Tag Archives: Parma

HAPPY NEW YEAR WOODYS + A Peek Into Why WW Is NZ’s #1 Boating Media Hub

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HAPPY NEW YEAR WOODYS + A Peek Into Why WAITEMATA WOODYS Is NZ’s #1 Boating Media Hub

As the first day of the new year I thought I’d give you a peek into the big black box that stores all the data behind the waitematawoodys weblog. Only a peek because some of the intel is very revealing in terms of what and when the classic boating community consume online, and I’m not interested in helping other marine media that struggle to maintain their existing channels and grow online.

SOME STATS: 

• 2024 site visits and viewing numbers – highest ever. To date the site has received in excess of 13 million views.

• Followers / subscribers – grew in 2024 by 73%. A reflection that at last people have accepted the tech and now receive daily updates on new and updated stories.

• Biggest Single Viewed 2024 Story – 36,384 views in a 24hr period.

• Most referenced stories – still Chris McMullen’s learnings on electro-chemical damage in wooden boats – links below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/18/loving-your-boat-to-death-electro-chemical-destruction-underwater-rot/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/04/28/electro-chemical-damage-in-wooden-boats

• Most popular viewing day and time – after 10 years its changed – quite a surprise, possibly reflection on the ageing database.

• Lowest viewing month – October.

• Viewing Numbers by country – NZ > AUST > USA > UK > CANADA – Its taken a long time but the UK numbers have finally hit the 4 digits.

• Most clicked on (enlarged) single photo 2024 – MY GIRL in the anniversary day launch drag race – photo above.

• Most viewed single photo ever – Classic Launch Parma Sinks Under Harbour Bridge – photo above.

• And if there was an award for the WTF is that boat & why we need to protect our classic fleet – the last photo above that I received a couple of days ago from a woody hunkered down at Kawau Island would be the winner. They commented “Attached is a photo of an alien craft that has landed in Bon Accord Harbour today. A small group of well weathered boaties here on the KBC deck tonight have declared this to be an unqualified failure in boat design and who ever was responsible was on some really bad stuff at the time. The owner has no right to position it amongst the fleet of Kiwi designed and built vessels anchored here in such a beautiful location.”

In 2024 I was interviewed for a feature story in my local newspaper, as part of the process I supplied the brief below.

Whats the waitematawoodys website all about Dedicated to the study and appreciation of classic kiwi wooden boats. WW was founded upon a desire to tell the stories and a need to archive history of our classic wooden boats, the craftsman who built them & characters that owned and crewed on them. Visiting the weblog is like a bunch of people in the boat club bar, there will be stuff discussed you know, stuff you know nothing about and stuff you want to know more about. That’s what waitematawoodys is about – gathering stories, photos, history, reminiscences.

Never in a blue moon when I started the waitematawoodys.com weblog could I have seen it becoming as popular as it has. Along the way the site has morphed to also become an awesome information source for just about anything connected to wooden boating.

Some facts:
• 13,000,000+ views • 20,000+ people visiting the site per day, 7 days a week • 3700+ stories available online • 46,000+ photos published online • A photo library of over 80,000 photos.

The site is search-able by style of vessel, size, age, designer, builder, method of construction, location, method of propulsion e.g. sail / power. These days in excess of 50% of the site visitation is research based, as compared to reading the story of the day. If it is wooden boat related everyone ends up at waitematawoodys

None of this would have happened without in the early days input from people way more worldly in the wooden boating community than myself. The list of people that have shared their family photo albums, stories and knowledge with waitematawoodys is huge and  the site just wouldn’t be what it is today without these people.  I’ve made so many friends, and been fortunate to rub shoulders with a lot in person. 

Here’s To An Even Bigger 2025

What Became Of The Launch – PARMA + Te Atatu Boating Club 65th Anniversary Celebrations

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What Became Of The Launch – PARMA

WW had an enquiry during the week in regard to the 1958 Brin Wilson designed / built 37’ launch – PARMA. WW readers may recall that back in August 2022 we reported that she  had stuck one of the Auckland Harbour bridge concrete foundations and as good as sunk. She was assisted to Hobsonville Marina, hauled out and sat there for approx. 5 months. Then in December 2022 we made several call outs to any woodys looking for a ‘free’ project boat.

The threat was that she would be despatched to the crusher before Christmas if no one stepped up.

So todays question is – was she saved and if so is she sitting in someones paddock or did she head to the land-fill.

UPDATE – Great news – she was saved and now resides on the Kaipara Harbour. Photos & video below ex Zach Matich via Jason Prew. I understand Ron Matich was the one that did the refit / restoration – well done:-)

Te Atatu Boating Club 65 Anniversary Celebrations – full details at the link below https://www.teatatuboatclub.co.nz/events

LAURA JO + Last Chance To Save A Woody

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LAURA JO + Last Chance To Save A Woody

The very salty looking woody – Laura Jo was one of the craft that Dean Wright recently photographed at Havelock Marina. And that woodys is all we know – can we added more details to her history and how she came to call Havelock home.

08-12-2022 UPDATE ex David Martin –

The Laura Jo was originally the launch Laura. She was purchased in the early 90s as an ex fishing boat needing a lot of TLC by lovely couple living in Sumner. The ladies name was Jo, and the boat was re-launches as Laura Jo. Her huband was Bruce (I recall?) who passed away in the late 90s. LJ was re-built, cabin extended, and berthed in Lyttelton at that time.
I have more photos and a drg of her (I drew many of my friends Boats around that period). I will dig up all the info I have and add at a later date.

FRIDAY IS EXECUTION DAY – PARMA HAS A DATE WITH THE CRUSHER – To save her call Manheim at 09 918 0500 – the actual boat is offered up at no charge. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/08/04/classic-launch-parma-sinks-under-harbour-bridge/

Spindrift + Save A Classic From The Chainsaw

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SPINDRIFT

One of my ’spotters’,  Dean Wright, in the north sent in on Wednesday night the above photo of Spindrift. Dean commented that Spindrift was a newbie to him and myself also.

The photo shows her coming up the Kerikeri Inlet (Doves Bay). 

Can anyone enlighten us on Spindrift, there is an interesting mix of styles going on, but overall she looks very salty.

UPCOMING WOODY EVENTS

We have a long weekend coming up – Labour W/end – OCt 22nd > 24th) historically we tend to point the bow towards Kawau Island, weather permitting, if the weather gods are nice the plan is a catch up / drink ashore on Saturday at the Kawau Boating Club. Always very informal, so probaly around 3.30>4pm. If your around drop in.

FREE TO A GOOD HOME – Parma

The classic launch Parma recently had an oops and sank – story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/08/04/classic-launch-parma-sinks-under-harbour-bridge/

Parma

The insurance surveyor has advised they have offered up Parma at no charge other than removal costs from Hobsonville Marina Hardstand – if no takers by Oct 21st – she sadly will be cut up. Interested parties contact Simon Marshall via email simon.marshall@nz.sedgwick.com

Mystery Bayswater Launch

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MYSTERY BAYSWATER LAUNCH

Mooching around Bayswater Marina last week I spotted a new addition, she had slotted into the berth previously occupied by the unlucky Parma https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/08/04/classic-launch-parma-sinks-under-harbour-bridge/

No name but looks either recently done up or very well cared for. Owner must like the colour white 🙂

Can anyone put a name to the launch and ideally more details?

Thanks to input from a ‘Steve’ in the comments section – he reminded me it has been on WW before – link below – but we still do not have confirmation of name. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/06/07/1953-jorgensenmystery-launch/

Input ex Murray Deeble – Was in the South Island and featured as the detectives launch in a NZ made TV series lay in Milford called Sea Princess for a while getting worse and worse.

Parma

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PARMA

The launch Parma hasn’t made an appearance on WW, other than a small cameo appearance, mainly because many moons ago, back in the heady days of the CYA forum, I got my hand slipped for saying that Parma held the record for the longest appearance on trademe :-). While life moves on, my skin is thicker and I suspect she is / was in new ownership.

I note in her current trademe listing the question is asked about previous ‘rot’ issues which we are told have been righted, so today Parma finally gets a chance to shine on WW.

What do we know about her? – she was built in 1958 by Brin Wilson, carvel planked, measures a tad over 34’ and is powered by a 1970, 6 cyl. Ford (Fordson 2700 series) 40hp diesel engine.
She appears to be presented in good order and is well fitted out. Owner must have a taste for Heineken 🙂

UPDATE 07-07-2022 Parma had again been 4sale for an extended period of time and had reverted to ‘live-aboard’ status at Bayswater marina – please to be able to advise that she appears to have been sold and received some TLC – new paint job.

Hobsonville Marina Hardstand Report

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lAPWING

LAPWING

LAPWING SCROLLWORK

PARMA
PARMA

ROSEMARY M

ROSEMARY M

ROSEMARY M -Damage

Hobsonville Marina Hardstand Report

Woody John Wicks sent in the above photos of woody activity at the marina.

Lapwing, built by Bailey & Lowe in 1915, lives along from me at Bayswater and would have to be a contender for the most unused woody in Auckland, but her owner maintains her very well so she is a lucky woody. Nice to see her lies and a close up of the classic B&L scrollwork on the bow. In the water front below

https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Lapwing&submit=Search

We couldn’t find Parma on WW but I’m sure its appeared before, she was for sale for a very long time, so hopefully her present condition reflects a change of ownership. As John commented, she is a pretty thing – can anyone update us on her?. 

The shots of – Rosemary M, show the results of a large plastic boat out-of-control whacking her with its stern platform after its skipper mistook his throttles for gearshifts while trying to back in / out of his berth. John understands the owner of Rosemary M was aboard her at the time and was able to stuff something into the hole and stem the inflow until she could be lifted out. John understands the owner of the assailant has at least had the decency to admit liability – good man. A peek below decks here –    https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/01/30/rosemary-m-a-peek-down-below/