Couta boats

[dopeydriver]

We were in Portland earlier in the week , and I saw a couple of really nice traditional Couta boats there.
I know enough to know there are Couta boats , and there are Couta boats , but what is the consensus of the traditional old Couta boat ?.
An inquiring mind wants to know .
Rob J.

[catbuilder]

Hi Rob

I don't know if you get down that way much, but next time call into Port Fairy, tradional timber boatbuilder - Garry Stewart. I did work experience with him when I went to school. There should be a couple of coutas at PF.

Garrys shed is on the town side of the river, at 39 Gipps St. If your on the other side (marina side) his house is the double story white house with a light blue colour trim.

At the time we were building his own couta boat. I'll always remember hanging on to the roving dolly, while he finished off the lots and lots and lots of copper nails.

But you're right theres a few down at Portland as well.

Regards

Matt

[dopeydriver]

Thanks Matt , I'll look him up next time I am down there.
We are looking to buy somewhere down there , but the "developers" are just turning the place on its head !.
But we will keep looking , something will turn up.
But he will certainly be a good contact !.
Thanks mate.
Rob J.

[jmk89]

The Wooden Boat Shop website has a large section devoted to building couta boats:
http://www.woodenboatshop.com.au/

I will leave it to others more learned and practiced to comment on these boats.

Jeremy

[bitingmidge]

We are looking to buy somewhere down there , but the "developers" are just turning the place on its head !.

hehe,

If you weren't looking for somewhere to buy, the "developers" wouldn't be there!

That's how it works!

P
:rolleyes:

[dopeydriver]

No , I don't want what the "developers" are serving up , I couldn't think of anything worse !.
Just a little ol' farm near water will be fine , where I can keep the last of my horses , and do some boat building , and sailing nearby.
If I have to , I'll move back inland a bit , but there is NO WAY I'd buy what the "developers" are putting up.
Rob J.

[catbuilder]

Friends of mine have a house at Narrawong 'bout 20km from Portland, it has its own source of income with a holiday unit - with a difference. They dug out a sand dune at the bottom of their property and built a unit and then buried it basically, you can see the front with the door and windows, its a really nice piece of work, he is a builder and their own house is really nicely done, timber everywhere inside. Just over the dunes, of course is the beach.

And I think its for sale!!!Fair bit of dough though from memory.

Google 'Eye of the Dune' have a look.

Regards

Matt

[dopeydriver]

Well , thats where we looked Matt , at Narrawong .
We looked at 18 acres on the highway , that backs on to the Surry/Surrey river.
It even had its own little landing !.
And looked quite a pretty area.
But all of the land from the highway to the sea had been carved up in to tiny little lots , for heaps of little "Macboxes" no doubt.
We could buy the place , and no doubt make a fortune some time in the future , but it would break my heart seeing that countryside torn up that way , its just environmental vandalism .
I'm not looking to make money , I'm just trying to find a place where I could try sailing , canoeing , in relative peace.
But I'll be checking out your friends place.
Interestingly we looked at a place at Robe , and that was his business , underground housing , wine cellars and stuff like that.
I've found a small lake here that I can sail on , till we find something more substantial and closer to the big puddle.
I'm making steady progress on the PDR , I've resolved to make time to do something on it every day , so its slow but steady progress.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Go to http://www.couta.net , the News column has a story of old time fishermen sailing around the coast in their couta boats.
Rob J.

[keith53]

Just spent a little while looking thru the building process for the Nepean 27.5 and its very impressive. What would something like this cost? They obviously wouldn't be cheap because of the high labour content but what price quality?

[TK1]

Rob,

www.sscbc.com.au is the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club. Lots of traditional 'couta boats, they organise races, etc. Some nice boats if you're down that way or interested in them.

Keith - I checked out the Nepean at the last Melb Boat Show. Absolutely lovely, and couldn't be a higher standard of workmanship throughout. Nearly had me reaching for my wallet until they said they cost about $300,000+ (I think closer to $350K) and about a 12 month wait for one. :eek: :eek: :mad:

BUt much nicer than all the shiny white plastic boats there. A lot would be in the labour so a lot cheaper to make something yourself but then you're also paying for years of experience.

If you haven't seen them, check out another great Vic boatbuilder, www.fhboats.com.au

Regards,
Darren

[dopeydriver]

Thanks Darren.
On the Sorrento site they talk of couta boat owners looking for experienced crew , I wonder how one might get that experience ?.
How many people would be needed to sail a couta boat safely , if you were just going out fishing ?.
I liked the bit on the home page , that says "budgie smugglers not allowed in bar or dining room "!.
The other site was very interesting too !.
Rob J.

[Boatmik]

Couta boats are big and gutsy and will ship lots of water quickly if heeled too far - sailing one singlehanded would require a lot of experience

I think David Payne has a design for a couple of smaller boats with much the same feel.

MIK

[TK1]

Hi Rob,

As far as I know, couta races are usually crewed by 3 - 4 people per boat, depending on size. Fishing you could get away with less as it would be more relaxed - no race to get all sails trimemd at once, etc. And many have motors as a backup.

Experienced crewing is one of those "chicken and egg" things unfortunately! :( However, I'm sure if you asked the club there would be people regularly sailing/training who would invite you to have a go - I know in Sydney I've had invites to crew skiffs as they're always encouraging new members. So can't hurt to call and ask when they sail and see if they can put you in touch with a short-handed crew. Once you have the hang of it, it's often just a case of turning up on race days to help out anyone who's short-manned.

Good luck - let us know how you go! Would love to build one someday...it's on the list :)

Regards,
Darren

[dopeydriver]

Well , there is no substitute for experience !.
I think I'll just go and ask , if we happen to finish up being near couta boat territory , and there is a good chance of that !.
Otherwise yes , a trip to Sorrento might be in order , and see what can be arranged.
I can't imagine trying to sail one singlehanded , but perhaps helping an experienced owner/sailor would be acceptable , or doable.
Anyway , thats something for the future.
Rob J.

[keith53]

Rob,

www.sscbc.com.au (http://www.sscbc.com.au) is the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club. Lots of traditional 'couta boats, they organise races, etc. Some nice boats if you're down that way or interested in them.

Keith - I checked out the Nepean at the last Melb Boat Show. Absolutely lovely, and couldn't be a higher standard of workmanship throughout. Nearly had me reaching for my wallet until they said they cost about $300,000+ (I think closer to $350K) and about a 12 month wait for one. :eek: :eek: :mad:

BUt much nicer than all the shiny white plastic boats there. A lot would be in the labour so a lot cheaper to make something yourself but then you're also paying for years of experience.

If you haven't seen them, check out another great Vic boatbuilder, www.fhboats.com.au (http://www.fhboats.com.au)

Regards,
Darren

Ouch! Got to admit though, they're very thorough in their construction. Thanks

[Iain]

A friend of mine is in to Couta boats and tells me that the price for a used one is anything between about $5K and $300K, you also get what you pay for and some are pretty shabby and are of ply construction.
I think that some of these were built in the 50's and 60's and apart from never being well constructed to begin with, were never well maintained.
Also be aware of what a pretty finish may be hiding.

[Boatmik]

Howdy - when I think of Couta boats they are carvel planked around the 22ft mark with big wide transoms and overall beam of around the 9ft mark.

There might be some boats that ppl call "couta" that were built in the 50s or 60s but the real things were sail powered fishing boats from somewhat earlier.

I doubt that any "real" coutaboats could be easily built of ply - but some may contain poor quality ply components.

But I'm not a native Melbournian so I don't really know.

MIK

[dopeydriver]

Well , I got down to Portland today , and met up with an old "couta boat' man.
Actually , he has bowed to age , and after 25 years of ownership , he has just sold his magnificent '23 (around there) 28 ft couta boat , and bought a 28 footer with cabin , set up for single handed sailing.
I enjoyed the experience , and he explained the difference between that boat and the coata boat . There is no doubt for his love of the couta boat , but stark reality says he has to have a crew to sail it , whereas his new boat is easy to sail singlehanded.
And yes , I can get at least 1 sail a week in a 'couta" boat , if I so desire , crewing in an informal race against others in the 'couta" fleet.
There is no substitute for experience !.
Rob J.

[Boatmik]

Howdy All

I was at the Australian Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour last week. Took some pics of the couta boat there.

Like I said - big and gutsy requiring a crew with strong arms!!!

And as you can see by that big yawning cockpit - she will go down if a wave or seventeen break over her.

Here are pics

MIK

[dopeydriver]

That may well be MIK , but I've got the opportunity to sail with very experienced sailors , in very good examples of a couta boat , so I'll take it !.
The bloke I was sailing with had a relative sail a 'couta boat from the Victorian coast across the strait down the Tassie coast for the Tasmanian wooden boat show. There were 3 boats that sailed down , all open 'couta boats.
Yes , they are what they call "hands on" boats , but I'm hoping to learn a lot from the opportunities.
One of the 'couta boats in Portland is a SA boat , its only about 20 ft , but still has its little wet wells , and is the pride and joy of the owners , when I was there they (a couple) were fitting new sails , and then took it out , it was pretty as a picture !.
I'm hoping to get a sail on that little beauty too !.
Rob J.

[Boatmik]

I wasn't suggesting there is anything wrong with them except as a shorthanded cruising boat in the form shown here.

Inshore racing - no probs. Offshore sailing on a good weather report and not too far from the coast - no probs.

Michael

[dopeydriver]

MIK , it looks like we might well finish up near Portland , and I'll have a nice little bay to sail my PDR , and winter to plod along building a GIS.
But by good fortune , I'll have what the opportunity to sail what I've found out is one of the best coutas in the country , the Ariel , now owned by the man who restored her in the 80's , is a professional crayfisherman , and has written numerous books on boats like the couta , and the Tasmanian working ketches.
I've just finished viewing a very good DVD he put out called "The Couta boat" which is well researched , and a real touch on our history .
If I can get to sail in such company , on such a boat , I feel very priviliged.The Ariel features a few times in the DVD , being recorded way back in the '20s.
I'm looking forward to the opportunity.
Actually , I'm looking forward to ALL the opportunities coming up , from the PDR on !.
Rob J.

[Boatmik]

I've heard of Ariel - I'm a little bit jealous Rob.

MIK

[dopeydriver]

MIK , there was something about her , she had an aura just sitting there , but since then I've found out just how significant she is in the scheme of things.
Her sister ship Valda is available right now , also very significant as she was designed and made before the introduction of the heavy diesel engine , which changed the shape for a while.She is yours for $80,000 , not bad for an 83 year old open wooden boat !
Watching the DVD tonight , the later builders have gone back to go forward , going back to before the early (heavy)diesel engines .I have seen a couta boat advertised in NSW with a 2-71 GM in it !.
There is a lot of comment from the old boatbuilders , they knew their stuff , and were very hard working men.
At one stage they were commissioned to make some 20 ft couta boats .
They had the first one drawn up and in the water in 10 days !.
Its a very interesting DVD !.
Especially talking about sailing through the rip , it got pretty hairy at times !.
I'm hoping that after playing around with my little boats earlier in the week , come Friday afternoons I'll be able to contribute in their weekly "friendly" couta boat race !.
And hopefully learn heaps !.
Rob J.

[Tony Hunt]

Funny, Garry Kerr just sent me a copy of that DVD too and I've just finished watching it. It's highly, highly recommended viewing for anyone interested in these boats.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Tim Philips (of the Wooden Boat Shop) recently published a book on the Couta boats too. I haven't seen a copy but would like to. Does anyone know anything about it?

[TK1]

Hi Tony (& others),

Have a look at their website (www.woodenboatshop.com.au) under "chandlery" and then "books & DVD's".

'First Home' is the couta boat book. I've had a flick through a few times, as it has line drawings so I may get it to build a model...but at $110 it's not cheap (although IMHO well worth it!). large 'coffee table' format with some excellent pics and stories.

A couple of other nice books there too!

Regards,
Darren

[Boatmik]

A friend just came back from Sydney and told me that the bookshop at the "National" Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour has a sale on at the moment. It might be interesting to see if they had a copy at the right price.

MIK

[dopeydriver]

Another great source of old nautical books is the "Astrolabe" bookshop on Salamanca in Hobart.
Rob J.