2024 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 200+ PHOTOS

2024 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 200+ PHOTOS

Wow what a weekend , stunning weather, so many classic woody boats and as always at Lake Rotoiti – nice people.

Left Auckland at 5.30am to drive down – have to say the new Waikato expressway is so fast BUT so boring as a drive.

Arrived at my hosts Dave and Glenys Wilson lake front residence and collected the on-the-water transport for the day. Had a nice surprise in that the boat came with a skipper – local boatbuilder Alan Craig (Craig Marine) who over the last 10 years has rubbed up against most of the craft floating on the lake. This made my boat buddy – cabin boy, Grant Gibbs redundant but he accepted the demotion to #1 lackey.

After recent parade weekends have been effected by CV19 and weather bombs everyone was hanging out for a special day afloat and we got it in spades. 

Todays photo gallery is loosely broken into 3 sections – Mooching About / Parade / Picnic.

Enjoy – if I missed your boat – sorry, next year. Tomorrow I will do a story on the Albatross runabouts that were a major part of the parade – I believe the biggest turnout in the Southern Hemisphere.

A couple of videos below.

REMEMBER – CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE


09-02-2024 UPDATE – Video of the fleet at the Picnic

RATANUI – A Peek Down Below + Serious Incentive To Buy Her

RATANUI – A Peek Down Below + Serious Incentive To Buy Her

The 31’ carvel planked bridge-decker Ratanui has appeared several times on WW and generated good debate re her age and builder , in the interests of keeping things factual its best to say that she was built in the 1910>1930’s period and in terms of parentage – possibly Bailey & Lowe or that wonderful name that gets attached to so many boats – Lanes 🙂

Most recently Ratanui has called Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) home and has been blessed with life in a boat shed.

Forward motion is from a Ford D-series, model 2722E diesel that gets her along at a comfortable cruising speed of 8 knots.

A change in circumstances now means Ratanui is looking for a new owner – vendor is very realist re price +/- $30k and is also offering to finance the purchase to an approved / suitable buyer. FYI – boat shed not available for purchase.

So woodys if you are looking for a very roomy, affordable classic either on the lake or relocated back to the briny – contact Kim on 021 169 9699 for more details

Ratanui

RATANUI

Last year there was a lot of ww chat on Ratanui & her provenance. You can view that here & also more photos of her as she is today. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/08/06/ratanui/

We are told she is 31′ kauri carvel planked, but as to her designer / builder & build date that is a little ‘soft’ – a plate on board indicates a build date of 1928 but Harold Kidd feels a more likely build date is 1910-1914 & possibly by Bailey and Lowe in Auckland. She most likely has had a name change. She is powered by a Ford D-Series, model 2722E giving 7-8 knots cruising speed. Currently based at Lake Rotoiti & used for cruises on the lake, both pleasure & commercially.

Just recently I found in the ww files the above photo of Ratanui before the make-over. Maybe this photo might spark a woodys memory & we can uncover more about her.

Photo below as she is today.

Ratanui

RATANUI

Ratanui” is a 31’kauri carvel planked bridge decker. A plate on board indicates a build date of 1928 but it is ‘thought’ a more likely build date is 1910-1914 & possibly by Bailey and Lowe in Auckland. She is powered by a Ford D-Series, model 2722E giving 7-8 knots cruising speed.

Currently based at Lake Rotoiti & used for cruises on the lake, both pleasure & commercially. If Ratanui rings your bell, she is for sale on trademe.

Would be interested to know any details & obtain photos of her before the plywood sheets were added.