Wooden Boat Rally...lots of pics....

[AndieMac]

Today was annual Wooden Boat Rally in Launceston. Its a great fun event, with some lovingly restored old, and newly built replica wooden boats. The event is not the large scale extravagansa that is run every two years in the capital city (Hobart), but is a low budget event, put on by a small group of enthusiasts.
Some say the atmosphere is better, maybe having free entry helps...

A rare collection of old outboards, including an old Coventry example....

Always a favourite is the steam launch S.L. Huon, constructed of a rare (these days), slow growing timber, Huon pine. She is absolutely stunning.....

A group of replica Chris Crafts' is another big attraction

I was onboard during a 'drag race', which was a lot of fun and noise...

 

[PeteCooper]

Lovely pix

Brilliant - thank you.

 

[BlueLancer]

Absolutely marvellous thanks

 

[AndieMac]

Must apologise for the double post (on mobo), I understand its not regarded as good form, but thought the classic gentlemen might find some of the event entries interesting.......

 

[Seagreen]

Loved these, especially the wooden dinghies. Maybe my next big project?

 

[AndieMac]

Loved these, especially the wooden dinghies. Maybe my next big project?

Out of the 90 entrants, there must have been 30 beautiful dinghies, a couple of larger ones had laid (teak and holly) foredeck and aft deck sections....stunning work. The folks viewing them just can't help themselves, they have to touch and stroke the thick glossy varnish.

 

[tillergirl]

Lovely.

I think I read somewhere that the oldest examples of Huon Pine were thought to be 2,500 to 3000 years old which presumably means that what we can see in SL Huon was potentially growing at the switch from BC to AD.

 

[AndieMac]

Lovely.

I think I read somewhere that the oldest examples of Huon Pine were thought to be 2,500 to 3000 years old which presumably means that what we can see in SL Huon was potentially growing at the switch from BC to AD.

Yes indeed tillergirl, on our west coast, in the Gordon River (part of the tourist boat cruise) there is a tree, which unfortunately is on its side these days, which dates back to before Christ.
The vessel owner, who is the main instigator for the wooden boat rally, sources all his timber from this area, and has many 'super feet' racked up in a shed at home for future projects.
The timber itself has a unique rich, fragrant oil which deters the marine worms (Torredo?) which bore into below waterline wood.

We are most fortunate that these enthusiasts still preserve our maritime history.

 

[cliffordpope]

Lovely.

I think I read somewhere that the oldest examples of Huon Pine were thought to be 2,500 to 3000 years old which presumably means that what we can see in SL Huon was potentially growing at the switch from BC to AD.

As there was no Year 0 there is a gap in the growth rings. Don't cut planks from that section.

 

[AndieMac]

As there was no Year 0 there is a gap in the growth rings. Don't cut planks from that section.

Have you seen how small/narrow the growth rings are on a tree that old?

 

[pratkins]

Thanks for directing me to your thread, Andie! It is indeed very impressive and no doubt great to be part of. My brother was there from Devonport last year: his boat is called Wanderer. Perhaps one day I might make it up the coast to be part of it also.
Did you know that Peter Robyn is a sister ship of Restive featured in Eric Hiscock's, Cruising Under Sail? I think I may have put a thread about it on this forum a year or so back.
I am glad to be put right about "Seaport": I was worried when I couldn't find it in my Reader's Digest, Driver's Atlas of Australia.

I have just done a search on the above and my bit of the story begins on 20/12/2008 under "Newcomer from the antipodes". Peter

 

[AndieMac]

Peter...considering our small population (500,000 Tas.) and the amount of wooden boats in the state, and possibly the amount of awareness the old vessels played in our short (but colourful) history, I feel these events will be around for quite some time. In fact the percentage ownership must also be high.

Cheers