classic 1944 sail & oar vessel Victoria wins awards

Victoria latest restoration project

Axel Stenross Maritime Museum’s latest restoration project is sail & oar vessel Victoria.  After deteriorating for many years in a paddock at Echuca she was donated to the Museum to be restored. The project, ably led by our master restorer Rob Haldane, took 15 months for a full restoration including woodworking, metal shaping, sail making, caulking and painting tasks. the aim was to restore her as an operational boat on the water.

Unique classic vessel

Victoria is a 30 foot wooden cutter design built in 1944 as a Royal Australian Navy support/training boat. She has room for 12 rowers using single 14 foot oars, with a standing lug style sail and small jib. A retractable centreboard gives Victoria good stability in onshore conditions.

Yorke Peninsula Saltwater Classic entry

Once the restoration was completed, volunteers were keen to enter her in the 2018 Yorke Peninsula Saltwater Classic wooden boat festival.

The festival, held at Stansbury/Port Vincent, attracts thousands of visitors. This year there were over 40 wooden boat entries all hoping to win its keenly sought restoration accolades. The entered boats are on display, then go on the water for a sail from Stansbury to Port Vincent. The eight Museum volunteers who rowed and sailed her at the Saltwater Class had a great time! They said she did over 10 knots under sail.

Victoria wins Awards

Overall Victoria won two major awards: Judges Choice for best restoration and Best Restoration Effort over 15 feet.

The boat is now on external display at the Museum, and for possible use to give young people experience in rowing and sailing this classic boat on Boston Bay.

Plans for Port Adelaide Wooden Boat Show 2018

We have entered Victoria in the 2018 Port Adelaide Wooden Boat Show so we can share this classic wooden boat with more enthusiasts – more on this soon!