Thread: Couta boats

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

MIK

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.

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?

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

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

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