Image credit: Jeni Bone
The Wooden Boat Centre, Australia's only wooden boat building school, located on the Huon River at Franklin, is an organisation dedicated to continuing the tradition. In fact, its mission is "to ensure the traditional craft of wooden boat building ensure and remains a relevant part of contemporary maritime culture".
Cody Horgan, Head Shipwright and Manager of the Wooden Boat Centre (WBC), says that "historically, Tasmania has a proud history of boat building and shipwrighting".
"Tasmania is home to various timbers that take so long to grow," he explains. "Because of the unique timbers such as Huon Pine, King Billy, Celery Top Pine, Blue Gum, and the culture of the place, people place a great value on heritage, and we have a passion for it."
As Cody explains, "Huon Pine is endemic to Tasmania and is now protected from logging. Huon Pine is scarce, so it has been put away for boat builders of the future, stored for us for restorations and building projects at the Wooden Boat Board Bank, managed by Sustainable Timber Tasmania.
"Its rarity makes it very precious," he continues. "King Billy Pine is even rarer. We are very lucky to have the Boat Board Bank. It comes at a price, though: $12,000 to $14,000 a cubic metre."
Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii) is a rainforest tree that grows in western and southern Tasmania. It is very fire sensitive and only grows in fire-free areas. It is slow growing and may live for over 2,000 years. The durability of the wood is due to the presence of the essential oil, methyl eugenol, which gives Huon pine its unique odour.
According to Cody, "restoration is a more responsible way of building boats".
"In an effort to conserve the Huon Pine supplies, we build plywood dinghies, with only the visible parts in Huon Pine. Once or twice a year we build a boat out of Huon Pine and really celebrate. We are conscious that we're using up a resource that we will never get back again.
"Restoration is particularly special. For me, I get paid to do my hobby. And for clients and boat owners with foresight and passion, they have the thrill of restoring and retaining the heritage, turning something dilapidated into something beautiful again. We are all passionate about it."
The imperative to preserve wooden boats and pass on the restoration skills to the next generation are a matter of pride and historic preservation.
"We are trying to save the boats that exist," says Cody. "That way, we use fewer resources. It's a more
responsible use of timber. These boats have a history, and we can pass down pleasure to next generations. It's important to teach other people how they can make a living out of it and be responsible, AND have as much fun as I do!"
For Cody, working with wood is a totally pleasant experience. "It's a nice medium, easy to shape, smells good, healthier than other forms of boat building, there's a beautiful grain that tells a story. We can make functional boats which are artistically crafted. They are floating pieces of art.
"Those who share our vision are crucial to our work. A love for wooden boats is important. Without these visionary owners, there would be no heritage wooden vessels."
After the 2023 restoration of the D-Class sailing yacht, Undine, which the WBC restored to her former glory and was then sold to the Commodore of Kettering Yacht Club, Mick Hawes, they are now working on two more. Current projects include Minerva, the second D-Class and a project for students this year, and another D-Class called Pixie, which will be undertaken in 2025. The one-year students are building an Appleseed boat that Cody designed; based on the template of an American Melonseed skiff.
THE REPORT | SEP 2024 | ISSUE 109 | 103
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