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340 Wooden Boats Registered for the 2003 Festival, ranging from beautifully crafted dinghies to our major attractions.
One and All
The graceful 30-metre brigantine first visited Hobart during the 1988 Tall Ships Event and made a welcome return to feature in the 2003 Festival. The South Australian sail training vessel made a fitting dock companion to our own sail training vessel, the Lady Nelson.
Preana
On Shore the magnificently restored 55-foot steam launch Preana attracted the attention of all, with her polished bronze and brass fittings and crafted Huon Pine and King Billy planking. Truly a local boat, the Preana was built in 1896 at Battery Point by legendary Tasmanian shipwright Robert Inches, and faithfully restored by the Preana Trust under the management of Jim Butterworth.
Tassie Too
It was a return to home shores for this delightful 21 footer, owned and lovingly restored by Victorian-based Tony Siddons. During the Festival the boat formed a backdrop to Theatre Alfesco’s story of the famous yacht which dominated the Forster Cup series with racing victories from the 1920’s to the 1950’s. Designed by “Skipper” W.P. Batt, the Tassie Too was built by Battery Point boatbuilder Charlie Lucas. The launch by crane of the Tassie Too from the Dockside into the home waters of the Derwent created great interest among Festival patrons.
In addition to the boats, 27,000 visitors to the Festival enjoyed:
Theatre Productions
Theatre Alfresco performed Tassie, Trim’s True Travels and Sinbad the Sailor during the Festival weekend. Class Act Juniors/Dixieland Express presented
musical theatre and jazz. Phil Rush recited Nautical Poems and pirates roamed the dockside.
Music
A continuous music programme on the Main Stage featured Geoffrey d’Ombrian, Mopoke and Dennis Dryden. Danny Spooner, our roving musician, could be found singing traditional maritime music at The Old Boat Shed Stage or on board the One and All.
Stalls
Tasmania’s great food and wine were available at 19 different stalls. Maritime and Nautical themes were featured by 20 Exhibitor Stalls.
If you were there you might also have seen:
The Quick and Dirty Boat Building Challenge, the Quilt Display, Cray pot making, Scrimshaw, Model Boats, Figurehead Carving, Ropework or the Class Dinghy and Kayak Displays.