There are several boats for hire at the Living Boat Trust, at varying rates.

Swiftsure II  Our Flagship, is a reproduction of the only surviving Tasmanian whaleboat in the world, built in 1860 and now housed at the Canterbury Museum in New Zealand, which supplied the plans. The reproduction is 31 feet 8 inches long, and was built using the same materials as the original, Huon Pine on Celery Top Pine with King Billy thwarts, over a period beginning in 1998, with a team of students from Geeveston District High School. The team was led, variously, by Adrian Phillips, Ned Trewartha, Chris Burke and Peter Laidlaw. In 2000, the framework and stock had to be trucked down to Geeveston for storage because the temporary site on the Wooden Boat Centre became unavailable. Building ceased until 2003, when the Living Boat Trust erected our own “Home Port” workshop and Swiftsure came home again.

Work began in earnest in 2004, supported by grants from Community Foundation Tasmania and the Tasmanian Community Foundation, led by Mark Singleton, Adrian Phillips, and Anders Thiele in succession. She was launched on November 5th by Education minister Paula Wriedt, and has been busy ever since. Early in 2007 she was the flagship of an open boat rowing and sailing expedition over a period of nine days, from Recherche to Hobart, where the fleet joined the Australian Wooden Boat Festival. The Living Boat Trust now has a Training Vessel Licence to operate her commercially. She can be hired by the day, or for expeditions, with a qualified “Headsman” provided by the Trust, by youth groups, schools, corporate teams, or any group of who want the experience. She is rowed by six people and can also be sailed, so she can cover a lot of ground and makes an ideal vessel for expeditions and adventure training.

The Swiftsure Regatta has been in existence since 2004, initially as a result of the partnership forged between Geeveston District High School and the Living Boat Trust, and this year will showcase the On the Water Programme.

She was also an extra in the film recently made in Tasmania, Van Diemens Land, about Alexander Pierce.

The Tawe Nunnugah 2009 was a very successful expedition from Recherche Bay to Hobart coinciding with the Australian Wooden Boat Festival. Favourable weather (well, yes,  compared with the earlier part of this summer), wonderful food, a beautiful coast, good company, interesting boats....

Swiftsure at Huonville after a row by LBT members

Lunch break for the Swiftsure crew just south of Partridge Island in the Tawe Nunnugah 2009 RAID

Siwftsure alongside Capricornia in Constitution Dock at the 2009 Wooden Boat Festival, Hobart, at the end of the Tawe Nunnugah

Swiftsure used in On the Water Programme

For the first time it was decided to row the Swiftsure with primary school students. This was on a day when there was a lot of current flowing down the Huon on  wet and cold Thursday.

Two students to each of a Capricornia oar (significantly smaller and lighter than the Swiftsure oars), and they performed brilliantly, even towing back to shore a large log, floating high in the water like Huon Pine, which came down along with many other trees and logs. It turned out to be myrtle.

STOP PRESS: Swiftsure sail plan developed by Murray Isles is now available for review and comment. A centreboard and rudder have been crafted and fitted and the first expedition has been completed, a Friends School excursion to Bruny Island with 12 students in the Swiftsure and the Capricornia.