Nana – Rescued & Restored

p1240482

p1240480

img_02461

NANA -Rescued & Resored
Over the weekend while at the Mahurangi Regatta, I spied Nana sliding by on numerous occasions, which made me smile – it is always good to see a woody that has been rescued from the chainsaw / backhoe.
Firstly a history lesson – Nana was designed by C. Bailey Jun. &  built by C. Bailey & Sons for Mr F Alison of Matiatia, Waiheke Island in1934 & launched in late November / December. She is 35′ with a 8′ beam & a 3′ draft. A day cruiser, all her controls were in the raised top amidships. When launched she was fitted with a 100hp Redwing engine & expected to reach a rather speedy 17 knots. You can view a photo of her taken during her early December, 1934 sea trails at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/07/05/nana-2/
Alison had her built for trips to town (Auckland City) & for taking friends out to the fishing grounds in the gulf.

Back in 2014 Nana was hit, whilst moored, in a storm. She suffered reasonably extensive structural damage around the deck line, stern and aft cabin top & was leaking badly, resulting in a flooded > seized Ford diesel 125hp engine, refer hauled out photo below. She was bought off the insurers as a wreck.

Enter the very talented, woody restorer John Wright who has worked his magic on her. The above marina photos were taken by John Wicks while Nana was recently at West Harbour (Hobsonville) marina. The under way photos are from your truly at the Mahurangi 2017 Regatta weekend. Would like to see some photos of the restoration process – John ??

YESTERDAYS WOODY WEEKEND STORY ON WW BROKE ALL THE RECORDS IN TERMS OF VIEWING NUMBERS & VISITORS TO THE SITE.
THE STORY WAS VIEWED OVER 16,000 TIMES IN THE FIRST 24HRS.

screen-shot-2017-01-31-at-11-07-10-pm

Nana

NANA

thanks to CYA members Jason Prew for the colour photos & Nathan Herbert for the b/w (Papers Past)

BACKGROUND
Nana was designed by C. Bailey Jun. &  built by C. Bailey & Sons for Mr F Alison of Matiatia, Waiheke Island in1934 & launched in late November / December. She is 35′ with a 8′ beam & a 3′ draft. A day cruiser, all her controls were in the raised top amidships.
When launched she was fitted with a 100hp Redwing engine & expected to reach a rather speedy 17 knots. The photo above was taken on her sea trails, early Dec 1934.
Alison had her built for trips to town (Auckland City) & for taking friends out to the fishing grounds in the gulf.
As an aside, Alison sold his 35′ cruiser Makora, built to order 20 years early by C. Bailey to Mr Jas. Gordon of Awaroa Bay, Waiheke.

TODAY
Nana’ was hit whilst moored in a recent storm. She took on an undetermined quantity of water which partially flooded the Ford diesel 125hp engine which has now seized.
To quote the trademe listing the vessel has suffered reasonably extensive structural damage around the deck line, stern and aft cabin top & is currently leaking badly.
‘Nana’ is for sale ‘as is, where is’ on behalf of insurers at Orams Marine hard stand, Westhaven.
Now I’m not a boatbuilder but from the photos & feedback from those that have seen her the damage doesn’t look at all terminal.
This launch needs to be saved from the chainsaw & could be purchased for not a lot of money. The trademe auction closed yesterday, there was no reserve & the opening bid was set at $1,000, there were no bids.  So Woodys – anyone looking for a project ? Remember as well as being a looker she was quick. I don’t normally put trademe links up but Nana needs a helping hand.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-747029166.htm

UPDATE 06/07/2014 – SHE HAS DODGED THE BULLET – NANA HAS A NEW OWNER

Nana

Image

Nana

NANA
She was built by Chas Bailey & Son Ltd in 1934 . She was a 35 footer with a 110hp Redwing Big Chief. She had a side exhaust well above the waterline, on the starboard side, with no cowl over it.

Ken Ricketts has known this boat since 1946, when she was moored in Matiatia & belonged to Mr Fred Allison (the original owner), who owned the Devonport Steam Ferry Ltd & lived at Matiatia, Waiheke Island. Alison got Bailey to build his boats because of the ferry connection. Ken only very recently acquire this photo, ex Harold Kidd. Ken was absolutely thrilled to have it, as he always was fascinated by her. Her hull was painted royal blue with varnished & white combings, — unusual for that time, — & she was always immaculate. used to sit a little high in the water at the tuck waterline, with the boat not sitting in the water until a little below the round of the chine line, but nevertheless, lovely, with the name in gold leaf arched in the middle of the tuck. Not used very much. Ken never actually saw her off the moorings, on the many weekends, he anchored there on his dad’s boat, the JULIANA circa 1946-48.