New take on classic design

Small but perfectly formed

A NEWCOMER to the lineup of rowing/sailing craft produced by a Hobart designer and builder needs a name.

Allan Witt, principal of Witt Design, said his new round-bilge version of the classic Derwent Skiff deserved its own name and invited suggestions from the recreational rowing public.

The request highlights Mr Witt’s passion for his design work and his enthusiasm to introduce people to the joys of recreational rowing.

A group of Hobart rowers is approaching its 150th excursion, meeting on most Saturdays for the past three and half years. The numbers and participants vary, there are no bookings and the coffee-shop destinations for the row depend on winds.

Mr Witt said three key elements kept the group strong.

“One element is the mix of great exercise (rowing with a sliding seat) coupled with the pleasure and safety of being on the water away from traffic,” he said.

“A second is the friendship, reinforced over coffee stops and the third is the freedom to participate as the opportunity permits with no crews to organise.”

Mr Witt said the growing MOST of the 220,000 people attending the biennial Australian Wooden Boat Festival next February will marvel at the beauty of the timbers and the craftmanship of the hundreds of wooden boats displayed.

But there is another component of the festival where these same attributes are also in abundance, but on a miniature scale.

Festival managerer Paul Cullen said the model boat display always attracted a large number of beautiful boats, mostly built to scale, representing all types of boats from naval vessels, sailboats, cargo ships and ships sailed by explorers with significant historical appeal.

There is no cost to enter model boats, although there popularity of rowing meant the range of recreational rowing boats was increasing.

“They all have sliding seats and row with the same set-up as a racing scull. But, the big difference is that, if you let go of the oars, the boats will look may be a limit to the numbers able to be accepted.

Registrations are now open with model boat owners invited to register at after you rather than the rower ending up in the water.”

To the range of classic and lightweight wooden singles, Witt Design had added composite boats (made of glass/cork/glass sandwich) with some of the new www.australianwoodenboatf estival.com.au/registration/ check for any vacancies in the school holiday program organised by the Maritime Musuem of Tasmania.

The first two sessions, on Monday and Thursday next week, will be followed by two more on July 16 and 19.

The program, based at the MMT in Argyle St, is for children aged from six to 13 and will give an overview of Tasmania’s fishing industry.

The family entry fee of $5 will cover the sessions from 10am to 12 noon and entry to the whole museum for the day. There will be games, stories and colouring competition for younger participants as well as, weather permitting, visits to the Hobart fishing docks.

For further information phone 6234 1427.

A stretched and modified version of the Derwent Raider would allow for two rowers or a single rower with a load of adventure camping gear, food and water and this had been named the Derwent Adventurer.

A shorter 4.7m round-bilged version of the Derwent Skiff was being prototyped for home building using cork composite.

“Being light and shorter than the standard 5.5m (18’) Derwent Skiff, it will be that much easier for car-topping. Its contemporary hull-form lends itself to its wet aft deck, making it well suited to coastal rowing,” Mr Witt said.

This shorter boat is designed for lighter people, so it will be ideal for young people getting into rowing, women and lighter men.

“Its ease of transport and ability to be used in conditions where you would never consider using a still-water racing shell makes for a level of fun that adds greatly to the sport of rowing with its focus on training and racing.

“The shorter boat, with its contemporary styling, will look sufficiently different from the classic Derwent Skiff that it deserves a new name and we welcome suggestions by phoning 0408 331 510 or visiting allan@wittdesign.com.au”

Another significant development starting production was the composite hulled Derwent Raiders with the unusual capability of good performance for both rowing and sailing.