ALICE ALAKWE -again,again,again....

Now hauled out. Will see how much progress is done. Promises of a full wooding back.....

UTIEKAH III

One of my previous yachts.56ft by 16 ft about 42tons. Huon Pine built in Cygnet,Tasmania 1929 by Wilson Bros.Lost its rudder and 4t lead keel on NW reef off Gladstone.Swapped my 35 ft TERRAL for her and motored her back to NZ via Lord Howe IS. Ford 6 96 hp diesel. Crew 2 and had to steer the whole way - not fun! I spent a couple of years in Russell restoring her before sailing her back to her home of Tassie.

O)LD SALT

 Came across this wonderful photo the other day.  It is set in USA by the look of the cast wheel.

Thinking I may add some nautical  shots of interest as I come across them.Winter time here now...

NORDHAVEN

Visited this Nordhaven 43 out at the Barrier. American flagged. All very comfortable in the living area but the engine 'room' was a crawl space!.Had to go thru a panel in the shower and crawl on hands and knees. How you would do a engine inspection on passage is beyond me.....

OLD PHOTOS

I have been busy going through all my old photos and digitizing them. Some are in poor condition.These from1967 have been round the world in Alice Alakwe.
On the left is the 18 ft mullety 'SUN' built by George Honour.
The other is "LADY RUIA" 13ft8in by 6ft 8in a 2skin round bilge mini mullety.It had a steel plate keel that you bolted in when you wanted to sail, tying the boat on its side while the keel is bolted between two angle irons.Drew 4ft6in  The SUN had steel bilge-keels.
Both have 2 bunks down below and both are gaff cutters.I have some shots somewhere of a cruise in company up the NE coast of NZ.

MYTH of BRISTOL

Myth is now launched with an added deck house and reduced rig. A sign of our ages!.This photo of the model was taken at Manchester Pl in 1988.Building such a large 50+ft steel boat singlehandedly takes some doing and some years!
Digitizing all my old fotos ,so maybe some more coming.....

TAIOMA

Taioma is a 1936 Fred Lidgard kauri sloop of 28 ft.We bought her for  $5000 in 1995 and did a 60 day full refit at the 'Bolthole' in Auckland.She was a great liveaboard for a year alongside our boatshed in Whangarei while we were building 'BOOTSTRAP'.
Note the full bulkhead at the mast which gives an end to the saloon and provides support for the table, which lowers to give us a full double bunk athwartships.Its like a kind of 'dresser'.The f'csle has a portapotti and bosubs store, access thru the fore hatch. Also stiffens the boat up as she had a big rig.

LADY STERLING

Taken in Suva Fiji 1979.
Lady Sterling , after Alden, built by Bailey Bros in Auckland 1921 all heart kauri with mottled kauri panelling. Saloon 13ft long ans 13ft wide.Orignally fitted with a 7/8 size iron framed piano.
Schooner rigged but with 120hp Ford now.I did first ocean passages on her in 1772 and George taught me celestial navigation.
Great boat for passagemaking.
In the background is my black Tahiti Ketch - More about that later.....

MORE ALICE ALAKWE

One last job for Mason Bay was to tow our old boat down from the Bay of Islands to Whangarei here.The towline is 100m of 25mm double plait so it dosnt come out of the water. A steady 5kts was fine at 1300rpm. Both Paul on AA and myself were single-handing. The weather was peachy.! Thats Cape Brett in the background. She will be hauling out here and I will get a shot of her underwater lines.