Presidents Annual Report 2010

By any objective measure the Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania Incorporated has had another great year.

Our Monthly Meetings have been well attended with interesting and diverse speakers and presentations. Peter and Dallas Higgs drew a large crowd to their slides from their overseas trip. An early start one month saw the lines of the Guild’s newly do-nated historic piners punt taken off electronically by Peta Knott and her assistants from the Maritime Museum of Tasmania.

Our Rowing Days/Weekends were as varied and as much fun as ever. We visited the Huon River upstream of the bridge; the Snug foreshore and river; Marieville Esplanade into the Hobart docks; Prosser River at Or-ford; South Arm at Pipeclay Lagoon because of the weather; Strahan to celebrate piners punts; the Duck Pond at Barnes Bay and finally Pipeclay Lagoon with Roly and Kate despite the weather.

My thanks go to the trip leaders and especially the hosts for these wonderful events and also our friends Dianne Coon and Lauren at Strahan. The Strahan weekend was well attended by members and enabled members Vern Powell and Brian Templar to participate. The President’s Dinner at Drysdale was also well attended and a great night was had by all!

Guild members participated in many other events during the year. We attended and co-sponsored the Kettering Wooden Boat Rally and the Launceston Wooden Boat Rally. We flew the flag for the Guild (and the Australian Wooden Boat Festival) at the inaugural Melbourne Wooden Boat Festival, see http://www.woodenboat.com.au/MWBF2010/mediarelease100122.asp and the Geelong Wooden Boat Festival see http://www.woodenboat.com.au/news/story.asp?story=25255 for more information

. We attended the Bellerive Seafarer’s Festival and the Huon Show who again sponsored the WBGT inc very well. We also sold raffle tickets and merchandise to raise funds for the Terra Linna project.

Other events attended by members were the return of the Admiral to Waterman’s Dock; the Fazackerly Dinghy Festival at the Regatta; Clean Up Australia Day at the

Duck Pond; the launch of the Spring Bay Maritime and Discovery Centre and the Maritime Museum of Tasmania Open Day.

The Terra Linna restoration continues to progress thanks to Noel and Noelene Hall and their apprentices Robin Singleton and David Long. Working bees have been well attended and members have learned a lot about batten seam construction from Noel. During the year we have progressed from 3-4 planks to fully planked and fully tim-bered. We also commissioned the spars from Denman Marine; the sails from Storm Bay Sails and the rigging from Mike Seeney. My thanks go to Peter Higgs for his continuing work as Project Manager. During the year Terra Linna has featured on local TV and a Japanese film crew came to film members working on her for a Japa-nese travel show.

Teepookana was not forgotten either. Besides attending all rowing days, festivals and rallies she was refurbished (including the trailer) by Des Hutchins and David Barnes. Thanks guys.

My thanks go to my Committee for their assistance and support throughout the year. Thanks also to members for their attendance and willingness to assist. Welcome to our new members who have joined during the year – you will enjoy the Guild.

Graeme Hunt, President, WBGT, 2010 [ and 2011].

Secretary’s June report

The last meeting of the Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania was the AGM with twenty members in attendance and with the existing Officers and Committee being re-elected for another twelve months, with the inclusion of David Morton as a Committee member. Congratulations David.

I received a ‘phone call from a gentleman the other eve-ning telling me that he and 12 of his fellow members were intending to attend the next Australian Wooden Boat Fes-tival. He was enquiring as to whether the Wooden Boat Guild was having a stand, and if so, he and his col-leagues would like to make contact.

Editor: Peter Higgs Volume 14 Number 1 15th June 2010

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The gentleman’s name is Roy Jones and he is the Editor for The Picton Clinker & Classic Boating Club Inc. Where on earth is that I hear you all say, except for Robin Sin-gleton, of course....it’s in Picton, north east corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The PC & CBC would ap-pear to be a group of wooden boat enthusiasts very simi-lar to the WBGT.

So, on behalf of the Guild I have invited the intending visi-tors to the Guild’s pre- Festival welcome BBQ and of course to visit our stand at the Festival. I will have a copy of their newsletter at the next meeting. I have also searched for a website but there appears not to be one but you can read more about their activities at http://www.nzclassicboats.com/ which reads “Best new resto-ration went to the Picton Clinker Classic Boat Club for Ruru, a 14' 5” clinker popper dating from the early 1900s, built for the Brownlie ....” see the site above to learn more!

There was no Rowing Day last month but instead a Terra Linna working bee which I was unable to attend because of work commitments and, just looking at our calendar we will have to fit in a couple of model boat kit working bees to replenish our supplies of model kits, ready for the not too far off Bellerive Seafarers Festival, the Huon Show, the Sydney Festival and the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in February [ this is set for August 22nd Model working Bee at Peter and Dallas Higgs shed 185 Ber-riedale Rd Berriedale Sec!] all help greatly appreciated!! And BYO lunch!.

. If any members can help out by manufacturing any of the kit components in their workshops in their own time it would be very much appreciated....just get in touch with any of the committee and we’ll give you a task but don’t forget the working bee!.

Our next general meeting will be on Monday 21 June starting at 7:30 pm.

Next Terra Linna working bee will be on Sunday 11 July and don’t forget our next outing on Sunday 25 July which will be a land cruise with Grahame Dudgeon. De-tails later on in this edition.

And remember, we always need more guest speakers. If you, or if you know someone who could give us an inter-esting nautically [preferably wooden boat related] based talk or demonstration just let one of the committee know and we’ll take it from there.

What’s that I hear you say Cheryl....has Grahame got a (Toyota) Land Cruiser?...[no we are going on a wooden boat building and restoration cruise, something of great interest].....

Last month’s question was: Builder of the Ark (Noah) in which he and animals escaped the floods is also famous because he: (1) built the Ark entirely of wood (2) planted a vineyard and sampled its produce (3) had a deformed

left hand but played the lute superbly

And the correct answer is: Noah used papyrus as well as wood when building the Ark, but it is accepted that he planted a vineyard and was affected by the wine it pro-duced.

This month’s question: Question courtesy Jim Broad-side from AFLOAT.

A ‘Fisherman’s bend’ is a knot which: (1) attaches a rope to a ring (2) is used to bulk up the end of a rope (3) joins two ropes of equal thickness [it also works very well with ropes with thicknesses that are not equal. Many sea rescues occur using this knot. Ed]

Secretaries Trivia: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana [depending on the duration of being blown!].

Roscoe ( and Cheryl)

Terra Linna Report

Currently we are collating and editing the report that must be audited independently for presentation to the Tasmanian Community Fund to justify the funding grate-fully provided for Spars, Sails and Rigging. many thanks to Brian Marriott for his work in reporting the financials associated with this report. It is a task that takes special skills and Brian has addressed the reporting needs very well! Many thanks Brian!

As well, Noel and his able team of mid week apprentices have proceeded with the restoration/re-construction very much along the lines of my last months outline provided by yours truly! Needless to say Noelene told me Noel muttered some comments about me getting the proc-esses wrong in the last Skeg! What else would you ex-pect!

Regardless progress is moving ahead very well with the timbers being finished and the beam shelves being fitted and installed. It is amazing to watch Noel’s skills evolve! He actually made the beam shelves by laminating the same some months back from his lofting using timbers donated by Nyrstar. My observation is that this planning and lofting work has really paid off. The pre-fabricated beam shelves, like many other components Noel has pre-fabricated, fitted like a glove! Well done again Noel! And Noelene who although not being able to enjoy full health of late, was out using the dolly on copper rivets and roves last week end against the doctors orders. Don’t you have any control Noel?

Needless to say, Noel has not been experiencing good health himself lately. It would be gratefully accepted if

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So I then contacted the Traditional Small Craft Association http://www.tsca.net/ of the USA to see what they were up to in California. We were going to Long Beach California and nothing was happening in the week we were there.

So with this news I thought we were going to Vancouver Island via Seattle to see my son and grandson so whilst in Seattle we could visit the Centre for Wooden Boats http://www.cwb.org/. We were to arrive mid afternoon Friday and depart lunchtime Saturday for Vancouver Island. The only activity at the Centre for Wooden Boats was to occur on Sunday!!

All research for Vancouver Island wooden boat activities failed to come up with anything!

So had a great time in Vancouver Island but not with wooden boats despite my son’s attempts to get me to look up a wooden boat builder out near Butchart Gardens (well worth a visit.

Then low and behold just as we were departing Vancouver Island for our return trip I spot this poster!

So, not being able to go back in time I have tried the next best thing and contacted the organisers who have kindly provided links to a site showing photos of their event. See

http://cowichanvalleyphotos.com/maple-bay-wooden-boat-celebration

For members not having access to the web I plan to pro-vide a presentation of this festival in the near future.

As I started, I am privileged, but through this I attempt to keep members up to date with what I witness when I travel.

See the next column for some photos from our trip!

any members could get along and help out Noel and Noelene between scheduled working bees.

From the Editors Desk

Well we have just competed the 2010 AGM with a new or pardon the expression recycled (very green friendly)committee and committee members being installed/re-installed. Congratulations and many thanks on behalf of the Guild for agreeing to these responsible appoint-ments. Without you and your families generosity and commitment of time the Guild can not exist!

Just a bit of a reality check though!

“A little story [of committees and volunteers, but not ours]”.

This is a story about four people named respectfully Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Every-body blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Any-body could have done!”

Anonymous

Our roles on Committees and Management groups can not be taken for granted. Work and tasks will not be achieved if we think Someone else is going to do it all! Particularly if we think we are too busy so Somebody else will do it! Many thanks for volunteering to do what Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody didn’t do!

Seriously the Guild is counting on you all!

Recently I was fortunate enough to be awarded the right to travel to the USA for work to demonstrate what we had achieved through research and development activities in what was judged as the best in Australian Learning Technology. We were then chosen as recipi-ents of bronze medals in what is known as Global Learning Impact Awards. That is developing technol-ogy that has a positive impact on learning. The out-come is a privilege and I must acknowledge the tireless work of my colleagues.

As many of you are aware when I travel to Northern America I am fortunate enough to enjoy a Wooden Boat Festival in at leats one location. In 2004 I was lucky enough to attend 2 Wooden Boat Festivals. One in Vancouver Island at Victoria and one in Vancouver , both great Wooden Boat Festivals.

Well for trip I searched the web and nothing came up.

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Port Sorell at Easter

It was a cracker of a day at Port Sorell on Easter Sunday. Clear blue skies, warm and no wind. After arriving on Sat-urday afternoon we made contact with Brian Templar on Sunday morning. He and Iris were going out for a run in their “big boat” later in the afternoon and we were invited. What a lovely time we had. After launching in Muddy Creek where the wooden boaters launch away from the maddening crowd, Brian took us out into the estuary on

the rising tide. We went through the local’s short cut and upstream past Squeaking point. Brian pointed out Bruce Tyson’s latest boat –a Down-easter design cabin cruiser. We also saw one of Bruce’s earlier boats moored nearby.

As we motored up-stream we were struck by the amount of on-water activity. Boats fish-ing, skiing and jet-skis as well as our clinker ply wooden boat on a lovely Sunday afternoon cruise.

Heading downstream we could see a fisherman standing in a traditional looking craft and Brian rec-ognised him as Graeme Clarke in Ed-gar Eli. This is his lovely in-board diesel

fishing boat based on his father’s old boat. The last time I had seen it was at the Launceston Wooden Boat Rally. It looked lovely on the water.

As we headed back to the creek Brian spotted Charlie Richie trying out a new set of sails on his boat. It too looked a picture. Later, after we had loaded Brian’s boat I helped Charlie with his. What a great looking restoration of a boat originally built by his father. Charlie said his work on Corralyn is progress-ing, but slowly.

Not much news of new boats being started but Brian said he would have another Acorn skiff for the next AWBF.

Continued on page 6.

A classic wooden Motor Vessel (their all big) in Long Beach California

Photo P

eter Higg

s

Another wooden MV, Long Beach California!

Photo P

eter Higg

s Tiamma a beautiful wooden American Schooner,

Long Beach California

Photo P

eter Higg

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Tiamma ‘s American Eagle figure head!

Photo P

eter Higg

s

Brian and Iris with their Snapper Boat launched in Muddy Creek ready for a great

day o the water!

Photo G

raeme H

unt

Graeme Clark fishing in Edgar Eli which Graeme designed from his father’s boat he and Graeme

enjoyed fishing from in early days!

Photo G

raeme H

unt

Charlie Richie trying out a new set of sails on his boat.

Photo G

raeme H

unt

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General Meetings are on the 3rd Monday of each month, inc. public holidays ex-

cept in the month of December.

The next general meeting of the Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania Inc. is the General

meeting & will be held at the Mariners’ Cottage, Napoleon Street, Battery Point commencing

at 7.30 pm

Monday 21st June 2010

There will be a committee meeting held prior to the Annual General Meeting at 6.00pm, mem-

bers welcome

http://www.woodenboatguildtas.org.au/

Guest Speaker, 21st June 2010 Grahame Dudgeon will present on one of his loves

and passions, sorry Lyn!

Titled “a Tall Ships prologue” this extraordinary presentation will feature over 40 photos of Tall

Ships in Tasmania!

Presenter/s or practical demonstration required for future meetings.

Skeg articles by the 1st Monday of each month please . If the deadlines can’t be kept the SKEG will be published without late sub-

missions!

1. Skeg photographs by the 1st Monday of each month.

2. Speaker/demonstration ( it can be a demonstration of a wooden boat building activity or problem solv-ing activity) for next month are always needed so get your name and topic in.

Officers of the Guild contact list

President Graeme Hunt 03 62278652

Sen.Vice President Brian Marriott 0419877684

Vice President Jim Tayton 03 62674051

Secretary Ross Barnett Home 6227 1720 or

mobile 0438 300 229

Treasurer David Barnes 03 62441302

Flag Officers Peter Higgs 62491695 0419803317

& Brian Marriott

Mess Officers Vacant

Committee David Gatenby 0428391432

Noel Hall 03 62445583

Peter Higgs 0419803317

David Morton

Calendar 2010 June 21st WBGT committee and General mtg.

July 11th Terra Linna working bee

July 19th WBGT committee and General mtg. July 25, Land Cruise with Grahame Dudgeon,

10.00am meet at the Esplanade Huonville. August 8th Terra Linna working bee August 16th WBGT committee and General mtg. August 22nd Model working Bee at Peter and Dal-

las Higgs shed 185 Berriedale Rd Berriedale. This shed is based on the www.ibys.org model, check this link! You may find a solution to making deci-sions or even providing excuses!

September 12th Terra Linna working bee Sept. 20th WBGT committee and General mtg.

September 26th Kettering Rowing Day trip leaders Roscoe Barnett and Jim Tayton

October 10th Terra Linna working bee

Oct. 18th WBGT committee and General mtg.

October 31st Bellerive Seafarers Festival

Nov. 7th Terra Linna working bee

November 13th Huon Show

Nov. 15th WBGT committee and General mtg.

December 11th Spring Bay Discovery Centre

Dec. 19th Christmas in the Park, Mariners Cottage

Maritime and Maritime Heritage lunch box talks 12 noon till 1.00pm — 1st Tuesday of each month at TMAG Royal Society Room organised by Peta Knott of the Maritime Museum.

Trip Leaders responsibilities; the Trip Leader is to confirm meeting paces and times (including maps) for the Skeg edition prior to the event. Skeg closing time is 1st Monday for text and 1st Monday for photos every month. Following the event the Trip Leader is to pro-vide a short story and up to 5 of their own photos, sized and titled (as file name) appropriately, of the event for inclusion in the following Skeg. Members wishing to submit photos from the rowing days are required to provide a maximum of five to the Trip Leader so that we do not get same/similar contributions. All must be sized as below with a title as the file name.

Members wishing to submit articles & photos: All members arti-cles and photos are most welcome as contributions for the Skeg or other publications. For the Skeg, articles are preferred to be in MS Word with no formatting. Members are asked to restrict their photo-graphic submissions to 5 In total per month and to have resized the photos to the following specs. No PDF’s please!

400 Pixels wide X 300 Pixels high, or

5.7 cm wide X 4.2 cm high, with a resolution of

180 pixels per inch

If you can not size a photo submit it with a title as a file name and the editor will size It for you.

All SKEG articles must be with the editor in a digital form by the 1st Monday of the month.

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Graeme

June Rowing Day The June rowing day took place at St Helens over the June long weekend hosted by Gavin Boon and Trip Leader, Graeme Hunt. Their report will appear in the July Skeg.

July Roving Day Huon Wooden Boat Builders Land Cruise

Trip Leader Grahame Dudgeon

25th July 2010

If you have experienced one of Grahame’s land cruises in the past you will know this trip is not to be missed. You will find it very informative and once again will catch up with what the people of the Huon Valley get up to in building wooden boats, something that seems to come naturally down there!

Grahame has lined up a number of boats at various stages of construction/restoration for us. Because some of the locations are tight for parking Grahame and the Committee are now planning that we rendezvous at the Esplanade at Huonville near the Jet Boat office and launch ramp. From here it is expected that mem-bers will travel in their own cars but maximise car occupancy to assist parking. Time table and map to follow!

Seeking information Kyeema, Roma and Lady Jane

Does anyone out there have information about these vintage motor launches?

I am writing a biography of Win and Clyde Clayton of Port Davey. In their retirement, Win and Clyde moved to Franklin and Clyde had a series of boats, including the vintage motor launches Kyeema, Roma and Lady Jane which he owned during the 1980s. I have some detail about Kyeema and Roma from Graeme Broxam's book Those that Survive (pp.40 & 51).

Peter Atkins purchased Lady Jane and put significant work into re-fitting her.

I would love to know what has become of these vessels.

A much longer shot is Atlanta, a 48 foot fishing ketch built by Syd Grundy at Lunawanna in the 1930s. She was re-named Arlie D, in the 1940s. Clyde owned her until he purchased Stormalong in 1954.

Arlie D reverted to her former name, Atlanta, and from what I can gather, went to Lakes Entrance.

If anyone can assist with information about these boats, please contact:

Janet Fenton 102 Wiggins Rd, Longley, Tas 7150, Australia Phone: 03 6239 6443 E-mail: fenton@southcom.com.au

Or you can pass on any information to Brian Marriott

For Sale:

Argo

Hi Peter, just a few photo’s to look at. The top two are of "Percy Charles" and the rest are of "Argo". I am looking to sell Argo so if you know of any Mem-ber looking for a nice little dinghy please pass my details on. Argo is all Huon pine 4.7mts x 1850 she has a wet well and lined inside which makes a great finish. The motor is a 6hp Yanmar diesel and is in good condition. Argo is on a good trailer but is not registered. I bought Argo to keep and sell Percy but have had such a great

Another picturesque waterfront photo at Muddy Creek

Photo G

raeme H

unt

Photo G

avin Boo

n

“Argo” is for sale

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time with Percy with her original rig I have changed my mind. Please feel free to give my e-mail and mobile to anyone interested.

Gavin can be con-tacted through the editor. Or you can talk to Gavin when you attend the St Helen’s Guild visit, June Long weekend.

Eltin Ronan

Having just arranged to purchase Gavin Boon’s Fazack-erly I need to offer Eltin Ronan for sale. She’s been a big/little restora-tion job for a boat with a lot of his-tory. Looking for a mad keen wooden boater to take her on and maintain her as part of Tas-mania’s Maritime history.

Great rowing boat and prepared to negotiate the price.

Delamere—Tom Balfour

25 ft length, 8 ft beam, 3’ 6” draft, Chuck Payne designed double ended sloop cold moulded with Western Red Ce-dar and epoxy.

Best yacht award at the 1994 Sydney Wooden Boat Fes-tival. First class fit out and rigging. Lying Pittwater Syd-ney. Contact Tom on 02 48616845 or tombal-four@bigpond.com

Geoff Winspear’s 18’ motor-sailer has been sold.

Lionel Lewis is selling his 18’ X 8’ stern drive Huon Pine clinker motor launch “Moewai” . Lionel was the designer builder and completed her in the 70’s. She is complete with, fully marinised Ford 110 hp motor, trailer and build diary and many extras. If interested contact Lionel on 0400161412

For Sale

Brand new 10' Sailing Huon Pine, King Billy etc Clinker Sail and oars. (Pics) Superb brand new condition with brand new trailer, oars, sails, PFD's Immaculate. We have just won this vessel but in all honesty she needs a wooden boat enthusiast's home. Someone who loves such beauty and workmanship. I appreciate the superb vessel but with two children learner sailors, this vessel would be wrong for them. This vessel needs a great home. It has over 400 hours of top quality workmanship to build her. Photo-graphic Records of her being built are available. A superb Tasmanian wooden boat historical project us-ing superb timbers some 1500 years old. Andrew Denman has built the vessel and stated she is worth $24,000 as is. Call Geoff on 0422 587 716 or txt.

Eltin Ronan beached at Spectacle Island, Dodges Ferry

Photo P

eter Higg

s

“Percy” is not for sale to the best of the editor’s knowledge.

Photo G

avin Boo

n

Photos b

y Geo

ff Wharton of the 10

’ clinker sailing din

ghy b

uilt by D

enman M

arine, F

oster design