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We have our Oars and Spars Course running from October 1 to October 4 . Come along and learn the technique for oar and/or spar construction. Course fee is just $480 and the materials fee is $190 for Oregon oars. You can book online with the enrollment form on our website or call us on 03 62663586.
Our Canadian Canoe raffle is coming to an end in a little over a fortnight. If you have been putting off buying your tickets now is the time to act. We would hate for you to be disappointed. Pop in and see us or order your tickets by eftpos over the phone or send us a cheque. We will be delighted to receive your support to continue our quest to preserve the heritage and skills of wooden boat building. The Canoe also comes with free delivery to anywhere is Australia.
The Wooden Boat Centre would like to invite Greg's friends t come and share your stories of a life well live by a man well loved.
Venue - The Wooden Boat Centre 3333 Huon Highway Franklin
Date - Friday 17th August from 4:30PM
Drinks and Nibbles are on the menu but we would love you to bring a plate to share as well.
RSVP - The Wooden Boat Centre Ph. 03 62663586 or Email - info@woodenboatcentre.com
An Oughtred 'Puffin' at a boat show in the US
We will run a 6 week course beginning on the 4th March 2019 to build a 'Puffin'. The dinghy uses clinker building technique, will be constructed of Huon Pine and will be for sailing as well as rowing. Tuition for this course will be: $3,600, completion of the course is the 12th April. If you would like to be one of the participating students please enrol through our course booking form. Additional information available through our contacts or phone:03 6266 3586
The Wooden Boat Centre (WBC) sucessfully sought a 'Community Action Grant' of $3000 from the Huon Vally Council in late 2017. This grant project was designed to "get the working back on the waterfront'. It allowed the WBC to contract an electrician to install power to both the North Wharf and Fishing Wharf. The project was supported by Francis Shepherd, Christina Kent, Pete Shimeld, Bob Tubman and Gerard Burke who ran the wiring and conduit and made the power boxes to specification provided by the electrician.
This project will allow us to offer 'working on water' wharfage to the local and wider boating community. We plan to have an official launch of the new facilities in September. Watch this space for dates and times.
Peggy and Adrian Dean and Dr Dick Geeves
One morning last week I looked out into the workshop from our display area and to my delight saw Adrian Dean, the Wooden Boat Centre's first teacher, with his wife Peggy and Adrian's first student, Dr Dick Geeves. The love of wooden boats and building them obviously keeps you young.
“Pona” is currently owned by Bob and James Tyson and families. She was built in 1928 by Ned Jack of Launceston for R.A. Perrin, (great uncle of Bob and James), to a Morgan Giles design using Huon pine planking and ribs on a hardwood keel. Several sailing dinghies were built for Low Head families by Ned Jack during the 1920’s and competed in a summer racing series as the lagoon Bay dinghies. Pona is one of the few left.
Pona on arrival at the Wooden Boat Centre
Pona’s ownership transferred to Cecil Woodruff (daughter of RA Perrin) and in the 1950’s to Geoff Tyson, father of Bob and James.
Pona went ashore and suffered serious damage in the 1940’s, as a result of which one side was built with double ribs. John Philip replaced the decks in the early 1970’s and Martin Rosemann replaced the keel in the early 1980’s.
On December 17 2017 PONA came off her moorings at Low Head and went onto a rocky part of the Lagoon Beach where she was stove in several places. She is now under repair at the Wooden Boat Centre and we expect her to be on the water once more before years end.
We have had a cancellation in our September Skin on Frame Kayak course. Have you been thinking of building your own kayak and paddle? Do you have a spare week in September? We would love you to join us. The course is from 24th September to 29th September and will cost $2750 for your tuition, kayak and paddle. Please call us on 03 62663586 or email info@woodenboatcentre.com to book your place.
Over the past week, with the help of a grant secured by Julie Collins, our local federal Labor Member for Franklin, we have installed a new roof over our first workshop. We are now much warmer and definitely drier on rainy days. Thank you to our amazing roofing team led by Ned Toombes and Graeme Rankin.
Under construction
Finished !!!!!
Blue sky through the open roof ...... a rare sight these past foggy weeks!
On Sunday 10th June the Wooden Boat Centre hosted a cocktail party for the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania as a prelude to their annual dinner at The Living Boat Trust. Their members cruise to Franklin each year to spend the weekend taking in the atmosphere and delights of our village. A very enjoyable evening was had by all.
Our Stitch and Glue Plywood Car-topper course is currently underway. We are building a Tango 12 designed by Hank Bravo which is a lightweight boat suitable for use in protected waters. By the end of week one it's looking good.
The 1960's ski boat kindly donated to the Wooden Boat Centre by Don Stratton, has been purchased and is now being lovingly restored in the workshop by its new owner. It has been stripped and Ned is now involved in the arduous process of removing all the paint to check the condition of the timbers. It is certainly a work of love and we look forward to its rebirth.
Peter Shimeld Sonia Shimeld Julie Hinks
Sonia Shimeld, the very hard working treasurer of Franklin Working Waterfront Association, received a Certificate of Appreciation at the Volunteering Tasmania Awards held at Huon Valley Town Hall last Friday evening. The submission for this well deserved award follows.
"The Franklin Working Waterfront Association trades as the Wooden Boat Centre and is a community owned not-for- profit enterprise. The role of Treasure is an arduous one as the Wooden Boat Centre is a business which employs a part-time manager, Front-of-House personnel and numerous shipwrights and tutors . Dr Shimeld undertakes this role as a volunteer. She is amply qualified to undertake this role.
Dr Shimeld (Sonia) has recently retired as a senior lecturer in Accounting at the University of Tasmania. She holds a PhD in that discipline and in governance. Although recently retired, Sonia continues to undertake work with UTAS.
Before undertaking the role of Treasurer for the Franklin Working Waterfront Association Inc, Sonia first joined the FWWA committee to undertake the role of Secretary in October 2014, filling a vacancy in that position. At the next AGM Sonia was elected as Treasurer.
Given that the association trades as the Wooden Boat Centre - a vibrant business which attracts many visitors and much business to the Huon area from Tasmania, mainland Australia and from overseas. The size and complexity of the role of Treasurer should, in an ideal world, be a paid position, however Sonia has cheerfully undertaken this role as a volunteer
Sonia is a spendthrift with the time and energy she devotes to the Franklin community through the Wooden Boat Centre. She is always encouraging other volunteers which is why the Centre runs so efficiently. Without our volunteers the Centre would, no doubt close, leaving a gaping hole in the Franklin community and local businesses would suffer as a result.
Not only does Sonia undertake the demanding role of Treasurer for the Franklin Working Waterfront Association, when staff members are on leave she willingly steps in and takes on the banking, and arranging of the payment for the salaried staff, and any number of other tasks needing to be addressed. Most recently, she has also stepped into the role of tourist guide, and undertaken the role of front-of-house duties. All these roles she undertakes with a smile and with little fanfare, avoiding the limelight. In conclusion, an award of this kind would be most deserved and would recognise the work of an unsung volunteer."
Well done Sonia and thank you from us all.
4.5m Strip Planked Canadian Canoe with Paddle
A big thank you to all who contacted us to ask the price of the tickets for our raffle. OOPS ..... The tickets are $10 each. Thank you also, to those of you who have been in or called to purchase your tickets. Your support of The Wooden Boat Centre is very much appreciated.
We have proudly launched our first raffle, to raise funds to help us continue to preserve the craft of wooden boat building. The prize is this beautiful 4.5m Strip Canadian Canoe with paddle, beautifully crafted by our talented shipwright, Pete Heading. The prize includes delivery to anywhere in Australia and will be drawn on 5th September 2018. There are only 1500 tickets available and they can be purchased in the Wooden Boat Centre or by calling us on 03 62663586. You can make your payment by eftpos over the phone. We will then scan your tickets and send them to you by email. Thank you in advance .
We still have spaces for our next course starting on 12 June 2018. Students will be constructing the TANGO 12 Stitch and Glue Plywood Car-topper. The plans are by Hank Bruce and is a new project for us. You will learn the stitch and glue technique with Mike Johnson, whilst making a small plywood motor vessel for use in protected waters. This is a lightweight boat that could be used as a utility or fishing vessel and of course it is light enough to fit on top of your car. The course fee is $1800 and if you would like to keep your boat the materials fee is only $1200 extra.
Mike Johnson is doing a beautiful job on this Bill Foster designed Foster 10 Clinker Dinghy. Mike was assisted for two weeks on this by Salvatore. This dinghy was designed for rowing and use by Bill's daughter. It will be for sale or perhaps will be raffled once complete to assist the WBC to continue its work of 'sharing wooden boatbuilding skills'.
One of our ex students Don Stratton has just donated this 1960's Ski Boat to us. There are a couple of options for this boat. It could be restored if someone would like to take on the boat and provide the funds for the restoration, then own the vessel. Otherwise we will slot the restoration into our education program next year, restore then sell on.
Beautiful retro styling going on with this one. Also a pretty tidy hull already. A good project boat.
Thanks Don for the donation and the delivery from Victoria. Much appreciated.
Last week Florian Meier joined our boat building crew at the boat centre. Florian learned his craft in the USA at the International Yacht Restoration School IYRS whilst completing a 2 year Boatbuilding and Restoration program.
Florian will assist Pete Laidlaw on the restoration of the 18' Couta Boat.
Salvatore' is a design student from Italy. He has strong wood working skills and was looking to spend some time in the boat shed to learn about traditional wooden design and boatbuilding techniques. He spent time with Mike Johnson steaming ribs and fabricating timber components on a Foster 10. He also assisted Pete Laidlaw replacing a plank on the old 18' Couta boat. He loved his time with us and I'm sure will replicate some of these skills when he establishes his planned design collective business back home.
We regularly offer short stints of time to people wishing to experience the boat shed work environment or to those wishing to acquire a particular bunch of skills.
