Wooden Boat

Woodenboat News

ADVENTURE UNDER WAY FOR GOSS Westcountry sailor and adventurer Pete Goss and the intrepid crew of Spirit of Mystery have begun their epic voyage to Australia. Taking advantage of a change in the wind, they slipped lines this evening (Monday 20 October), waved goodbye to the gathered crowd and set sail from Newlyn for the long journey south. After the recent strong Westerly winds, grey skies and torrential rain, the wind finally swung around to the North West, giving the little wooden lugger enough of a push to start the long journey south and into the Bay of Biscay. ... go

Nelson's flagship HMS Victory could be handed over to a private company Nelson's flagship HMS Victory could be handed over to a private company, The News can reveal. The Ministry of Defence said the 18th century warship was expensive to maintain and that her funding was currently under review. This could see her passed to a private firm or given to a charity to save cash. The MoD says increasing budgetary pressures mean it must review Victory's future like any other ship. But a former Commanding Officer of Victory and ex-First Sea Lord said handing over the oldest commissioned warship in the world to a private company would make a mockery of Portsmouth's naval heritage.\ ... go

Asgard Sinks Off French Coast Ireland's most famous sail training vessel, the Asgard II, has sunk off the coast of France. The five crew and 20 trainees on board abandoned ship early this morning after issuing distress calls last night. It is not yet know if the boat will be recoverable. ... go

Awestruck youngster becomes winning skipper A group of old sailing mates from around the world have gathered this week at the Silver Jubilee Audi Hamilton Island Race Week to campaign the stunning Muir 66 Van Diemen III in its debut regatta. ... go

GOD BLESS THE SPIRIT OF MYSTERY Renowned Cornish sailor Pete Goss held a naming ceremony this bank holiday Monday to officially name his newest boat, Spirit of Mystery. Named by Diana Berry, a direct descendent of six of the seven original crew members, the boat has received worldwide attention in recent months. The official naming ceremony took place at Newlyn Fish Festival - home to the original ‘Mystery’. ... go

GOSS GIVES BOAT A BIG THUMBS UP Sailor and adventurer Pete Goss has given a big thumbs up to his Cornish Lugger Spirit of Mystery after initial sea trials. The first photos of the stunning 37-foot wooden vessel under sail were released today and Pete says that he is ecstatic. ... go

The Bergen Tall Ships' Races 08 The Tall Ships' Races 2008 got off to a great start today at 1500 hrs local. The start line was established approximately two hours before the scheduled start time with the RFA Lyme Bay as the committee boat, HMS Merseyas the end of the line vessel and HMS Grimsby the No Go zone. ... go

Tall Ships Parade out of Liverpool The latest Tall Ship extravaganza to come to British shores saw Liverpool and the Mersey play host to the Tall Ship's Races 2008 from 18 to 21 July. The event culminated in a parade of sail down the Mersey. The fleet of approximately 60 vessels gathered in formation and then proceeded downriver and out to sea, lead by the frigate HMS Argyll and accompanied by a small flotilla of other craft. ... go

Classic yachts assemble in Cowes for 2008 British Classic Yacht Club Regatta A spectacular fleet of classic yachts has gathered in Cowes, Isle of Wight, on the eve of 2008 British Classic Yacht Club Regatta hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club. The regatta’s forty-five strong entry makes it one of the largest gatherings of classic boats seen in the Solent since the America’s Cup Jubilee in 2001. ... go

A Classic Day Wraps up Classic Racing NEWPORT, R.I. -- Racing concluded today for the first half of the New York Yacht Club's (NYYC) Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex. For 53 classic yachts it was the culmination of a colorful tribute to the Golden Era of yachting that included a 100th birthday party for one of yachting's greatest and most prolific designers, Olin J. Stephens (who attended the celebration at the New York Yacht Club last night). While a fleet of historic 12 Metres raced north of the Newport Bridge, one-design classes for S Boats and 6 Metres took up some of the real estate south of the bridge for around-the-buoys racing. Four more classes of mixed designs headed off on a circumnavigation of Conanicut Island, a course famous for showing off the scenic shores of both the East and West Passages of Narragansett Bay. The sum total was spirited racing in a variety of conditions for each fleet. ... go

Classic Regatta and Olin Stephens Celebration to Kick Off Race Week Action The New York Yacht Club's (NYYC) sixth biennial Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex starts off with a bang on July 18, when some of the world's most notable classic yachts and their owners and crews gather to participate in the club's 100th birthday celebration of America's legendary yacht designer Olin J. Stephens. Stephens, of Sparkman & Stephens design fame, will have the pleasure of watching several S&S designs compete among the large fleet of classics expected over July 18-20. They will include Dorade, one of his very first boats off the drawing board (at the ripe young age of 21), now owned by Edgar Cato (Charlotte, N.C.), as well as Sonny, Joe Dockery's (Newport, R.I./Greenwich, Conn.) 1935 cutter sloop, which was rammed by a German submarine in WWII, then refloated and repaired. ... go

Ferry saves crew after boat sinks A Plymouth-based cross-channel ferry was diverted on Tuesday morning to rescue the crew of a historic yacht which had sunk. ... go

Return of Dublin's Viking Warship Farewell - Sea Stallion from Glendalough Farvel – Havhingsten fra Glendalough The Sea Stallion will be escorted on the first part of her voyage by the LE Emer, and a flotilla of heritage sailing boats. ... go

Tall Ship Young Endeavour Departs Hamilton Island 24 July 08 27 Youth Crew will expand their horizons onboard the tall ship Young Endeavour when they depart from Hamilton Island, 24 July 08. The departure will mark the start of their adventurous 10 day voyage toward Gladstone. 2008 is the 20th Anniversary for the Young Endeavour, with special events planned to celebrate the occasion. ... go

Brest 2008: The Curtain Opens Today marked the opening of Brest 2008 in the presence of the Port Admiral Franois Cuillandre and famous French sailor Olivier de Kersauson, who rang in the fifth edition of the maritime extravaganza on the bell of the 1938 Romanian three-master Mircea. They were answered by the siren of the tugboat Abeille, the water jets from the nearby fireboat and all the bells and sirens from the surrounding boats. ... go

2009 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT AND MUSIC FESTIVAL Jump on Board…. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT & MUSIC FESTIVAL 7 - 9 MARCH 2009 ... go

Wooden Boat Spirit – a man of the sea There is a large shed that sits on the lush green flats of the Huon River a few kilometres west of Huonville in southern Tasmania. ... go

SPIRIT OF MYSTERY HITS THE WAVES After months of building, the waiting is nearly over for sailor and adventurer Pete Goss MBE, who will be launching the 37-foot Cornish lugger ‘Spirit of Mystery’ this Saturday (21st June) in Millbrook, near Torpoint, South East Cornwall. ... go

A GROUP of Queenscliff writers will soon release the third book in a popular children's series on couta boats. The Defiance Couta Boat series aims to get kids involved with the local history and culture of Queenscliff. ... go

Schooner ATLANTIC launched Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Holland, March 15, 2008. Majestic grace is the overwhelming feeling one has looking up from below to the most beautiful sailing yacht ever built. The long extended keel drafts a little more than 16ft and the yacht rests in heavy launch-carts, adding another 3 feet to the height of the aft deck at 30 ft above the slipway. ... go

GOSS BRINGS MYSTERY TO LIGHT Sailor and adventurer Pete Goss MBE has reached an exciting stage in his latest project as he prepares to unveil the 37-foot Cornish lugger ‘Spirit of Mystery’. ... go

2008 Wooden Boat Rally In February of this year the third Wooden Boat Rally was held on the Tamar River at the Seaport Marina in Launceston, Tasmania. The rally attracted 55 boats from around Tasmania ranging from the 65 foot Nerimba owned by Ian and Bob Cumming to an impressive working display of remote control boats. The rally was conducted over the weekend with in excess of 10,000 people viewing the craft on display. ... go

The building of “Drizabone” 2 Giday Mark. Well I’m seventeen months in to the building of “Drizabone” and the end is well and truly in sight!! She sure has taken some time, but I feel it has been worth taking the time, to do it right . ... go

A Most Successful Whyte, Just & Moore Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong 2008. Sat. 8th & Sun. 9th March. Undoubtedly, Geelong's 2008 Wooden Boat Festival was bigger and better than ever before as Australia's maritime heritage was displayed both on the waters of Corio Bay and within the Royal Geelong Yacht Club marina. ... go

Great Veterans Race Fleet Doubles With the weather forecast for Sunday showing light to moderate south to south easterly winds, the stage is set for the grand dames of yachting to launch the Audi Winter Series with The Great Veterans Race. This race is a tribute to those classic Sydney Hobart Yacht Race yachts that sailed south in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. With the changes to the race regulations now allowing yachts aged 30 years or more, the fleet for the 2008 Great Veterans Race now stands at thirteen – double that of the 2007 race. ... go

The River – life on the Murray-Darling Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour 5 April – 25 May 2008 A new exhibition coming to the Australian National Maritime Museum introduces the very diverse communities of the great Murray-Darling river basin and shows how they have contributed to the Australia’s wealth and national identity. ... go

Plum Crazy’s comeback for Great Veterans Race One of the fastest and most colourful small offshore racing yachts of the 1970s, Plum Crazy, and her equally colourful owner/skipper, ‘Tig’ Thomas, are making a comeback for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s annual Great Veterans Race. Sailing with ‘Tig’ on his beloved Plum Crazy will be two of his crew, Bob Beesley and Rob Ogilvie, who were aboard the Half Tonner when she set the fastest time ever for a yacht under 9.5m LOA in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, back in 1975. ... go

Owners sue after crash of classic yachts NEWPORT – The owners of a 103-year-old sailing yacht that sunk during the Museum of Yachting's Robert Tiedemann Classic Regatta last summer are suing the owners of the 94-foot yacht Sumurun for more than $1 million. ... go

The golden oldies and the goodies Head for AUDI Hamilton Island Race Week 2008 The 25th Anniversary Edition of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week is destined to be a classic regatta in every possible sense as some of Australia’s best known old yachts, including famous maxis, will be joining the fleet. These grand old ladies will bring an alternative and stimulating dimension to the competition as they represent the opposite end of the sailing spectrum to that seen with the modern Grand Prix racers ... go

STUNNING 52M SCHOONER 'IMPERIA' - HULL LAUNCHED IN RUSSIA Auckland based Aries Pacific Limited, a member of the New Zealand Marine Industry Association, is managing the design and build of a new 52m (170’) traditional schooner currently being built in Russia. Built from the best Russian oak, this yacht will also feature the latest in systems and comfort expected from a superyacht of today. ... go

Geelong Wooden Boat Festival - Photo Gallery A record fleet a brilliant sunshine for another great Geelong Woodenboat Festival. ... go

THE 2008 WHITE, JUST & MOORE WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL GEELONG A GREAT SUCCESS. Over the rather windless, warm, sunny autumn Labour day weekend, the third Whyte, Just & Moore Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong got under way with over sixty boats of all shapes and sizes, entered. Even as the shore displays were being erected, interstate entries from South Australia and Tasmania began to arrive whilst off Williamstown, in similar weather conditions (not conducive to fast sailing!), a fleet was assembling for the Geelong Homes Trophy Race to Geelong. ... go

CYCA’s Great Veterans Race eligibility extended The Great Veterans Race, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s annual tribute to those classic Sydney Hobart Yacht Race yachts that sailed south in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960 and 1970s, will be held on Sunday, 6 April. Previously limited to yachts built before 1970, the Club has opened up the 2008 Great Veterans Race to yachts that competed in the Sydney Hobart Race 30 years or more ago. ... go

"CARIAD" restoration - Welsh word meaning 'beloved' "CARIAD" is a Welsh word meaning 'beloved'. She was built in 1896 by Summers & Payne of Southampton, England for Lord Dunraven. ... go

SEA CLOUD HUSSAR to be completed in autumn 2009 135 metres long; some 4,000 square metres of sail and 69 luxury cabins – the largest passenger 3-master ever built Hamburg, 13th September 2007. Legendary luxury sailing yachts SEA CLOUD and SEA CLOUD II will be getting a new sister. The largest full-rigged three mast passenger ship ever built is taking shape in a Spanish shipyard and will be completed in September 2009. She will sail under the name SEA CLOUD HUSSAR. ... go

Fine Cruising Combines With Fine Whisky - Classic Malts Cruise Entries are now being accepted for the annual Classic Malts Cruise - a unique two week sailing voyage along the spectacular coastline of north-west Scotland in July. The UK's biggest non-competitive sailing event, the annual Classic Malts Cruise is sponsored by Diageo's Classic Malts Selection, and was launched in 1994 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the distillery at Oban. ... go

“I Like Purpose Built Marine Diesel Engines In My Boats” What you see with Tasmanian fisherman Karl Krause is precisely what you get. Likeable, affable, capable and very much a straight shooter, Karl together with his wife Fiona come from Tassie families steeped in fishing and earning a living from the sea. ... go

Greater access to Williamstown waterfront Locals and visitors would enjoy greater access to the Williamstown waterfront under proposed plans to rejuvenate the area. The proposal, which includes the development of the derelict Knights Slipway site and potential marina upgrade to the Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club and Hobson’s Bay Yacht Club, would open up a section of the waterfront that has been off-limits to the public for over 100 years, allow for the ecologically-sound expansion of both clubs and significantly increase facilities in the area. ... go

Queenscliff Maritime Weekend 22-24 Feb 2008 Lighthouses have always been important at the Borough of Queenscliffe and therefore it is lighthouses which feature on the poster for the Queenscliff Maritime Weekend 22-24 February 2008 – a community event organised by the Queenscliff Couta Boat Association which brings couta boats from around Port Phillip to their place of origin. And, although the Queenscliff Harbour is under construction, visiting couta boats will be allowed to come in. More detailed instructions will be available closer to the event. ... go

Bateaux Jouets toy boats from Paris 1850-1950 - Australian National Maritime Museum A remarkable exhibition coming to the National Maritime Museum in March presents 100 years of beautifully-made toy boats… a century of childhood for everyone to enjoy. Bateaux Jouets – toy boats from Paris 1850-1950, from France’s Musée national de la Marine, comprises some 200 colourful and imaginative craft. They range in style from simple paper boats to stunning mechanical marvels with the ability to propel themselves across a carpet, a pond or even an open bay. ... go

Alma Doepel Refit Fund - You Can Help! Would you like to see the once familiar 105 year old Tall Ship Alma Doepel sailing again on Port Phillip? Our beautiful ship is to be refitted to return to her highly successful Youth Sail Training Program on Port Phillip along with opportunities for everyone to experience sailing on a tall ship during day and weekend sails. ... go

Governor Bligh’s gold ring on display for Rum Rebellion bicentenary ... go

Coming up FAST! The 2008 Whyte Just & Moore, Geelong Wooden Boat Festival! Labour Weekend, March 2008 The stage is set, the orchestra tuned and the maestro has the baton in hand. In just a few short weeks, a repeat of last year's highly successful Wooden Boat Festival will be launched at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, here on Corio Bay. ... go

All the fun of the fair at Sydney’s Classic & Wooden Boat Festival There will be boats, boats, boats… of all ages, shapes and sizes… and a non-stop program of lively maritime entertainment for all the family at this year’s Classic & Wooden Boat Festival in Sydney. ... go

Two Tall Ships’ Race Series to be held in 2008 Two Tall Ships’ race series will be held during 2008 with over 100 Tall Ships anticipated to take part in the two events. Ports in the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, mainland Portugal and Madeira will play host to the events which provide an opportunity for total novices, as well as professional sailors, to sail as a crew member on the magnificent Tall Ships. ... go

Goss plans wooden boat trip to Oz Sailor and adventurer Pete Goss is getting ready to hit the water again, by sailing to Australia in a 36ft (11m) wooden fishing boat. ... go

Tall Ship Adventure - A Young Man's Journey 1905 New York to Fremantle An American teenager’s 'gap year' adventure back in 1905 provides the inspiration and content for a new exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum. ... go

The building of Drizabone - An Epic It all began on a late summer afternoon sailing home from Sorrento to "Queenscliffe on "Corsair." We had raced many time "over the other side" but unfortunately my wife and kids had not been over at all that season . I heard many times "If she had a cabin we would come" or "there is no toilet" etc etc ... go

More than 100 boats for Balmain Regatta 2007: this Sunday More than 100 boats have entered the annual Balmain Regatta, which is being held this Sunday (October 28) and this year will be raising funds for Sailability. ... go

Boat Movements - October 07 Spring is an amazing time for Wooden Boats. They come out shining, ready for a new summer of fun and pleasure. Many are appearing after long periods in a yard, countless hours of work and with a fresh, new look. Others have been traded and now live in a new location. ... go

Classic Power Boat - 4th Annual Event The Classic Australian Wooden Power Boat Association will be holding its fourth annual get together at Five Mile, eight kilometres west of Narrandera, NSW, over the weekend of October 27th and 28th. The association is made up of owners and enthusiasts of classic wooden speed boats and race boats from the 1940’s right through to the 1970’s. ... go

Balmain Regatta 2007 to help raise funds for Sailability Balmain Sailing Club will again be holding one of Australia’s oldest sailing regattas – the annual Balmain Regatta – on Sunday, October 28, and this year will be raising funds for Sailability. ... go

CYA - VICTORIAN SUMMER SERIES UNDERWAY Following a sensational day on Port Phillip (Victoria, Australia )for Race One of The Classic Yacht Association Summer series, Col Bandy, the Fleet Handicapper writes... ... go

Winter series race 8 - musings from the couch Do the days get any better than this? It’s hard to imagine! On Bungoona it could have perhaps if we came 1st, but that rarely happens and today those honours went to the faster boats. Fairwinds took line honours from Mercedes III, Scimitar 3rd, and Wanita 4th across the line. Gemfish continues to be right up there with the big boys. Then the handicapper got to the times and the big boats continued to shine – some of them would say about time. ... go

2008 Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong Wooden’ Miss This For Quids! The 2008 Whyte Just & Moore, Geelong Wooden Boat Festival! Labour Weekend, March 2008 ... go

APEC tall ships open three days - Australian National Maritime Museum The Australian National Maritime Museum will be the home for five tall ships next week (5-7 Sept) showcasing the significance of tall ship sailing in Australia’s maritime history and the important contribution of youth crews in sailing these vessels today. ... go

New Manager appointed for 2009 Australian Wooden Boat Festival Chairman of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival Inc Board, Steve Knight, today announced the appointment of Rob McGuire as Festival Manager for 2009. Former General Manager for Targa Tasmania, Rob brings a wealth of event management and high-level leadership qualities to the role. ... go

Martha Cove Apartments....Last berth left that is assigned to the apartments You will be pleased to learn that there is one 10 metre freehold berth available with a purchase of one of the developers’ apartments. So therefore if you would like to own your own freehold boat berth and you are considering investing in an apartment please call me to arrange an inspection. ... go

Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village & Shipwrecked Sound and Laser Show Home of Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village & the world class Shipwrecked Sound and Laser Show - a great visit by day or by night. ... go

musings from the couch - winter race series A day for everyone – flat water, good breeze, no rain – but the breeze built during the race giving the boats with the lowest handicaps the greatest advantage with the mathematics. The finish sheet basically shows every boat’s placing is roughly an inverse of their handicap position. ... go

Australian Wooden Boat Festival - 2009 Festival Manager - Hobart, 6-9 February 2009 2009 Festival Manager Held every other year on Hobart's historic waterfront, the Australian Wooden Boat Festival now enjoys a reputation as one of the top maritime events in the world. Of significant economic as well as cultural and community value to Tasmania, the Festival is supported by the State Government, Hobart City Council, corporate sponsors and a valued team of volunteers. ... go

Photo Gallery Update Photos from the Geelong 2007 and Hobart 2007 Woodenboat Festivals, also don't miss the screen savers. If you have photos from a festival let us know as we're always looking for new content to help distribute. ... go

Dreamboats & Workboats – the Halvorsen story HURRY….last chance to see Halvorsen exhibition Ends 27 May 2007 Hurry to the National Maritime Museum this month (May) for your last chance to see the fascinating story of the renowned Halvorsen boatbuilding family. ... go

Calling all historic vessels! The Australian National Maritime Museum invites all owners of ships, boats and other vessels built pre-1965 to consider putting them up for listing in the new Australian Register of Historic Vessels. If the vessel was built prior to 1965, it may well qualify for listing if… ... go

Australian Register of Historic Vessels: frequently asked Questions - and Answers All the answers to your questions - find out if your boat will make it onto the register. ... go

HMB Endeavour….back and open for inspection The Australian-built replica of Cook’s famous 18th century vessel of discovery, the Endeavour, has re-opened to the public at the National Maritime Museum following a successful 3-month sailing season (Feb-April). ... go

LENNA RECOVERY - PLANS FOR LIFTING ASHORE ON 2 MAY - FUNDS LIMITED, MORE STILL SOUGHT UPDATE 10 on 14 April advised we were short of the extra funds required to lift Lenna ashore by loading the hull on to a barge and then moving the barge to a suitable unloading location, away from overhead power lines. Since that time more funds have been offered and we sincerely thank those responsible. ... go

Hobart - Australian Woodenboat Fesitval 07 hailed as best ever The weather was perfect, the boats were stunning, the venue was sensational, the food was wonderful and the dockside activities were outstanding. Perhaps that’s why this year’s Australian Wooden Boat Festival, held on the Hobart docks from 9th – 12th February is being hailed as “the best ever”. ... go

LENNA RECOVERY - FURTHER SUPPORT REQUIRED - CAN YOU HELP? UPDATE 9 advised the recovery project requires an extra $8,000. To date we have pledges of over $5,000 towards the additional costs, so we urgently need a further $3,000. ... go

Classic Yacht Assoc - docklands 23-25 march 2007 Docklands over the weekend hosted the Melbourne Boat Show and the celebrations to start the Melbourne to Osaka 2-handed race. The Classic Yacht Association was asked to organise a display of our fleet with a limited number of pens available. ... go

LENNA RECOVERY - TWO STEPS FORWARD AND ONE STEP BACK - EXTRA COSTS - APPEAL FOR HELP UPDATE 8 advised of plans to lift Lenna's hull ashore at Koolewong near Gosford NSW on Monday 12 March and then to transport it by road to Newcastle for loading on a ship as deck cargo direct for Hobart. We have very generous offers to cover the transport to Newcastle and from then on to storage in the Hobart area, together with people to assist shoring the hull up etc as necessary for transport. The plan was based on the hull being brought ashore by others from where it currently lies on the mud. ... go

Audi Hamilton Island Race - Classics in the Cruising Division There’s something new for the old when it comes to the classic yachts that will be competing at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2007. ... go

Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival 2007 The Goolwa Vintage Boat Club's fleet, along with various visiting craft sailed three races and participated in sail-pasts during the Goolwa Wooden Boat and Music Festival 10th-12th March. ... go

Lenna finally returning to Hobart - Major effort starting Monday Following recent "Sunday Tasmanian" articles and publicity at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, support for return of the badly damaged hull of the well known 1903 built timber trading ketch LENNA has enabled a last ditch effort to be mounted to remove the hull from the water this Monday 11 March and to return it to Hobart. ... go

Centenary-old Jenny Wren wins Sydney Harbour Bridge 75th Anniversary Regatta The gaff cutter Jenny Wren, launched in the 1890s and probably the oldest yacht in Australia still racing (albeit occasionally), yesterday won her division of the Sydney Harbour Bridge 75th Anniversary Regatta. ... go

Sydney Harbour Bridge 75th - Old yachts to sail together after 96 years Two yachts built to the same design, by the same shipwright and in the same yard at Hobart’s historic Battery Point will sail together for the first time in 96 years when they contest Sunday’s Sydney Harbour Bridge 75th Anniversary Regatta on the Harbour. ... go

Classic yachts to pay tribute to ‘Our Harbour Bridge’ A fleet of near fifty of Sydney’s oldest and most beautiful classic yachts will pay their tribute to the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday when they compete in a special Bridge 75th Anniversary Regatta on the Harbour. ... go

Geelong Festival showcases Port Phillip’s wooden boat heritage. In weather that went from flat calm to brisk and breezy, the second Whyte, Just & Moore Lawyers Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong was successfully conducted by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club over the Labour Day holiday weekend of 10th & 11th March 2007. ... go

Grenada Sailing Festival The Grenada Sailing Festival has been taking place annually since January 1994 and has grown over the years to become one of the major National events of the island and one that is known and respected throughout the Caribbean and the international sailing community. ... go

Classic Yacht Assoc - Melbourne - Race Report 4th Feb 2007 A day that tested our patience perhaps more than our sailing skills - almost no wind at the start (and just as well as one of our gentlemen forgot his rule book.) A reminder that we all should be very careful and vigilant around other boats. ... go

MALUKA: the yacht that made history TV - ABC2 On 11 February at 7pm & 9.30pm, ABC2 whisks you off dry land and takes you on a historic voyage aboard Maluka; a 1932-built yacht restored for the 2006 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. ABC2 follows this journey of rebirth and adventure in Maluka: The Yacht That Made History. ... go

Coutas at the Bluff by Rochelle Harding Our seaside town is home to generations of maritime enthusiasts, inspired by a Couta Boat era that made its mark along the Victorian coast. The little-documented fleet of Couta Boats that fished out of Barwon Heads in the 1930s and 40s has had a lasting impact on the fishermen and their families. ... go

Hobart Woodenboat Fesitval 2005 Pictures Enjoy these pics sent in by Baden Brown. Baden a keen Wooden Boat man saw the Couta Boats on display at the 2005 Woodenboat Festival in Hobart. Join Baden and send in you photos, send them with your story to info@couta.net ... go

Hayden Warszewski latest project - a Brett Almond work in progress Brett Almond is truly the wooden boat wizard; every detail has been attended to with the utmost care. Great discussions have taken place on board and every idea that has been agreed on, has been carried out with that boat style flare, something that is only learnt over the years. ... go

Late Winter visit to the Island of Guano I woke up last Saturday, looked out at an orange wisp across the sky and knew it was going to be a day to enjoy, not on land but out in 'Blondie'. ... go

SCHOONER ISABELLA In the fall of 2005, the keel for another Essex-built schooner was laid, continuing the 350 year tradition of wooden boatbuilding in Essex, MA. A 38 foot long two-masted schooner, the ISABELLA, has been commissioned by William Greene, from South Dartmouth, MA. ... go

Nepean Boats - New Website - Busy Yard In the last few months Nepean Boats has been busy putting together a great new website. Stop in and take a look. You'll be surprised at what you find. One of the things that struck me was how many boats they have worked on. The other great news for Nepean Boats is that their customers keep coming back. In the yard at the moment they have Kate, Phoenix, Rosetta, Mermerus and Lisa with Blondie having just gone back in the water. Don't forget to book your boat in for some winter TLC. ... go

Wooden Boat Festival - Hobart - Feb 2007 I can't believe it has come around so quickly. It's only 18 months since the last event, but it's on again! I've heard lots of discussion about who's going to sail down, who's driving down and those of us that will be flying down. As you can imagine, the good rooms might already be booked and those that aren't will go soon - so don't delay. Also, for anyone keen to enter their boat, the registration deadline is 31st October so don't miss it. I'm sure there will be a few readers that haven't been to the festival. It's a great event with lots of boats, a Wooden Boatshop party and other Couta Boat Association events making for quite a full weekend. If you are planning to visit you might need to take the Monday off to recover! ... go

Trade Directory During my last 10 years around the Couta Boats I've been amazed at how many people provide services to build, maintain or prepare the boats. Everyone from boat builders, transport experts, sail makers, painters and even expert coaches come together to help get us out on the water. Our new Trade Directory will give you a hand in finding who's local to you and who can help with your next boat project. ... go

Classic Yacht Winter Series - Last Day VIC Drifting, sun, bits of breeze, drifting, tide, river flow – a testing time for the slower boats and a time to skite for Acrospire. Scimitar and Wanita also did very well. ... go

Missing Boat Found - Now we need your help I recently received an email from John Ward in Tasmania. John's now the owner of a Couta Boat that he thinks was made by Mitch Lacco in 1890. We're looking for any information that you might have. ... go

The Queenscliff Couta Boat Association is reviving a 100 year old tradition The Queenscliff Couta Boat Association is reviving a 100 year old tradition of the skipper first home receiving a white jumper to signify their skill as sailors and fishermen. Borough of Queenscliffe’s mayor will present the prestigious white jumper to Division 1 & 2 line honour winners of the annual Couta Boat Regatta. The regatta and other community activities are part of the Queenscliff Maritime Weekend held 24, 25 & 26 February 2006. ... go

Newport, R.I. (October 13, 2005) Newport, R.I. (October 13, 2005) - The American Sail Training Association (ASTA) has announced that Jonathan Harley (Middletown, R.I.) has been named Race Director in charge of running its TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE(r) Race Series. ... go

Gipsy Moth IV is re-launched Sir Francis Chichester's famous yacht, Gipsy Moth IV, has been re-launched after a five-month £300,000 re-fit, following Yachting Monthly's two-year campaign to save the yacht. ... go

Prospecting for Fish From an article by an anonymous author that featured in the Queenscliff Sentinel November 1885 Three or four weeks ago 3 Portland and Queenscliff fishermen Walter Todd, William Dusting and William Reynolds dissatisfied with the results of their labours in the waters chiefly through the low prices then ruling in Melbourne Fish Markets resolved ... go

Couta Fishy Tales - Lewis Ferrier Couta Boat Fisherman Lewis Ferrier will be guest speaker at the club this Friday Night 3 June 6.30pm onwards. As far as I am aware this is the first time that SSCBC have been fortunate to have Lewis speak at the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club. ... go

Couta Fishy Tales - Lewis Ferrier Couta Boat Fisherman Lewis Ferrier will be guest speaker at the club this Friday Night 3 June 6.30pm onwards. As far as I am aware this is the first time that SSCBC have been fortunate to have Lewis speak at the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club. ... go

A Fisherman's Tale - Harry Mouchemore Harry Mouchemore reckons his legs never worked as well once he stepped off his boat for the last time. The 84 year old retired Queenscliff fisherman gave up his craft about ten years ago and is now the last of his breed living on Fisherman’s flat in the pretty coastal town of Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia. ... go

Antigua Classic - What is a classic Most of us in the yachting scene know a genuine Classic when we see one. She was built years ago when all yachts were things of beauty and grace with fine lines and acres of canvas. The survivors of that golden era are unmistakably classic. ... go

2005 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta + Photo Gallery The 2005 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta has drawn to a close after some of the best racing conditions the Classic Regatta has ever experienced. The winds were on the light side but it gave all of the yachts the opportunity to fly their largest and best sails resulting in a beautiful spectacle of sail. ... go

Enterprise to sail to Sorrento Join the Enterprise as she sets sail from Williamstown to Sorrento and return. For dates and details read on. ... go

Enterprise to sail to Sorrento Join the Enterprise as she sets sail from Williamstown to Sorrento and return. For dates and details read on. ... go

Sailing old wooden boats Coutabeen Paris, 24 ft Couta Boat, circa 1947 A request for information from Malcolm Bristow One of the real joys of sailing old wooden boats is the different ways they all behave while still belonging to a single class. Each boat has it’s own style and attitude in changing winds and seas. My father taught me to sail on very similar boats to the Couta, on the Norfolk Broads in the UK at the age of 12. Not being very strong at that age I had to lean how to manage the boat with the minimum of physical effort. ... go

SAILING HERITAGE GETS £1M BOOST UK Lottery Fund looks after heritage boats. In a country with a big appetite for gaming surely we should be able to look at similar programs in Australia. ... go

AMERICA'S CUP HISTORY: 1903 - RELIANCE ... go

Thanks you - Website visits go through the roof! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the stories and provide so much positive feedback to the relaunch of the newsletter. Interest in the Couta Boats is at an all time high! ... go

Geelong Woodenboat Festival - the trip home. The first Geelong Woodenboat Festival went off with a bang, organisers were elated with the turn up and are looking at a bigger event next year. ... go

Sailing Adventure: Goose Island and Beyond This is Part Two of a Multi-part story recounting the adventures of three hearty sailors who crossed Bass Strait in an open wooden boat. ... go

Sailing Adventure: Crossing Bass Strait in an Open Wooden Boat. Depart 4.00 AM Saturday 29th January 2005 from Queenscliff wharf. Kim who had been down to the boat at 8 PM Friday night, on her way to a kareoke night at Rodney’s, came to the wharf at 3.45 AM. She was cheerfully sweet, slightly under the influence and very talkative about the nights antics of her girlfriend and Rodney and had David and Anastasia in stitches. Kim would have liked to have stowed away as the unfolding adventure had its alluring escape..... ... go

Is there money to be made out of timber boats that is the question? Many years ago ( the late 1970’s ) my fathers boat called “ PUFF “ decided that swinging on the mooring was some what boring and looked for a new life style by breaking free and plonking it self on the beach. If Puff only knew what its new life style was going to be! For on the following day a certain God like person should but drag Puff of the beach and place it on his trailer mistake one.... ... go

The Universal Lure of the Couta Boat (updated) The lure of the Couta Boat is universal. Recently CoutaNet recieved a note from the Slovak Republic from a sailor who found CoutaNet. There started a love of the Couta Boat that we all share. We've added a few more photographs of his "couta boat". ... go

Crossing Bass Strait in an Open Wooden Boat Woodenboat.com.au is currently publishing a story about crossing Bass Strait in a Couta Boat. Part One of the story has just been published with more promised in the coming weeks. ... go

Sailing Adventure: Crossing Bass Strait in an Open Wooden Boat This is Part One of a Multi-part story recounting the adventures of three hearty sailors who crossed Bass Strait in an open wooden boat. ... go

Is there money to be made out of timber boats that is the question? The first in a series of short articles, light-hearted asides and general comments from a long time wooden boat sailor, who we will, for sake of preserving his identity, call Captain Trouble. ... go

Over 50 Boats Registered for the Inaugural Geelong Wooden Boat Festival March 2005 will see yet another good reason for Port Phillip boat owners, and landlubbers who love wooden boats, to make the westward passage, when the Royal Geelong Yacht Club stages its first stand-alone wooden/heritage boat festival, and cavalcade of sail. ... go

Register your boat Join one of the largest boat registers in the country, add you boat to a list that covers over 120 years of wooden boats. Help us grow the widest and most detailed register - please tell your friends. ... go

Gaff riggers and classic international yachts to add colour to world’s oldest regatta on Australia Day The yacht that won Australia’s first gold medal in Olympic yachting, Barranjoey, will be among some of Australia’s finest classic yachts competing in the 196th Australia Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour tomorrow, 26 January 2005. Barranjoey, then owned and skippered by the late Sir William Northam, won the gold medal in the International 5.5 metre class at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964. ... go

Waves took over the boat,’ F/V Adriana skipper said The Kodiak-based fishing vessel Adriana broke up on the rocks Wednesday morning after her crew donned survival suits, called for a medevac, and got into the water for a 50-yard swim to shore. ... go

Flotilla gets Wooden Boat Festival under way There was a spectacular sight on the River Derwent this afternoon as more than 80 boats sailed into Hobart for the start of the Wooden Boat Festival. Leading the flotilla was the tall ship Windward Bound, and the square-rigger James Craig. ... go

Australia’s biggest ever fleet of wooden boats When boat registrations closed on 31 October 2004, a record 450 vessels were confirmed which is 120 more than the then record breaking 330 registrations for Festival 2003. Ninety-three of the boats will be displayed on the dock and the remaining 357 will be afloat. ... go

woodenboat.com.au launch Welcome to woodenboat.com.au The site has been put togehter to help provide a reference point for your wooden boat needs. The newsletter covers a wide range of stories from across the globe. Please subscribe today - it's FREE ... go