Ships ahoy as a city sets sail
THE Australian Wooden Boat Festival looks set to break records after a bumper first couple of days.
Tasmania
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THE Australian Wooden Boat Festival looks set to break records after a bumper first couple of days.
Festival general manager Paul Cullen said it had been a fantastic start with more than 20,000 people at the event at any one time yesterday.
“It was the best first day we’ve ever had on Friday because nothing went wrong,” he said.
“It certainly doesn’t look like anything less than what it was last time, which was about 200,000 people over four days.”
Mr Cullen said the highlight of the event so far was the Parade of Sail, where the ships cruised up the D’Entrecasteaux Channel into the River Derwent.
“It was the biggest fleet we’d had in many years, it was a magnificent sight in the Derwent,” he said.
SHIP SHAPE FOR A RECORD BID AT AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL
“We had 10 tall ships and probably 200 local craft.
“The One and All came over from Adelaide, and from Sydney there were four big ships — the Soren Larsen, James Craig, Young Endeavour and Bark Endeavour.”
More action and excitement is also promised today when the historic fishing vessels and cargo carriers take to the water for the Wrest Point Cup at 2.30pm.
A special boat auction will be held at midday, while evening fireworks cruises are also being offered.
“Across the waterfront there’s so much going on,” Mr Cullen said.
“The boats are beautiful, you can walk down and see them, and in many cases get on to them and talk to the owners, which is unique of all the festivals in Australia.”
And with about 52 per cent of guests from interstate and overseas, Mr Cullen said the festival’s contribution to the Tasmanian economy was outstanding.
“Last time we found that the average a person coming from interstate stayed here was 11.8 days, which is way above the normal,” he said.
Primary Industries Minister Guy Barnett said the festival was again showcasing Tasmania’s rich maritime history.
He said the State Government had chipped in $750,000 towards this year’s event and would contribute the same amount at the next festival in two years’ time.
“The 2019 wooden boat festival is again drawing large crowds to Hobart’s waterfront, with a large range of boats to marvel at, food stalls and entertainment, the festival is a great family day out,” he said.
Among the vessels boat lovers marvelled at was Bruce Jessup’s Huon pine fishing craft Geronimo. He said the boat took three years to build and was on its maiden voyage to the festival.
Melburnian John Counsell was also on his first cruise since rebuilding his ship Merlin. He and his wife first sailed to Australia from England on the Merlin in 1976-77.
They sold the boat before their son Hugh developed a love of sailing and tracked it down 10 years ago.
“We’re very fond of Tasmania and this great festival was the obvious place for us to do our first trip,” he said.
Tall ship the James Craig has been another featured boat on display.
It left Sydney on December 30 with 73 people on board and arrived in Hobart on Friday.
Watch leader Robyne Stewart said with about 15 women as part of the crew, they were starting to break down boating’s male-dominated image.
“It is a bit male dominated, but we’re trying to encourage more women to rise up through the ranks,” she said.
“It’s getting better, there has been a marked increase since I first started in 2007.
“It’s fun, I love it, I made some great friends on board.”
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