More Details from Auckland
This week, the program for the second ever Auckland Wooden Boat Festival (13 - 15 March) came out…and it looks pretty special. As with all good Festivals, planning your long weekend is key to getting the most out of it. And the beauty of the Auckland venue is that everything is only a few minutes walk away.
Basically there are five main venues
The Festival is centred around Jellicoe Harbour where a fleet of Auckland finest will be on display… but we’ll come back to that.
On the wharf next to the harbour there will be small boat construction, steam engines, the Toroa steam ferry’s wheelhouse, a mini careers expo and demonstrations of steam bending, amongst other things!
Just next door, inside the Viaduct Events Centre there will be book shops, sail making , knot tying and model making demos, all set amongst a collection of small craft.
Across at Hamer Street you can visit Auckland’s oldest surviving wooden boat yard and see Māori and Pacific waka building as a living tradition, and view the final stages of a waka hourua in creation by master carvers and artists. Alonside them The New Zealand Traditional Boatbuilding School will build a kauri clinker Frostbite dinghy live and in real time - a rare chance to see the wooden boatbuilding skills up close.
And over at the New Zealand Maritime Museum there will be a series seminars, talks and films, the program for which is yet to be released. But seeing as it includes a talk from your esteemed SWS editor its bound to be worth attending!
And now to the fun bit… seeing which boats are going to be there!
The AckWBF website has created a directory which makes for fun browsing! There are 84 boats listed so far and they span the breath and depth of New Zealand Maritime Culture.
Here’s a random sample of four that piqued my interest!
ARCTURUS
OK, this stunning 1930’s Alden Schooner is not originally a Kiwi boat, but she’s been there so long she almost could be! Read about her here in SWS, and then visit her in the flesh in Jellicoe Harbour!
GYPSY
The 1939 K Class designed by Arch Logan has had a long and storied career, including a dramatic sinking! Well she’s back and at the festival and ready for inspection
NGATAKI
Back in Auckland after her foray last year into Tasmanian water’s this perenial favourite is a “Must Visit” Sitting in her cockpit, looking around the boat, with the adventures of Johnny Wray running through you head, is an experience that and enthusiast of adventure sailing should not miss!
THELMA
THELMA left, WAITANGI right. Both will be there to see
This 18metre gaff-rigged cutter designed by Arch Logan was launched from their Auckland yard on 30 October 1897, marking the firm’s first truly large yacht and quickly establishing her as the scratch boat on Waitemata Harbour by outperforming older heavyweights in local racing. After a varied life that saw her change owners, serve in Honolulu during WWII, and spend decades racing in the Mediterranean, she was acquired by the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust, brought back to Auckland and immaculately restored to her original configuration. She should be near the top of your “must see” list!
So with just over a month to go its not too late to be there! Sometimes the things we do spontaneously are the most rewarding. There’s already a sizable cohort from Tasmania and Melbourne planning to attend so get in touch if you need more information. What’s stopping you!