{"id":291777,"date":"2026-02-19T14:03:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/291777\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T14:03:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:03:08","slug":"kauri-launch-callisto-built-in-waipu-from-brynderwyns-trees-features-at-auckland-wooden-boat-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/291777\/","title":{"rendered":"Kauri launch Callisto, built in Waipu from Brynderwyns trees, features at Auckland Wooden Boat Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Built using timber milled at the Barrott family\u2019s Waipu<\/a> sawmill business, Callisto was one of the first flybridge launches built in New Zealand – a departure from the sedan-top motor yachts popular at the time. <\/p>\n

Timber from Barrott\u2019s forests at Langs Beach was supplemented by the timber from the Packwood kauri tree, which the mill was contracted to remove when it became unstable and began hanging precariously over the Brynderwyns road. <\/p>\n

The 42ft (12.8m) Callisto has a solid kauri keel; kauri is also used for the floors, planking and deck beams. Non-structural aspects were completed in teak, mahogany and other exotic timbers. <\/p>\n

Callisto was launched into the Waipu River in 1972 and kept in a mud berth upriver for many years, until silting blocked access across the entrance. <\/p>\n

Until 1987, the launch was used as a family cruiser and transported dive club members from Whang\u0101rei to the Poor Knights Islands.<\/p>\n

It still runs on its original twin Caterpillar 3160 non-turbo marine diesels – each producing 210hp – giving the vessel a comfortable cruising speed of 8.5\u20139.5 knots. <\/p>\n

Some people are shocked at the vessel\u2019s massive 4000 litre fuel capacity but current co-owner Tobias Forsyth says it has its benefits: \u201cWe only fuel up once per year and that lasts us for hundreds of hours of motoring. She also rides a lot better when over half full with the extra weight.\u201d <\/p>\n

Originally christened Callisto (Jupiter\u2019s third moon), the launch\u2019s name was changed to Challenger in 1987 by then-owner Bod Doughty, who bought the boat on the spot after seeing it with its hull scraping along a beach in Whang\u0101rei. <\/p>\n

\"TheThe Callisto at Jellicoe Wharf during the inaugural Auckland Wooden Boat Festival in 2024. Photo \/ Supplied\"CallistoCallisto was built from local native timber, including from the Packwood kauri tree (right) that used to hang precariously over the Brynderwyns road. Photos \/ Supplied<\/p>\n

Later, Calllisto was purchased by Steve Cowie, who extensively refurbished it and changed the name back to Callisto in honour of the boat\u2019s history. <\/p>\n

Today, Callisto is owned by the Forsyth brothers – Kent, Rhys and Tobias – and their families, who share the use, costs and maintenance, and above all the enjoyment of time on the water. <\/p>\n

The vessel is used extensively around the Hauraki Gulf and makes regular summer voyages to the Bay of Islands. Tobias Forsyth said longer trips are also in the family\u2019s plans, possibly including the Marlborough Sounds and Fiordland.<\/p>\n

Tobias said he and his brothers jumped at the chance to purchase Callisto when they saw it pop up on Trade Me about eight years ago because it was so beautifully built and couldn\u2019t be recreated today, given the timber used at the time. <\/p>\n

A family with numerous maritime and boatbuilding skills, they maintain Callisto in perfect condition. <\/p>\n

Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years\u2019 experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Built using timber milled at the Barrott family\u2019s Waipu sawmill business, Callisto was one of the first flybridge…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":291778,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1975,51,5532,38602,63501,6658,11321,4915,5071,337,103412,5131,71,78,42921,3331,111,43,139,69,1961,10419,32320,21147,1530],"class_list":{"0":"post-291777","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-zealand","8":"tag-at","9":"tag-auckland","10":"tag-boat","11":"tag-boats","12":"tag-brynderwyns","13":"tag-built","14":"tag-callisto","15":"tag-classic","16":"tag-feature","17":"tag-features","18":"tag-felled","19":"tag-festival","20":"tag-from","21":"tag-in","22":"tag-kauri","23":"tag-launch","24":"tag-new-zealand","25":"tag-news","26":"tag-newzealand","27":"tag-nz","28":"tag-this","29":"tag-trees","30":"tag-waipu","31":"tag-wooden","32":"tag-years"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=291777"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291777\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/291778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=291777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=291777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=291777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}