2025 ANNIVERSARY DAY INNER HARBOUR MOTORBOAT RACING

ONLY TWO THROTTLE SETTING ON MY GIRL – IDLE AND FULL CHAT

Some woodys are pure speed demons eg MY GIRL (#51) below and others with the help of a heart transplant can still lift up their skirts and show a good turn of speed – NGAIO (blue boat) and PACIFIC (white) two good example below.

TUGBOAT RACE START

2025 ANNIVERSARY DAY INNER HARBOUR MOTORBOAT RACING

Due to the weather on the weekend I was able to attend the anniversary day regatta motor boat events on board Jason Prew’s launch – MY GIRL.

The two gigs are the Tug & Workboat Race and the Classic Launch Race – known around the waterfront as as the Tug Off and the Drag Race.

The commercial boats were first away and are always a sight to behold – so much horse power – and great to a mix of very old – WILLIAM C DALBY and current working waterfront tugs.

The main event for me is the launch race, pulled together each year by Jason Prew – it is a handicap race but the adrenalin kicks in and the launch skippers are going at full throttle most of the race. Race results below.

I wouldn’t be true to my DNA if I didn’t comment about the continuing demise of the regatta – each year less and less vessels turning out – aside from small beach launched yachts, the motor boats would have to be the two biggest categories in the regatta. And a very concerning sign – no Navy ship in the harbour as the VIP grandstand………. just saying.

Enjoy the photo / video gallery.

NOTE – AFTER A TECH ISSUE UPLOADING VIDEOS YESTERDAY – WE HAVE RESOLVED THE FAULT AND HAVE ADDED SOME GREAT SAILING FOOTAGE TO YESTERDAYS MAHURANGI REGATTA STORY – SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW.

Moana + William C. Dalby To Be Scrapped

MOANA

In the photos above we see the game launch – Moana under tow from the yacht Bounty, the photo is dated February 1965 and comes to us from the Tauranga Library collection via Dean Wright.

Moana is an unknown to WW so would love to learn more about her.

UPDATE – No Longer A Mystery – Ian McDonald has pointed out the previous WW stories on the launch – can not understand why the WW Search Box didn’t pick those up 🙂

Links below

WW May 2023  https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/14/mystery-launch-14-05-2023/ WW Oct 2016  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/01/the-moana-mutiny/

UPDATE – Photo below of Moana ex Brian Worthington via Ken Ricketts

QUESTION OF THE DAY – does Auckland care about its waterfront heritage?

How can the below even be a consideration 

Where is this woodys gathering?

WHERE IS THIS WOODYS GATHERING?
photo ex Harold Kidd

Today’s photo was taken in the period 1895-1905 & is ‘around’ the Waitemata.
What say you woodys – whats the location?

Article ex Paperpast from the NZ Herald 3 Jan 1896 (ex Harold Kidd)

Also a wee bonus today – Martin Turnwald, son of CYA member John Turnwald (MV Robyn Gae), who now resides in Switzerland, has sent in a c.1993 video of the William C Daldy. We see the crew was firing up the boilers to turn the old girl around on the wharf and Martin and then girlfriend, (now wife) were on board to watch.