6th, & 7th, March 2010.
WOW!! What an eye-opener there’ll be at Geelong’s display of well-loved wooden boats! Tall ships, small ships, sail boats, motor boats, steam boats, sail craft, paddle craft, old winners, many grinners! History galore in boats that were built in 1873, 1897 and the early 1900’s. Plus recently built boats, in the styles of days gone by and with the skills to match.
Classics like ‘Sayonara’ and her 2,079 sq ft of sail, ‘Zoe Clair’ of 1930 and her history of ‘U’ boat sightings and, the only ‘Grand Banks 32ft. ‘Woody’ known to be in Australia! The ‘Retreat’.
Wind driven yachts from ‘Coutas’ through cutters to yawls! Steam driven, diesel driven or petrol driven motor boats like the twin engine ‘La Belle Limone’! Straight from the Italian lakes with a top speed of 87 knots! The diminutive ‘Scruffie Marine’ 16ft. Day boat, ‘Firefly 2′ with it’s 100 year old steam engine! And marvel at workmanship in the skin covered kayaks and canoes!
If that’s not enough, check out the shore displays of boat building in action, clinker, carvel, etc. Rope making, timber dressing, treatments and painting. If you want to know how, there’s plenty of ‘know-how’ at Geelong’s Wooden Boat Festival. The 150 year old Royal Geelong Yacht Club will also have it’s history on display!
On Saturday the barquentine ‘One & All’ and the topsail schooner ‘Enterprize’ will be taking bay trips and during the afternoon there’s races on Corio Bay while entrants in the passage races from Melbourne and Portarlington will be arriving after lunch on Saturday. There’s music and dancing to ‘Donegal Express’ from 1800. (6pm to the landlubbers!)
Sunday is a big day! From 0800 (8am) breakfast available, displays will open at 0900 (9am) there’s music by ‘Gaz Jazz Band’ from 1400 (2pm)!
FREE entry to the general public so, put on your sealegs, walk with a roll (salad?) and join in the fun!
Bob Appleton. Further information – (03) 5229 3705 or visit www.rgyc.com.au