Jock liked to remember WESTWARD as the only yacht with a fish well to win a Sydney to Hobart race. Her building virtually marked the start of Muir's Boatyard and her first race and handicap win kicked off Jock Muir's illustrious career as a blue water ocean racer.

In March 1886 the now Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania conducted a race to Port Esperance for 28 footers with a sweepstake prize of 10s. per boat. Entries included F Turner’s SUNBEAM, Mr Calder’s MAGIC, Mr Knight’s TERRA LINNA, Mr Lewis’s MILLY, Mr Cheverton’s MABEL, and Mr Maddock’s MYRINE.

The portraits will become an evolving display at the Festival with each participant invited to find their image amongst the sea of faces and handwrite on their print what wooden boat custodianship means to them.

Got a wooden boat? Why not bring your pride and joy? It will be four years since the last Festival, and the AWBF crew are excited to open the flood gates for registrations.

Wooden boats were and still are a common feature in Tasmania, an island surrounded by water. Sharing the knowledge surrounding the wooden boat craft is a big feature for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.

In the latest episode of the AWBF Boat Folk series they introduce you to one of Tasmania's oldest wooden boats - proud SV BRITANNIA.

OK, I’ll lay my cards on the table… I’ve got a vested interest in this one! There aren’t many Philip Rhodes Designed boats in Australia.

When the 2021 Australian Wooden Boat Festival went the same way as so many other mass gatherings over the last 18 months, the organisers quickly made sure that the year wasn’t completely wasted.