The Boats of Norman R. Wright & Sons
HEATHER II coming out of the loft on skids and her launch - Click to enlarge
As the 2025 Australian Wooden Boat Festival approaches the organisers have continued their incremental publication of some of the talks given at the 2023 Symposium.
The lecture released this week is a beauty! While you might think that a video of a slide presentation is a rather retro way to tell a story, Bill Wright’s delivery makes up for any low tech phobia you might have. Settle in for 45 minutes of entertainment and history! And don’t forget that 2025 festival entries have opened!
Bill Wright - The Boats of Norman R. Wright & Sons - at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival
The Wright tradition started in 1909 when Norman Wright opened his own business in 67 Newstead Terrace, Newstead. His first commission was Superb, a shallow draught gaff-rigged centre board yacht, built for James Hogan Smith. The yard’s prestige grew rapidly, in part thanks to the exquisite vessels sent down its slipways (including such boats as Olivene, Pathfinder, Stradbroke II and Juanita) but also due to Norman Wright’s personal reputation, built when he worked as a tradesman at the renowned Whereat’s yard. Following the outbreak of war in 1939, the building of recreational craft was suspended in the wake of a wholesale diversion of resources towards the military effort. Post-war, the company has produced a huge range of yachts, luxury launches, work boats, pilot boats, restricted 21 class yachts and skiffs.
The cold moulded JENNY VI became world champion.
This presentation features pictures and descriptions of some of the more notable vessels to be built by Norman R. Wright & Sons. Bill started as an apprentice boat builder in 1971, working in the shed and loft until the mid-80s moving into the design role when his father, Ron Wright, retired. He and his brother took over the management of the boatyard in 1987, relinquishing it to a younger team in 2018. He still does some design work and is a qualified AMSA Surveyor, a member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. His interests are sailing his old Dragon class yacht and long-range cruising in his motor boat.
Presented at the Australian National Maritime Museum Wooden Boat Symposium, as part of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2023.