Tag Archives: Salthouse

PIRIMANU – Ready To Splash

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Photos below November 2023

PIRIMANU – Ready To Splash

We have been following the refit / restoration of the 28’ Salthouse built, A Couldrey designed, 1968 launch – Pirimanui – links below to the last few years stories on WW.

This week the Blair Boats yard advised that the day had come and she would be re-splashing later this week.

Stunning workmanship and hats off to her ’newish’ owner for the level of commitment to the project.

Fingers crossed we get to see some photos of Pirimanu post launching.May 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/16/pirimanu-a-peek-down-below/

Jan 2023 Refresh https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/31/pirimanu-gets-a-makeover/

July 2023 >>> Work In Process. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/07/28/pirimanu-gets-a-birthday/

Update – Pirimanu back in the water, all windows replaced with new teak beading, all new varnish inside and out (14 coats of alwood gloss) inside cabin repainted, new electronics solar and bilge pumps, new gear box and refurbished engine. (Photos and words ex Blair Boats fb.

May 2022

Snow Goose

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SNOW GOOSE

The 24’ launch Snow Goose was built in 1963 at the Salthouse yard, and recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald). The forward propulsion is via a marinised 3L Mazda Titan diesel engine.

And that woodys is all we know about her – can we learn some more about what she has been up to for the last 60 years. Home is currently Tauranga.

STILLWATER WOODYS WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com

SEA FEVER – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

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SEA FEVER – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

The 34’ sedan top classic launch – Sea Fever has the best of pedigrees having been designed and built by John Salthouse. When launched she was named Onetaunga.

Stepping aboard the design and build quality of the Salthouse yard is everywhere, and thanks to the last two owners Sea Fever has been a lucky boat.

Built in 1958 from kauri (carvel planked) her beam is 10’ and she draws 3’6”. Forward motion is via a 115hp Ford )Lees conversion) diesel engine, that gives her a top speed of 9 knots.

The owner of Sea Fever has made the call that single-handing Sea Fever is no longer an option and the Wooden Boat Bureau has been tasked with identifying her next owner. If owning a classic launch is on your horizon I would recommend you contact us now for more details at waitematawoodys@gmail.com  – the asking price is $68,500. 

Pirimanu Gets A Birthday – New Updates

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Pirimanu Gets A Birthday

After an extended period of one family ownership the 1968 Arnold Couldrey designed, Salthouse built, 28’ launch – Pirimanu changed hands several times. 

Happy to report that her current owner has engaged Blair Boats in the far north to undertake some deferred maintenance. The previous (sub 12 mths) owner bought Pirimanu gave her a lick of paint and some new cushion covers and put her back on the market at almost double the purchase price. As most WW readers know, old wooden craft aren’t like villas in Auckland’s Herne Bay in terms of return on funds spent 🙂

Eventually the price came back to realistic and she sold – now she is getting some TLC. Hopefully she will return to the Waitemata but I suspect she will join the growing fleet of Bay of Islands woodys.

Current work underway is replacing the windows and a back to bare wood varnish job. I had heard a re-power might be on the ’To Do’ list. Current zoom zoom is via a 3 cylinder Bukh engine that has had its hp ‘tricked’ to upwards of 60hp.

Links below to previous WW Pirimanu stories – 

May 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/16/pirimanu-a-peek-down-below/

Jan 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/31/pirimanu-gets-a-makeover/

UPDATE 07-08-2023 – NEW WORKSHOP PHOTOS BELOW

Kathleen II

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KATHLEEN II

Todays 32’ woody – Kathleen II was built be Salthouse c.1970 and is powered by twin 90hp Nissan BD30 diesels that give her a 11>14knots.

She has popped up on tme as a project boat requiring some TLC, there are no interior photos so suspect that is where the TLC is required 🙂

At the right price and with a good eye for detail Kathleen II could be a nice family woody cruiser.

Turongo Gets Revamped

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TURONGO – Gets Revamp

Late 2019 Turongo the 1966 Salthouse built bridgedecker was for sale in Auckland, at nearly 56’ and with 640hp she is a very daunting classic woody.

A new owner was found in 2020 and Turongo sadly moved south to Picton, where after a ‘refresh’ that included alot of system upgrades, she changed hands again (another southern owner). Today we get to see her post the refresh and just prior to changing hands. A truely magnificent classic vessel that will bolster the classic woody fleet down south. Hopefully one day she will emigrated north again 🙂

A quick snapshot – 56′, 16’4” beam, 3’11” draft, 25400 kg displacement, twin Caterpillar 3208 diesels, 10>19 knot speed range, 10 berths.

Broadbill – A Peek Down Below

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BROADBILL – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody fits into the spirit of tradition mould – designed by Salthouse, and built be John Gladden and Fred Bailey, her owner of 32 years. Fred was the founder of Broadbill Lures.

Built from 3 skin diagonal heart kauri (below the water) and 2 skins above, then glassed over. Approx. 50’ in length with a 14’5” beam and drawing 3’5”.

The zoom zoom is via a matched pair of 220hp Detroit diesels delivering 13>19 knots. 

Whilst I’m a vocal critic of flybridges added to classic woodys – Broadbill is a fit-for-purpose ‘workboat’ that the big game fishing crowd would call a ‘Custom Sportfisher’ and looks the part 🙂

She was for sale back in mid 2019, so probably has a new owner these days. 

Korawai Heads North

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Cabin Boy – Jacket = 1995 – Cap = 2021
Tapui
Wild Duck
Russell Waterfront

KORAWAI HEADS NORTH

Following on from yesterdays story, I’m just back from sliding up the coast to Russell in the Bay of Islands, delivering the 37’ Owen Woolley built launch – Korawai, to her new owners BOI home. After a few unexpected hiccups we eventually departed Gulf Harbour marina late Thursday afternoon, first stop Kawau Island. Had to sprint to hit the Kawau Boating Club before the kitchen / bar closed. Awoke to perfect conditions so dropped the RNZYS mooring at 6.30am and pointed the bow North – 11 hours later we rounded Cape Brett and eventually dropped anchor in Otaio Bay for the night. Saturday we picked up a friends mooring at Russell and hit the cafe for a coffee. The owner / skipper immediately re-fuelled, collected his better half and was off for a few days cruising. Sad to see the boat head north but, her new owners are a cool creative couple that will spend the time and $ to return Korawai to the condition she deserves. The new owners first thing when he stepped aboard was remove the ‘rocket-launcher’ fishing rod holder from the cabin top and toss it in the marina dump bin – so that bodes well for the future of this woody 🙂 We will follow the boat as the rolling restoration happens. As we rounded Cape Brett I got a great view of the lighthouse and ex lighthouse keepers house – 24 hours later my daughter and friends were doing the 32 km walk to the same spot – the sign says 8 hours in and 8 back, they did it in 4 hrs (each way) but split with an overnight in the now Dept. of Conservation controlled house. The report was its a stunning but tough walk, included a few photos.

Spotted a few woodys once we had made it into the bay – 
• Mike & Robbie Quilter’s Salthouse designed – Tapui • Wild Duck, the 1932 JB Jules built ex flying boat tender • Marline, the Warne family 35’, 1950 launch, designed and built by Leone Warne. Video below of the family heading out for the day, on Saturday – love the jetski being towed 🙂

SCROLL DOWN TO YESTERDAYS STORY FOR INTERIOR PHOTOS OF KORAWAI

The Endless Summer

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Tasman
Tasman & Viveen
Viveen
Waiari
Juanita
Pacific

Peter Loughlin Photos Below

Lady Margaret

The Endless Summer 

I know I’m tempting fate with the headline, but who can remember when it last rained? Todays gallery of woodys comes to us from the camera of Nathan Herbert (Pacific) as he mooched around the Hauraki Gulf last week. The last 5, are from Peter Loughlin (Lady Margaret -CW) doing the same thing.

We see Tasman, Viveen, Pacific, Arihi, Escape, Chandos, Zoe, Motunau, Waiari, Juanita, Pacific, Lady Margaret (CW), Rehia, Ngaro and a few that I can’t put a name to.

A question – did Colin Wild ever design / build an ugly boat? 

It was a pretty wild and woolly weekend in some parts of the north and reviewing the news and photos, Tutukaka took the brunt of it – sad to see the carnage. Angus Rogers sent in the photo below from Russell last night – tagged ‘After the Wind’ showing the Russell ferry and the launch Miss Brett, bottom right closer in.

Valezina – Ready To Sail Away This Christmas

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VALEZINA – Christmas Afloat For $34,500

The owners of Valezina acquired her as a 2020 post lock-down project and sent 6 mths full time restoring the yacht to a better than new standard.
Valezina is a 1939 Colin Wild design, known as the ‘Val Class’, most of the sister ships sported ‘Val’ names e.g. Valkyrie, Valderon and Valhalla. She was built in 1957 at the Salthouse yard in Bayswater, Auckland.

At 27’ she comfortably fits into the big little category – everything about her – looks, volume, sailing performance says Valezina is a serious classic yacht from one of the best combinations (Wild / Salthouse) we had. And she is built of gold – double skinned kauri, carvel planked.For when the wind is absent, a 10hp Yanmar inboard is there to help out.

Of course she is for sale, you will have worked that out by now 🙂 her owners are now oversea reconnecting with another of their passions. So the instructions are – sell the yacht.

In addition to the shiny stuff (sanding, painting and varnishing) Valezina is the recipient of – new mast & boom etc. / all new standing & running rigging / new tracks, blocks & winches  / new electrical including batteries and lighting / new safety gear / new plumbing including head and holding tank / new galley / new Raymarine auto heim and a lot more.And as an added bonus – her Westhaven marina may be available to rent.


To learn more about Valezina’s  – email waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Below is a selection of photos from her early days + details on the Val Class and some interesting event entry paperwork. Click on the blue link at the bottom to view.

Hobson Bay dinghy lockers 1959
Skipper looking into sun
History Of ValezinaDownload