When I decided to have a new Couta boat built, my first port of call was to see the boys at The Wooden Boatshop who have been building the Couta boats since their revival back in the early 1980s. After consultation with WBS they produced a set of plans that incorporated some of my own criteria and some improvements from WBS’s experience with previous boats they had built.

As a boat builder of many racing yachts and commercial craft It was a great pleasure to have the boat built and to follow and be involved in the process. The project was everything I hoped for from the outset, quality of build is superb and the boat was completed in a timely manner. Jocelyn is a gem to sail and handles without vices in all weather conditions, she has proven to be extremely competitive among the Sorrento Fleet.

If you are considering a new Couta Boat I have no hesitation in recommending the Wooden Boatshop with the highest regard.

When first considering our requirements for a new boat the most significant decision we took was to look for a “bespoke” solution that could deliver us a finished product that would be tailored to our specific requirements. We were not interested in purchasing a standard “production line plastic fantastic” but rather a unique vessel built in Australia by first rate Australian craftsmen. 

With their reputation for delivering quality wooden boats, Wooden Boat Shop was the obvious choice. In consultation with the Wooden Boat Shop and naval architect Andy Dovell, the result was the Efficient 44.

Efficient, has taken us on many wonderful journeys with family and friends. Up to  Queensland and return, around Pittwater, Sydney Harbour and at home on Port Phillip. Recently we overnighted from Port Phillip to Hobart for the Australian Wooden Boat  Festival where the boat was frequently applauded for her amazing efficiency and overall good looks.

If you are looking for a great boat built with integrity and with a point of difference I strongly recommend contacting Tim Phillips and his team at the Wooden Boat Shop.

We chose the Nepean because of the space, both in the cockpit and below decks which is ideal for our family. We enjoy the journey, are not in a hurry and love the solid feel of the displacement boat. Craigie Lea’s classical stylish lines and traditional nautical look make the boat a pleasure just to look at. With Craigie Lea as the latest in the evolution of the Nepean, we feel lucky to have the benefit of so many refinements.

We have used the boat extensively in the first 3 months and spent several nights on the boat at Queenscliff. I have just leased a berth in the Blairgowrie marina for the winter which offers great access and protection from the winter northerlies, this extends our boating season.

My wife and I were looking for a perfect day boat for our family down at Sorrento. We wanted a boat with plenty of space to handle the energetic movements of young children. We needed a boat with cabin space to give the kids somewhere to go and rest during the day and also get out of the sun.

The boat also had to be big enough to take another family and their kids on for the day, and versatile enough to have the options to have a sit down lunch, take the family fishing, or to have a lazy day swimming at anchor.

It also had to be a size I could handle by myself getting on or off moorings, or into jetties. We also wanted a boat that would stand the test of time both physically and from a design point of view. If the kids want to ski or be towed on a tyre or go to the beach, we leave mum in peace for an hour on the boat and take the kids out on the duck.

We never travel very far, and when we do half the fun is in the journey; so speed was not a priority. When we looked at all our options, the fibreglass boats that ticked the boxes had very elaborate cabin fit outs that we did not need and huge engine capacities that we also did not need.

This was taking us to a price bracket we did not want to go to, not to mention the running costs. When we looked at the second hand fibreglass boats in this market there were a few things that stood out: they were all tired, the styles were dating and they came with all the "uncertainties" of owning a second hand boat.

Then we realised we could get exactly what we wanted by building our boat through "The Wooden Boat Shop" for the price that suited us.

The boat has proven to live up to all of our expectations and more, recently completing a leisurely trip to Tasmania stopping at numerous ports on the way down to Hobart. On the success of this trip we have another one planned to Tasmania in 2010.

It has proved to be a very low maintenance boat, very reasonable running costs, in a style that is classic and something that the family is very proud of, and loves using.