WHAT WE USED TO DO BEFORE BOAT HAULAGE CAME ALONG

WHAT WE USED TO DO BEFORE BOAT HAULAGE CAME ALONG

Todays woody photo was sent in by John Dawson who found the photo on a Paul Lishman fb post. Paul commented that the location was Vine Street, St Marys Bay, Auckland and taken by M. Friedlander.

In the comments section there was debate on both the design of the yacht and the possible date. Paul commented it was 1970 but others felt based on the cars shown it was more likely in the 1950>60’s period.

Comments that the yacht looked like a Townson design, possibly 30’.

Any woodys able to help confirm the approx. date and  design.

A scary observation – when this photo was taken you could have bought a house in Vine St for around $5,000 – did a search on a random number e.g.10 Vine St = $3,650,000 …………  

INPUT ex JIM LOTT – Definitely a Townson 30 with higher freeboard than the 26 ft earlier design. Looking in the Townson book, Magic Flute was finished by Alan Warwick who took delivery of the hull in 1966 and lived in Herne Bay. Des built all the hulls himself. Owners finished them off. Names include Firebird, Mercury, Falcon, Anitra, Finesse, maybe about 4 others, so probably 1967 or 68.

Summer Woody Boating in the Bay of Islands

Summer Woody Boating in the Bay of Islands

Waitematawoodys resident B.O.I. woody – Dean Wright sent in the above gallery of photos from around the B.O.I.’s  over the Christmas > NY period.I’ll let Dean tell the story.


“A few pics since Christmas Eve, not too many woody’s about.That is a floating jacuzzi. Just when you thought you’d seen everything 🙂 Zooming in looks like a woodburner mounted for’ard.
A beautiful Townson in Opunga have forgotten the name, owned by a boat builder, complete with Townson dinghy. Gary’s Mason Bay in the background.Tamaroa also in Opunga Cove. Pics of the Fleming 55 on fire. Thank god the flames didn’t make it onto land. Moturua upwind or Motukiekie downwind.”


As always if you spot anyone or thing that might appeal to the WW readers, pull the phone out and snap a photo and send in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Most of you will know that I like my food – the cheese scone below from the Beach Store, Onetangi, Waikehe Island – would have to #1 ever. Worth getting a wet ass relaunching the dinghy in the Onetangi beach waves 🙂