The varnish and paint brigade of the Timber Boat Division at the Royal Motor Yacht Club Broken Bay are sprucing up their wooden boats in readiness for their very popular annual Timber Boat Festival. This year the event will be held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November and they have a lot of new things happening.

Of course there will be the wonderful collection of wooden sloops, ketches, yawls, schooners, motor cruisers large and small and some classics from Halvorsen, Williams, Herreschoff, Chris Craft, Milcraft and Riva. Many of these boats are old favourites returning but there will be a number of first timers as well. Some resourceful boat lovers have converted commercial trawlers into homes away from home. Others have built their boats themselves. Some are new and some old - the oldest is a lovely sloop built in 1895 and still sailing.

You will be cordially invited on board any boat which takes your interest. These guys just love showing off their pride and joy. Perhaps you have thought about buying, building or renovating a boat yourself. What better opportunity can you get to talk with experienced boat owners and gain the benefit of their passion and their considerable, collective boating skills and knowledge.

So much of the craftsmanship is just inspirational. You will see fine examples of carved handrails, trail boards and nameplates. Many boats are immaculately painted and varnished with beautifully oiled planked decks. Some display finely decorated and upholstered cabins while others are kind of homely and comfortable just the way their owners like them. Most are an ongoing work in progress.

A big first this year is the Couta boat entry. For those who don't know, Couta boats are based on traditional Port Phillip Bay fishing boats. They are elegantly gaff rigged open boats and in the right hands, very fast. There are already around two hundred sailing and racing out of Portsea and Queenscliff in Victoria and a burgeoning fleet on Pittwater.

The displays will include interactive demonstrations of electronic navigation equipment, marine antennae for TV and internet, fender systems, rowing dinghies, stainless steel fittings, boat cleaning products, the revolutionary new jet bow thrusters, traditional British Seagull outboard motors and much more.

This festival is not just about looking at boats. The wonderful waterfront ambience will be complimented by some live jazz band music. Weather conditions permitting there will be opportunities to take a trip out on Pittwater in an open steam boat, sail on a Couta boat, experience an on-water demonstration of a Seagull outboard motor or ride in an electric boat and there is no extra charge for this.

Getting hungry and thirsty? Well the Royal Motor Yacht Club has an excellent bar and bistro where they make the most wonderful array of fine foods from real Aussie hamburgers to full sit down meals at very reasonable prices. There is a children's menu and the ice cream bar is always a favourite.

There is something fascinating, perhaps even romantic about timber boats that appeals to everybody. A very fine old nineteenth century seafarer named Joshua Slocum who was the first person to sail around the world single handed once said, "My father was the sort of man who, if wrecked on a desolate island, would find his way home, if he had a jack-knife and could find a tree."

The Royal Motor Yacht Club would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support in our 11th anniversary year:
Westpac Banking Corporation
Nautilus Marine Insurance
The Manly Daily
Horseshoe Cove Marine
Oakstand Developments
Zilzie Wines
Andrew Moore Marine

Entry to the Timber Boat Festival is $5.00 for adults with children under 16 free and the show is open between 10am and 4pm on both days. Address is: