Tag Archives: The Slipway

Classic Woody Yard Mooching

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Update 05-07-2022 1st coat of the shinny stuff goes on 

Classic Woody Yard Mooching

Dropped into The Slipway Milford the other day, very pleased to see the 1937, 38’ Sam Ford built launch – Menai, getting some serious TLC after languishing at the CYA’s Heritage Landing for many years, dockside chat was it was a permanent fixture. 

As with most things in life, boat ownership goes in cycles and with new owners she is get the attention she deserves. Always nice to see painting prep well executed i.e. back to bare wood – that kauri looks as good as the day Sam Ford fastened it.

I understand a new engine has been installed so the TCL is serious – we like that 🙂

See more on Menai here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/11/menai-a-peek-down-below-2/

While there the 1945 K-Class – Jenanne was getting a Jason Prew Paint Job, the photo is coat one of two top coats, already very slick.

Now a tip on how to get marine engineers to come down to your boat – keep your engine room as ship-shape as the 1965 Owen Woolley built launch – Adonis – the man from the Moon didn’t even have to put his overalls on 🙂

Rehia Gets A JPPJ

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Rehia Gets A JPPJ

Back in Dec 2021 we advised that the 1939 Colin Wild launch – Rehia had a new owner and that she was hauled out at the Slipway Milford for some pressing systems work before her summer cruise. Link here to that story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/18/rehia-finds-a-new-home/

In the last month Rehia has been out again for a Jason Prew Paint Job (JPPJ) at the Slipway Milford, at the same time the ‘rolling’ maintenance programme continued – lots of bits added and removed to make family boating easier and more enjoyable.

When she slipped back in, she had quite a thirst and the mobile big sucker pump had to be brought on-board. Owner Joe spent a restless first night aboard, but the old girl settled down in the next 24 hours.

Te Hauraki

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Just A Fu@king Work Boat
Just before Easter (approx. two months ago) I did a two hour in/out haul out at The Slipway Milford for a quick bottom clean, as I was leaving the Milford Creek I passed the 1920 built ex Auckland Harbour Board vessel – Te Hauraki on-route to the Slipway, for a few week weeks TLC.

On Friday owner Rodger Moore proudly re-launched – Te Hauraki after an an extensive refit. Joe Average standing on the dock would struggle to spot most of the work undertaken because to quote Rodger “It’s just a f@cking work boat”, so everything gets covered in paint 🙂 and kept as close to original as possible. But having spent the last 10 days alongside her on the slip I can tell you these days she is a very special work boat and very loved by Rodger and family. Another happy owner and her photo will proudly grace the lunch room wall at the yard. Well done Cam and Jason 🙂

Te Hauraki has appeared on WW before – to see and read more about her here + a great John Street (previous owner) video – click this link .    https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/09/13/te-hauraki/

09-06-2021 UPDATE – Te Hauraki owner, Roger Moore, was pleasantly surprised recently to receive a ph call from his son giving him the heads up on a model of Te Hauraki on display / sae in a gallery on Waiheke Island. It was very quickly snapped up and now takes pride of place in Rogers ‘den’

Wairau Estuary – Mystery Boats

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Wairau Estuary – Mystery Boats


Ok, maybe I should have said ‘Milford Creek’ in the headline, but you know where I’m talking about. The above photo (c. 1930>39) comes to us ex Andrew Reid, via Maurice Sharp’s fb. The actual location would appear to be near the current ’The Slipway Milford’ railway haul out yard and the Milford Cruising Clubs hard stand area. And just be coincidence I will be sliding up that piece of water at 7am today.


Can we ID the craft? I have included close-up photos below to help.

Input from Graeme Sapwell – The Flush deck launch in bottom photo is Webster’s – Reta W. outside his property .
Input from Harold Kidd – RETA W was built by R Malcolm in the creek for T.G. Webster in November 1925. Linc Wood always thought it amusing that her name is “Water” spelt backwards.

Woody Easter Weekend at Kawau Island

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PACIFIC

MY GIRL & LUCINDA

LUCINDA

EILEEN PATRICIA

HAMI (WANDA > WANDA II)
WOTAN

WOODY EASTER WEEKEND AT KAWAU ISLAND

Today’s photo gallery of woodys comes to us from the camera’s (phones) of Jason Prew and Nathan Herbert and were taken over Easter weekend in and around Kawau Island. Boats featured are Jason’s – My Girl, Nathan’s – Pacific, Peter & Jenni Mence’s – Eileen Patricia, Jason & Yan Davies – Lucinda. Plus cameo appearance from Paul Tinghy’s yacht -Wotan and Madeline Rundle’s launch Hami (previously Wanda / Wanda II).


Lucinda was built in 1930 by LC Coulthard and has just been re-launched after undergoing some running repairs at The Slipway Milford. Work included re-powering – out went the 50hp Perkins and in went a 100hp Isuzu, giving her a top speed now of 14>15 knots.

Rehutai + Woody Boat Yard Boot Sale

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REHUTAI + Woody Boat Yard Boot  Sale

Sunday night I was scratching the head thinking what Tuesday’s WW story would be and ping – I get an email from Sally Verbiest inquiring about her grandfather’s, Roy Barton, Sam Ford built launch – Rehutai. Roy lived in the Wairarapa when he owned the boat, unfortunately Sally doesn’t know the dates, but Roy dies in 1968, in his early eighties. 

The photo above is from an old family album and Sally thinks it was taken in Queen Charlotte Sound. The rather lovely cartoon, was drawn by a friend of Sally’s father – a depiction of Roy, whose main retirement hobbies were boating and polo. He must have been a great guy 🙂


Sally has asked that if current owner Tony Whyman? or anyone that knows him, could contact WW (via the comments section) as Sally would like to see these items reunited with the the boat.
You can see and read a lot more on Rehutai here   https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/04/12/the-restoration-of-rehutai/


WOODY BOAT YARD BOOT SALE

Lets be honest, we all collect / hoard boat bits. Could be a good time to gain some more space and earn a few dollars.

Waitematawoodys and The Slipway, Milford are hosting a boat boot sale on Sunday 18th October at their boat yard in Milford, Auckland. Details below.

So woodys, be brave and get together anything boat related that you think needs a new home and bring it along on Sunday 18th (10.00>11.30am) – to stop some ponker turning up with an alloy mast – there is only one rule – items must fit in a car boot 🙂 But we will make an exception for grandad’s kauri clinker dinghy.

Its a big shed but space will be limited so drop me an email to reserve some space  waitematawoodys@gmail.com
As its the day after the General Election – I’ll either be in a good mood or very grumpy. AND IT IS CASH ONLY.

RSVP TO BOOK SPACE TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Marline Gets A Top Chop

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MARLINE – Gets A Top Chop


Back in September 2019 I spotted the launch – Marline coming up Milford Creek on-route to The Slipway yard. As it turns out she was being hauled for a heart transplant – a wonderful new Yanmar 120hp was being installed. The top two photos above show here in the ‘creek’. At the time I thought – very nice woody, but ……….. pity about the low rise block of flats on top.

So you can image how pleased I was last Thursday to walk in to The Slipway shed and see a team in the process of demolishing the flats. Marline was built in 1950 by Leon Warne in St. Marys Bay, for his own use. Son Ken gave me a guided tour of the boat and detailed the work in-hand. And she will be returning to a more traditional configuration 🙂 Marline is approx 35’ x 11’ 4’ and draws 3’6”. She had a reputation as ’the party boat’ and once aboard its easy to see way – an 11’+ beam on a 35’ boat makes for a lot of living space.I love the original cabin lights – Leon Warne cast them, son Ken still has the mould……….. now that has got me thinking 😉


The gallery of photos below, ex Ken, give us a peek into her past, as you will see, she was successfully used for Game Fishing for many years, out of Tauranga

Around The Yards – The Slipway Milford

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L>R Marline, Connie V
Disturber
Lucinda
L>R Lucinda, Disturber
  • Gweneviere
  • Lonestar

Around The Yards – The Slipway Milford


I was passing thru Milford last week, so took the opportunity to drop in on the team at The Slipway (Geoff Bagnall’s yard in a previous life).I can report that I was pleasantly pleased to see so many woodys hauled out and in various stages of repair – from the annual bum clean right thru to major refits.The one that caught my eye the most was the 35’ Leone Warne built launch – Marline, more on her on Monday, I now have so many cool photos from her past.
The woodys below are at the yard, where possible I have included a WW link to see / read more on each one.


The Slipway yard is one of Auckland’s very few ‘railway’ hail out facilities and both deserves and needs the support of the wooden boating community. If we lose yards like this we will be forced to use yards that tend to have equipment designed for big while plastic boats and that are not wooden boat friendly in terms of planked boats. So woodys support the guys that support us. Contact Jason Prew for details on haul out rates and on-site services. jason@slipway.co.nz

Connie V – https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/23/connie-v-saved/
Lucinda – https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/09/30/lucinda-4sale/
Disturber – https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/19/disturber/
Marline – https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/16/marline/
Lonestar – a visitor from Hawkes Bay 😉 more on this project later.
Gweneviere – another visitor from Hawkes Bay and possibly a project.