Please select your home edition
Edition
Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst GT 1456x180px TOP

AWBF: Crowds convene across entire Hobart waterfront to celebrate the long weekend

by Australian Wooden Boat Festival 11 Feb 2023 23:36 PST 10-13 February 2023

The Australian Wooden Boat Festival has gone off with a bang, with revelers enjoying the live entertainment in the Ironhouse Waterside Tavern, with crowd pleasing bands Baby Come Tack, Yacht Rock and The Royal Australian Navy Band, until well after dark last night. After a hugely successful day two, day three has also seen record crowds grace the waterfront.

A lucky group of patrons were aboard Soren Larsen early this morning to start the day with a sold out special Champagne Breakfast event with Chef Eloise Emmett.

As the clouds cleared this morning the crew from the My First Boat Precinct proudly paraded their hand built My First Boats from Old Woolstore Little Sailors Village into Constitution Dock, accompanied by The Stranded Wailers. Child & Adult teams have been working hard for several months to build their boats ready to be launched at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.

The River Derwent was packed with small and big yachts, with the Derwent World Championships taking place at 12pm, with the popular D Class yachts battling it out. While the Forster Cup Rally also took place at 12pm, two of the three traditional 21ft yachts have travelled from the big isle to take part.

The iconic Ketch Review also took place at 2pm, with 5 traditional trading ketches heading out the river to have a friendly sail. AWBF General Manager Paul Stephanus said "It has been incredible to have a third day of packed wharves and venues, boat owner's are saying it's the busiest festival ever".

Day four - final day highlights

  • Australian National Maritime Museum Wooden Boat Symposium at the Dechanieaux Theatre, Hunter St - Speakers include Kim Marsh, Mirjam Hilgeman and Douglas Brooks.
  • Eat More Tassie Seafood Marquee at Mures Carpark - Waji Spiby and Eloise Emmett
  • 2:30pm the Clennett's Mitre 10 Quick & Dirty Race in Constitution Dock
  • 4:00pm the closing Admiral's Sail, to celebrate the end of the AWBF & Royal Hobart Regatta
For more information please visit the AWBF website - www.awbf.org.au.

Related Articles

Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam Day 4
Sarah-Quita Offringa secures incredible 26th world title Sarah-Quita Offringa secures incredible 26th world title, while Pierre Mortefon is on verge of winning men's after claiming back-to-back bullets. Posted today at 10:45 am
Transat Café L'or calling for next destinatation
After Cartagena, Salvador de Bahia, Puerto Limon, Itajaí, and Fort-de-France After Cartagena, Salvador de Bahia, Puerto Limon, Itajaí, and Fort-de-France, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie is now calling for applications to find a destination partner for the next editions, starting from the fall of 2027. Posted today at 10:10 am
Cape 31 Med Circuit Round 4 at Imperia overall
Stig stays steady to win again in Italy, Give Me Five tops Corinthian One Pro The Cape 31 fleet wrapped up a spectacular weekend of racing in Imperia with Alessandro Rombelli's Stig (ITA 76) claiming the overall win after nine races. This marks Stig's second Italian victory of the 2025 Cape 31 Race Circuit. Posted today at 9:32 am
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta overall
Wrapping up with World-Class podium performances The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta wrapped up with a full podium and high spirits, marking a thrilling conclusion to a week of elite racing in the iconic waters off Southern California. Posted today at 5:41 am
WASZP Games 2025 Day 1
247 sailors across four fleets racing in Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay "This race is live" — and with that, the 2025 WASZP Games were officially under way. With 247 sailors across four fleets, Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay were transformed into a theatre of foiling. Posted today at 4:56 am
Heartbreaker leads sunrise finishers
In 2025 Race to Mackinac In the early morning hours, the sleek fleet of Great Lakes 52s sailed under the Mackinac Bridge and past the iconic Round Island Lighthouse to finish at Mackinac Island, completing their 333-mile journey in the 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. Posted on 21 Jul
Eye on the Prize
The Contenders Chasing Admiral's Cup History For over half a century, the Admiral's Cup was considered the world championship of offshore racing. And then, in 2003, it was gone. Now, after a 22-year absence, the Cup is back. Posted on 21 Jul
Paul Antrobus obituary
One of the outstanding figures of the era of great amateur sailors Sailors around the world will be sad to hear that British offshore sailing legend Paul Antrobus has crossed the bar. One of the "greats" of the IOR era of offshore racing, Paul had a distinguished career both afloat and ashore. Posted on 21 Jul
Antigua launches high-energy racing spin-off
The Antigua Racing Cup is an event for racing purists The Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Investment is pleased to announce that a new vision for yachting in Antigua and Barbuda is beginning to take shape, building on the long-established brand of Antigua Sailing Week. Posted on 21 Jul
Record MOCRA turn-out for the Rolex Fastnet Race
This year there are 20 multihulls racing for the Crystal Trophy While the four Ultims maxi-trimarans and nine Ocean Fiftys have their own classes in this Saturday's centenary Rolex Fastnet Race, the remaining multihulls convene in the MOCRA class. Posted on 21 Jul
C-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 BOTTOMLloyd Stevenson - AC ETNZ 1456x180px BOTTOMHyde Sails 2024 - One Design