Making waves with old boat
INVERLOCH’S Stuart Longley went to extreme lengths to complete his restoration of the Old 1870 boat over the summer.
Mr Longley spoke of his impeccable project to the Inverloch Historical Society last Wednesday.
“The Old 1870 was originally used in Tasmania during the late 1800s as one of the earliest water taxi services from Hobart to Bellerive,” he told society members.
The 24 foot yacht was powered by six convicts who drove the Huon pine vessel between locations before it was later used as a private fishing boat for recreational use.
Mr Longley came across the vessel in its dilapidated state for sale in Metung in 2014. Dubbed “the ugly duckling”, the boat looked worse for wear after a series of modifications had been done over its lifetime.
Despite its age, it still managed to stay afloat.
“Timber boats like the Old 1870 were made to last 50 years however when I came across it, it was almost 150 years old so it is quite remarkable,” Mr Longley said.
“The floor was held together by sheer willpower.”
Mr Longley bought the vessel and set out to restore it to its original form, with the exception of an inbuilt motor that had already been installed.
“The propeller was completely encased in clams, mussels and seaweed, and the engine was in serious need of some tender love and care,” he said.
“There was a lot of rot and corrosion on the wood however none of the timber had rotted to the extent where it needed replacing.”
Mr Longley spent eight months on his back sanding panels of the boat and breaking seven sanding machines in the process. Taking to the inside of the vessel, he removed tar and sand grit.
“I chose to keep with tradition and used all native timber for the flooring, including Tasmanian oak,” he said.
“We also used blue gum because it is extremely durable. It does not warp or twist.”
Mr Longley worked to complete the restoration by the Australia Day weekend.
“The 1870 was asked to be the flagship for the Inverloch Regatta on Australia Day so I also had a team of hard working volunteers who helped out to make sure it was ready,” he said.
“It took almost 18 months and 13 coats of paint but she floats.”
Mr Longley’s vessel has since been renamed the Lunawarra. He and his family plan to explore Gippsland on their boat in the future before hopefully entering it in the 2017 Tasmanian Timber Boat Show.
“We have been told the restored boat could be valued at around $100,000,” he said.
“I had no idea how it was going to turn out and I was just looking for a home project to do. I am astounded by how it looks now.”
Restoration wonder: Stuart Longley stands in front of his prized Old 1870. Mr Longley spent months restoring the vessel, now named Lunawanna.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Mar 1 2016. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
