"I'm pregnant! " proclaimed my wife Liz as she excitedly passed me the test stick with the two blue lines on it. It was at this time that my heart skipped a beat, as I am sure it does for all males when they hear these words.

For me it skipped with excitement that sparked an idea. Maybe I could build a cradle boat like the one I had seen at the Tasmanian Wooden Boat Show when I was there in 2009.

Bear with me – the following may not seem like it has much to do with wooden boats, however… Many of you will be familiar with the phrase “Computer cut kit” or “Laser cut kit”. This evokes images of accuracy, precision, complexity, speed, efficiency – at a price. It is a technology that has often fascinated me with its potential to create complex forms quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, such advanced technology came at a high price ($50K +), putting it out of reach of all but the commercial operators putting through the volume to pay for it, and perhaps the very well heeled enthusiast. I continued to toy with the idea, thinking “Surely there must be some clever fella out there who has managed to make this stuff cheaply?”. Through the magic of the electric-inter-web, I discovered that this hypothesis was true! What an amazing thing the electric-inter-web is – it seems there is no end to the amount of information available and the willingness of people to freely share their thoughts and ideas (where do they get the time!).

At Easter this year Jenny and I attended the above event at Toronto on beautiful Lake Macquarie, in New South Wales.

Penguin had been relaunched for the Yarra trip at the end of March and performed well. In the following weeks, painting, attention to a couple of leaks that got past me, and a few other bits and pieces were completed and she was ready to travel to Toronto. After the Yarra trip she had taken up a bit, and with some salt water in the hull for a week or so, she held water all the way to Toronto.

Considering that the weather forecast was for “scattered showers “ and that what we received at 7.00pm was a torrential downpour for about 40 minutes, we had a good turnout of members (23). At the end of the evening the Lake level had risen 10cm and the centre road car park area was 45cm deep!

Many of the WBA members were to be found on the water over Easter, or working on their boats.

The weather was kind, for the most part, and many of us took advantage of the last of the warm weather to remind ourselves of why we love messing about in boats.

It was a great placid and windless day for our first model boat day at Albert Park. There were our usual WBA models, and a few APYC models , but the highlight of the Model Boat display at the lake last month was the Lake Illawong Model Boat club contingent admirably steered by Rosie and Brian.

The weather was fine, the breeze was light, and the tide was high. What a great combination for the start of the Club’s annual boat trip up the Yarra. As an added bonus the launching facilities have been improved and it was much easier to tie the boats up. From my memory (short) it was the best turn-out of members yet. Eight boats arrived at the “Warmies” and three launched from Williamstown to meet us along the river.

Well she was back where it all began. Begonia was back on the water where she came out and did herself proud. She arrived on Friday, ferried up by Tim Gay. Thanks Tim. Rob and Pat Ripley, who camped out at the Welcome Stranger Park in Ballarat, arrived with Green Pea and Maple, the canoe.

Saturday saw a beautiful sun rise across Lake Wendouree, empty for the past 10 years, and now full and, in fact, overflowing. Quinton Wilkinson from Ballarat, a relatively new member, brought his 5 meter Put-Put (The Wastell) with a Blaxland Twin down and the art of rigging Begonia began. Neither of us having rigged her before, we welcomed Brian Canny, the commodore of the Ballarat Yacht Club, who lent his considerable yachting skills in assisting us. Thanks Brian.

Photos by Roderick Smith

Photos and text by Roderick Smith

This was my fourth Goolwa.

Having purchased an SA-built Tennessee, which had been at the display under earlier owners, I felt morally obliged to exhibit at the 2005 event.  Great camaraderie, but horrible moorings; my boat was damaged.  I sent a letter of complaint.  I came back for 2007, got the same mooring, and more damage.  I vowed 'never again'.  I was back for 2009, as I was taking the boat to Duck Flat for maintenance, and had it at Mt Barker.  I drove to Goolwa for the day.  More relaxing and just as friendly, and no responsibility, and I cruised in other boats.  I wouldn't have gone to 2011, but I met Moonshine at Robinvale; it was planning to cruise over the lake to get to the event. A great chance to go in tandem.  I did book, but too late for a mooring.  My smug comment 'why do the Halvorsen's get the good moorings?' didn't sit well with the organiser, a Halvorsen owner. I was too late to accompany Moonshine across the lake, but did have the boat on the grass ready to launch on closing day and cross the lake with Moonshine returning.

A great time was had by those of us who went to the Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart with over 600 boats entered. Barry North on Peace Train with crew Doug Gullikson and Billy Errikson on board sailed down, taking 2 weeks to get there via the Islands.

At last the water is back at Goolwa! Two years ago there was no water and boats were high and dry. This time the barrage is open and the river is running free. Apparently the depth of the mouth of the Murray is about 60 feet. Something we were not used to at Goolwa was a current and that made the yacht racing very interesting in what was already a tight course. A couple of collisions resulted.

During the drought the council has taken the opportunity to rebuild the board walk and moorings. They now have floating finger wharves which made mooring much more convenient, although with about 250 boats registered, mooring space was still at a premium with many boats rafted up. This was a little interesting during the speed boat roar through, when a lot of fending off was done.

2011Looking out of the window on Sunday morning you could have been excused for thinking that boating and sailing was out of the question. It was pouring with rain. However, some intrepid WBA “boaties” packed up their boats, and headed for Rye. Well, I am glad we did, because on arrival at Rye the rain had stopped, the horizon had started to lighten up, and the breeze was light and steady (at least as steady as it ever is at Rye).

On behalf of the Victorian Wooden Boat Association I attended a promotion for the formation of the Lakeside Sailing Club. This was a morning event where I launched Lindsay Symons and proceeded to show the WBA flag and sail around the lake. I felt that this was an important venue, not only to assist another club’s formation but to generally promote 'on water' activities to the public.

It was New Years Day, and we were towing boats to Anglesea to support the Regatta event, arriving at 8.30am. This was the Centenary year for the regatta which is run by the Anglesea Recreation and Sports Club , formed in 1911 around a sporting challenge between the …. “crème de la crème of the residents of the township of Anglesea River do hereby challenge the like ( if there be any) of the village of Airey’s Inlet “…. extract from the original invitational challenge. The Regatta is a series of rowing races in the Club’s boats, Thames Skiffs built in 1909 in London for the Club, consisting of 2 pairs and 2 fours, very well maintained and used regularly, culminating in the Grand Challenge Cup.

A GREAT WEEKEND ON THE LAKES!

East Gippsland Wooden Boat Association members had a great “putt-putt” weekend on April 16 and 17.

On Saturday a cruise up the Backwater was followed by a picnic lunch at the Port of Bairnsdale, and then a leisurely cruise up the Mitchell River in the afternoon. Fifteen people went to the Chinese restaurant in Bairnsdale for a lovely dinner, followed by an early night.

Approximately 30 people plus some visitors attended over the weekend with 13 boats on the water. We had 3 boats from interstate and the balance from metro and country Victoria. Torrential rain resulting in muddy and wet conditions on shore and muddy debris afloat did not seem to dampen the enthusiasm.