John was the eldest of ten children of John Waymouth (accountant) and Ann (nee Blackman).   He was 13 years old when the family moved from London to Auckland.   In 1861 he was apprenticed to Henry Nicol, ship builder at Mechanics Bay.   In 1865 the business was moved to the North Shore and John did not follow and was charged with absconding.   The case was dismissed - "the master had absconded".   John set up his own yard at Freemans Bay and named the next yacht "Absconder".   At one time he was in partnership with James Clare.   John served on three war ships during the land wars of the 1860s.   Many of the yachts, designed by John's father and built by John, took part successfully in regattas on the Waitemata Harbour.   John's first marriage was to Margaret Rooney and they had six children before Margaret died aged 36.   John's second marriage was to Eliza Aggers and they had two sons.