2017 Australian Wooden Boat Festival in the spotlight

The biennial My State Australian Wooden Boat Festival, the largest wooden-boat festival in the Southern Hemisphere, will open from February 10-13 with a stellar line-up of some 500 timber treasures gracing the Hobart waterfront.

"It’s free, it’s fun, it’s friendly, and everyone is welcome," Media and Communications Manager Daryl Peebles told boatsales and BoatPoint in this timely news update.

The 350 beautiful craft in the water at the harbour and 150 or so on land pretty much fill Constitution Dock and the Festival footprint, which includes a shiprights’ village, maritime marketplace and plenty of family entertainment with a special Dutch flavour this year.

Unlike some other international wooden boat shows, the Australian Wooden Boat Festival remains an intimate and accessible event for the expected 250,000 visitors and enthusiastic exhibitors.

While this is a showcase of Tassie boatbuilding skill and maritime heritage, with perhaps half the boats locally built, the balance are visiting craft that have sailed and motored from interstate and been shipped from afar.

A contingent of 40 Dutch timber boat buffs will make a splash this year with four unique tjotter sailing boats on show. These are shallow draft craft from the north of Holland that feature outriggers for stability.

Oranje, a rainbow class racing yacht owned by king and queen of Netherlands, will also be on show. There might be a friendly sailing contest between this stunning yacht (news story) and a local rival, we're told.

Other wooden boats of note include several centenarians like Gypsy, a local 36ft gaff-rigged yawl built in 1913 from Huon pine at Battery Point. They range right up to the present day and, this year, another traditional Dutch sailboat being launched at the Festival.

The new BM 16 was made from celery top pine by six apprentice boatbuilders from Amsterdam and Rotterdam who have been on the job in Tassie since late November.

Interestingly, the BM 16 is built out of Hydrowood, that is, a timber retrieved by a local company from the bottom of Tassie lakes by a hydraulic chain sawing system. The timber, Huon and celery top pine, is said to be beautifully preserved and worth a mint.

From tenders to tall ships such as Young Endeavour and the James Craig — built from Newcastle oak aka steel with at least wooden spars — the Australian Wooden Boat Festival is a must-see for the classic-boat buff. The boats run the gamut of styles and are rich in history and character, as indeed are their passionate owners.

The working boat show includes a shipwrights' village with traditional shipbuilding crafts on show, family and kids entertainment, Dutch-themed entertainment, a maritime marketplace and more.

The beautiful, friendly, fun and accessible boat show is one of the biggest events in the State and winner of various tourism awards. Now in its 12th year, the Australian Wooden Boat Festival was started in mid-90s by two blokes and a woman with a keen interest in timber boats.

We’re told there is plenty of accommodation in the outlying country towns if you’re happy with a hire a car and 40-50 minute drive into Hobart, which is nothing for us mainlanders. More at www.australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au.

Buying a timber boat? Read this Expert timber-boat buying advice on our websites