link below, on an unknown launch (2nd photo above) at an unknown location. At the time the location was ID’ed as Lake Okataina, Rotorua. The was a couple of potential ID’d on the launch from the two of the WW wise men 🙂
Harold Kidd suggested it may have been the bridgedecker – Merlin, owned by Beamish-White, that later went to Kawhia
Paul Drake was keen on her being the launch – Karina, that was in commercial service at Taupo in the 1960’s, owned by Jim Story.
Today thanks to Greg Philpott uncovering the top photo from the Archive NZ collection – taken by JG Duncan, we get a much better view of the launch, which was tagged 1951, Lake Okataina – so hopefully we can confirm her name and builder etc
Link to previous WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/02/24/mystery-lake-launch-24-02-22/
Mystery Launch 01-11-2022 – Waipeke
Todays woody photo was sent in by Nathan Herbert and comes to us from Lance Lange, grandson of boatbuilder Phil Lang, so there’s your 1st clue 😉 Rather a smart looking woody – can we put a name to her?
UPDATE – as advised by everyone and confirmed by Nathan Herbert – the launch is – Waipeke. Photo below ex Ken Ricketts
Wooden Boat Folk Series – today we also get to view latest release from the crew at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, the video showcases the 1892 yacht – Clara. Launched in 1892 by Thomas Williams at the Domain Slipway in Hobart.
Clara is possibly the 2nd oldest wooden craft in Tasmania still afloat. Enjoy !
Read more on the up coming (Feb 10 >13th 2023) festival here https://www.australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au
MYSTERY LAUNCH OFF DEVONPORT YACHT CLUB – Raumati II > Moeraki
Todays mystery launch photo comes to us via Mitchell Hutchings fb from the Parsonson Family collection.
There appears to be a working-bee underway at the Devonport Yacht Club on what must be the western slipway.
The Mason Clipper in the photo must help date the photo.
19-10-2022 INPUT FROM FRANK WARNOCK – I am almost certain that the launch in Mondays report moored off the Devonport Yacht Club was Happy Wanderer owned by John Senior. The working bee was replacing a rail on the Western slipway or cementing an existing one back after a storm. The date would be the 1960s.
30-10-2022 INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – the vessel is Raumati II > Moeraki
2023 TALL SHIPS REGATTA – DETAILS BELOW
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