Visitors 21
0 photos
On Saturday 15th February 2014 the first steps toward the launch of Phil's 37 foot catamaran Naurvoo were taken.
In order to get the boat out of the shed it was necessary to raise the boat by about 10cm in order to place wooden rollers under the two keels.
This was done by driving large hardwood wedges under each keel, operating simultaneously on both keels and on both sides of each keel at the same time to ensure the vessel lifted equally throughout the raising process.
Using sledge hammers to drive the wedges and a team of about 8 people the boat was successfully raised in little more than an hour and a half.
The next stage is to remove the front of the shed that has sheltered the boat for the 18 years of its construction.
Once that is done the boat will be towed out of the shed via 2 concrete paths where it will await the arrival of a crane. The crane will lift the boat and place it on a truck and it will be taken to the Wallamba River in preparation for its official launching.
After launch the mast will be erected and a few minor finishing touches made before the vessel will finally commence its maiden voyage down the Wallamba River to Tuncurry.
Phil's Great Great Grandfather John Wright built his first boat in Australia in 1867. It was the Caledonia, a schooner.
From 1875 he began building wooden ships in Tuncurry, a family tradition that was continued by his son Ernest and Ernest's son John Wright Junior. The last boat launced out of Wright Shipyards was the Santa Cruz in 1954. The shipyards closed down soon after due to lack of demand for wooden ships. The Wright family had built boats in the district for 87 years until Phil continued the tradition when he began construction in 1996 at Green Point where the keels were built before moving to Timbertops Estate just north of Tuncurry soon after. At Timbertops the boat quickly took shape in a large green shed which became Phil's second home.

Categories & Keywords
Category:Transportation
Subcategory:Boats
Subcategory Detail:Sail Yachts
Keywords:15th February 2014, Boat, Boat Building, Boat construction, Catamaran, NSW, Naurvoo, Phil's Boat, Raising Naurvoo, Sailing Boat, Timbertops, Tuncurry, Yacht

This gallery is empty.