Tag Archives: Noel May

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ARISTOS 

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2015

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ARISTOS 

Back in 2015 I took the top photo of the 36′ launch – ARISTOS at the  Classic Launch & Yacht exhibition, she is a very fine looking woody but with her probably being the only Des Townson designed launch to be built, we would not expect anything less. Built by Noel May and launched in 1985.

Over the weekend I had cause to be mooching around the Sandspit Marina and I spied ARISTOS, nice to see she is still presented in grand condition. The davits on the stern are an unusual design, with the ability to swing back. Wouldn’t suit a lot of classics but ARISTOS carries it well.

See and read more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/10/03/the-des-townson-story-aristos/

And here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/03/09/aristos/

Photo below that I’m sure Des Townson would feel more comfortable with 🙂

Summer Wine Gets Some TLC

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Summer Wine Gets Some TLC

Visitors to {the} Slipway Milford yard last month would have seen the launch – Summer Wine hauled out getting a serious refresh in & out.

Summer Wine was designed and built be Noel May, Buckland Beach, launched in 1993 so slips into the spirit of tradition category .

The weather last Friday when she slipped back into the Milford creek as not very pleasant but she still looked very smart. Launch day photos via cadet WW photographer Jason Prew 😉

In the on the hard photos we also see the 1953 A Couldrey designed, Brin Wilson built launch – Endeavour , hauled out for some cardiac surgery – the engine is being reconditioned.

Read / view more about Summer Wine at 2013 WW sorry – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/24/summer-wine/

Chamberlains Bay – April 2022

RSVP TO1 waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Summer Wine

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Summer Wine – Oneroa 07/2013

SUMMER WINE
Summer Wine – could be a very special boat, I suspect she was designed by one of NZ’s most talented modern(ish) yacht designers, Des Townson. He only designed (I think?) one launch & Summer wine could be it. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to iD most Townson boats – not a lot of right angles on them 🙂
I said hello last weekend as I cruised past her stern in Oneroa, I would love to know more about the boat, she was flying the CYA burgee but I can not find her in the database?
ps I might be wrong about her being a Townson, more knowledgable people than I have question my judgement on this launch – so jump in with your view.AH
An Update From the Owner – I was wrong but right 🙂 AH
MV SUMMER WINE (registered as such to avoid confusion with the plethora of Summer Wines) was designed and built by Noel May of Bucklands Beach, and launched in 1993, for his own use in retirement.  Noel had been a long time friend of Des Townson and had built a number of Townson keelers, culminating in the build of ARISTOS, the only launch designed by Townson.  The two launches are similar, but distinctly different in both dimensions and layout, in that they share the same materials (triple kauri hull, epoxied inside and glassed outside, teak coamings, glassed and clear finished, walnut panelling interior).  ARISTOS has recently been purchased from Whitianga and is now in the OBC in the capable care of a jeweller, I believe.
SUMMER WINE hopes to become a classic when she is old enough, meanwhile her owners,  most certainly are old enough to be classics, although their construction may let them down a bit, are content to be ordinary members of the CYA, hence the burgee.
My daughter, who knows about such things, took the opportunity to spend some time with Noel May shortly after we took the boat over and scanned a number of photos of the designing and construction and launching which she made into one of those self published book thingies.  We have spare copies aplenty by the way, which the CYA is welcome to one of if there is any interest.
We have covered a lot of miles in the three and a bit years past and have found her to be vice free, comfortable, and manouverable due to her little twin Yanmars. Dennis Rule
26-03-2017 Photos below of SW at Pine Harbour – Mar2017 ex Ken Ricketts