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THE BOAT BUILDING SHED

Welcome to the Boat Building Shed where anyone can come in and watch, learn or help with various boat building projects (not very often!), boat restoration (ongoing), engine refurbishment (as required), & occasional brass and copper polishing.

We can teach you, or if you have the skills, we are always happy to learn!

Situated on the left corner of the Museum location, the Boat Building Shed is a great place to wander in to and see the boats and engines, and an interesting place to read the history of various local boat builders.

Our boat builders are usually in attendance on Monday and Tuesday.

CURRENT BOAT PROJECTS

* The “R.L COWLEY” (first photos further below) is currently being restored to museum standards. The outside has been completed, and the inside and engine work is ongoing. The work is proceeding extremely slowly and very meticulously. If you come in to watch or help, you will be warmly welcomed!

*The L.M.O.S. (pictured further below) was donated, and is being cleaned up and polished for exhibition at the next Wooden Boat Show in Geelong.

*The JUBILEE Yacht (pictured further below) has so far been re-ribbed and is awaiting volunteers(?) to spline the joints between the planks.

R. L. COWLEY:

This wooden hulled boat was built by Higgs Brothers Boat Builders, Geelong, in 1940. It was used as a private boat off St Leonards. It then spent the next 50 add years in a carport until, in 2011, it was donated to the Museum by John and Jan Barrett.

A dedicated team of volunteers began restoring the boat for display in January 2012. Originally it was fitted with a Ford 10 motor but this will be replaced with a Stuart Turner P55 marine engine.

Paint for the project has been kindly donated by Haymes Paints through Wallington Rural Supplies.

PHOTOS BELOW:

The red boat pictured in the first photos below (R.L. COWLEY) was donated in a rundown condition. So far the outside of the hull has been restored – the “cream boat being turned over” – the inside is now being done, then an engine is to be installed.

The large red boat on the trailer is a Couta boat in for its annual refit. The small blue boat is the first Heron yacht built in Australia. The Museum is now the custodian.