wooden boat: Life's dream yields winning design CHARLES WATERHOUSE
11jul06


ALLAN Witt grew up in a family obsessed with designing and building boats and has now won an Australian Wooden Boat Festival design competition.

Mr Witt, a Hobart-based furniture designer, won the festival's Derwent skiff design competition against 17 Tasmanian, interstate and overseas designers.

He has won $1000 and will work with the selection panel to further develop the design through extending the length and load-carrying capacity to make it suitable for an adult and one passenger.

And expressions are now sought by the festival from local boat builders to build the prototype of the skiff.

The requirement is to build a single prototype for trials and to build a second skiff, demonstrating building techniques, during the festival.


The competition called for designers to submit sketches or drawings and explanatory notes for a recreational rowing boat.

The specifications called for a boat of simple timber construction with unique Tasmanian characteristics.

Several designers presented models of their proposals but Mr Witt's entry was a completed 4.7m craft.

It was built from 6mm cedar ply planks and clinker fastened with glue and copper nails.

It has a raked bow, double chine flared sections and, in the style of a piner's punt, a solid huon pine transom.

Mr Witt, who has degrees in science and theology and is completing a Masters in Business Administration, built the internal parts of the skiff -- the rigger, sliding seat and stretcher assembly -- and his father, Lou, built the hull.

The aim of the competition was to produce a design for a vessel which could be rowed on the River Derwent, which could be constructed without having to be built by a shipwright, was a pleasure to row and would introduce people to wooden boats and could be carried easily.

The design entries will be on show during the festival from February 9-12 next year.  ¶ 12:42 AM