The Wooden Boat Festival

This extremely popular 4 day event is much anticipated and is convened in Hobart every 2 years. Considerable effort has been put in by exhibitors and attendees alike. Exhibitors have had to not only prepare their vessels for display but also deliver them to Hobart, often from interstate and a good number of attendees took the WBF as a reason to sail to Tasmania.

The Windward Star was sailed down from Gladstone for the WBF 7 years ago. 

The skipper never went back!

The preparation for display we know, has been vexing for the locals. We've been visiting the little ports of Franklin and Cygnet over the last 6 weeks and encountered a number of wooden boat owner enthusiasts repainting and re-varnishing their boats and bright-work; or at least attempting to. The weather has been so 'ordinary', damp and dismal it's been very difficult to get all the work done in the dry conditions needed for the job. There have been many frustrated skippers in evidence. Somehow they managed to pull it all off though.

The boats sailing to Tasmania for the event have not been entirely lucky either.  The low pressure system  that sat off the coast of NSW and then Tasmania, responsible for delivering unseasonal cold and wet conditions in recent weeks (and spoiling the cherry crop), was also responsible for trapping boats in more northern locations such as Eden and Flinders Island for up to 12 days. Sea conditions were so bad that the James Craig and the Endeavour replica both has to return to Sydney. We were watching various web sites and discovered the conditions were also caused injuries to crew (broken ribs for example) plus damage to boats. Broken spars, autopilots, propellers falling off and a boats bouncing on its keel in a stormy anchorage. Ouch. In a word - carnage! Some boats simply failed to get here in time.

As with so many other events, Hobart can really turn it on and miraculously summer arrived in time for this event too with attendees enjoying great weather and a fabulous atmosphere all around the various docks.

 

Just a fraction of the yachts at Constitution Dock, there were many , many more filling all of Kings Wharf where the Sydney Hobart racers were berthed 6 weeks earlier.

The Bloke queued up to buy a Galley Mate marine BBQ.

He's thinking of sausages and steak for sure.

The guy with the white hat liked the product so much, he bought the business!