Wooden Boat Rally 2012
January 21st & 22nd

Wooden Boat Rally 2011 was held in February 2011. Despite wet and windy conditions a pleasing roll up of wooden boaters from around Tasmania gathered at Seaport Marina Launceston, Tasmania.  Poor weather over the weekend period did not deter the public with a pleasing number of people viewing the craft on display.

Rally entrants included rowing skiffs, splendid steam powered launches, speed and motor boats, sailing craft large & small, beautifully built new and old dingies, lovingly restored vessels of all descriptions as well as a large display of vintage outboard/inboard motors and maritime collectables.

The Wooden Boat Rally is heavily promoted as family event where boat owners are available to discuss their boats with interested spectators.   WBR  evolved in 2006 when Adam Park and a group of friends met at Seaport Marina where the idea of using the site for a wooden boat rally was discussed.  As a result of that meeting, Adam designed and printed a number of flyers and distributed them among fellow enthusiasts.  In a relatively short time, 40 people expressed interest and the Rally was born.  The 2007 Wooden Boat Rally attracted 50 boats which included the Dutch tall ship replica ‘Duyfken’.

 The support and enthusiasm from boaters in attendance re-enforces the need for such an annual event in northern Tasmania.  Evidence of widespread interest was demonstrated in 2008 by entries from the Tasmanian Wooden Boat School on the Huon River in Southern Tasmania, the Tasmanian Wooden Boat Guild and the Australian Maritime College.

 The Tamar River and Tasmania is rich in maritime history and the construction and of wooden boats with fine native boat building timbers such as Huon Pine, King Billy Pine, Celery Top Pine and Blackwood.  Many of our craft afloat today have been saved from being a total loss or a child’s sandpit due to the passion and shared knowledge/skills of like minded boaters.  Most of these craft are unique and cannot be recreated once they are lost.  Our aim is to maintain and foster an interest in the preservation and construction of these craft especially among the young.

To ensure Wooden Boat Rally continues into the future as a quality event we seek your assistance in raising awareness of our event. The next rally date is January 21st & 22nd 2012.  

To register or for general enquiries, please ring:

 

Adam Park: 0419307557      

Wayne Higgs: 0400907041     

Bruce Jessup: 0418135662

 

We appreciate your ongoing support for WBR in 2012!!

SEA  YOU  THERE!!