Just Over Seven Months… and Counting
The Sail Training Vessel ONE AND ALL will be in Hobart for the Festival
Former Chair of the AWBF, Peter Higgs once described the Festival as an elephant on roller skates, zooming down a hill. In the words of the current General Manager Paul Stephanus… “Well, we are are now almost seven months out from the big day, and the beast is well and truly picking up momentum.”
Paul writes
Interest from boat owners from across Australia has been heartening, with over 200 registrations pouring in within the first few weeks. 50% of the registrants have never exhibited at the Festival before. 50% are from interstate. With a focus in 2023 on celebrating Australian boats, designs, builders and stories, there will be plenty to work with.
Paul Continues
The theatre and music program is developing well, with a focus on upbeat, joyful and fun entertainment for all ages across the site.
The scene will be set with local and interstate Tall Ships like SOREN LARSEN, ONE AND ALL, JAMES CRAIG, ENTERPRIZE and DUYFKEN may well make an appearance at the Festival for the first time in a long time.
All of the Festival favourites are back, and new programs are being introduced to develop the Festival audience and attract new initiates into the wonderful world of wooden boats and maritime culture.
Check out the AWBF website for more details but in the meantime, enjoy these two small but perfectly formed films in the AWBF “Boat Folk” Series
UBIQUE OF HOBART
Very few boats have the pedigree of UBIQUE of Hobart both historically and which has spawned a thousand bluewater cruising dreams.
Famed yacht designer, Lyle C Hess, originally based the design for UBIQUE (pronounced U-bee-qway) on the legendary Bristol Pilot Cutter – the epitome of yacht design in the mid 1800s to early 1900s.
UBIQUE is a sister ship to TALEISIN, being commissioned by Brad Hampton at the famous Shipwrights Point School of Wooden Boat Building at Franklin, in Tasmania. Now, owned by David and Michelle Shering, the boat hosts many quiet family sailing voyages in the Channel.
If you are interested in learning more of David and Michelle’s adventures onboard, why don’t you check out this hilariously authentic write up by David, for the Bristol Channel Cutter website. Several Lyle Hess design boats attend the AWBF, and they look magical lined up together along side Constitution Dock.
MINOCQUA
This film features the stunning MINOCQUA and custodian, Andrew Cannon AM. The 50ft vessel was built and designed by Lars Halvorsen and Sons in 1947. The luxury motor cruiser is a great example of an early post World War II boat. She has now been berthed in Hobart for nearly 20 years and Andrew loves escaping his busy life, to spend time cruising the D’Entrecasteaux Channel on MINOCQUA. Watch the story below.