Show floats city’s boats

Wooden boat finds safe harbour at last

GREAT weather and a long weekend has helped the My State Wooden Boat Festival attract strong crowds.

Among the centrepieces yesterday was a masterclass from Sydney chef Tetsuya Wakuda, who sang the praises of the state’s top-notch seafood.

IT first brought with it 10 Americans from the North West School of Wooden Boatbuilding and was then chased out of Franklin by the threat of bushfires.

Now it will remain on the island where it was built after it was bought by a Tasmanian at yesterday’s MyState Wooden Boat Festival auction.

What has been known as the Haven 12 and a Half was the highest priced boat of yesterday’s auction, selling for $28,500. One of its creators, Ginny Wilson, said the auction was fun to watch.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but we’re all really stoked,” Ms Wilson said.

Festival manager Paul Cullen said the boat’s story made it most interesting.

“We nearly lost it … it was really touch and go there for a few days,” Mr Cullen said.

The group from the US had been building the boat for more than a month before the fires forced them to stop work and get the boat into the city.

Among the other boats at yesterday’s auction was the Vanessa G, named after late Tasmanian politician Vanessa Goodwin.

A project of the Rotary Club and Risdon Prison, six inmates restored the dinghy in time for the 2019 festival, with profits from the sale donated to the Department of Justice for inmate woodwork program.