Our History

Fishing boat origins

On the south-eastern coast of Australia, in the late 1970s Tim Phillips OAM, along with a group of like-minded friends, begun messing around in Couta Boats. The Couta Boats had been named after the eponymous barracouta – the local fish caught off The Heads, and the most popular fish of the day in the early 1900s.

The Couta Boat was a fast and seaworthy craft, and there had been a slew of local boatbuilders who constructed beautiful and singular boats in the era, such as Andrew Hansen, Mitch Lacco and Peter Locke. Her lines were clean and classic, and she was practical and efficient, having proved herself in navigating under sail the treacherous waters off Pt. Lonsdale and Pt. Nepean in all manner of conditions.

The Couta Boats would head out from Queenscliff before dawn, often catching their quota before racing back to port. Those first back would command the most desirable wharf position and fetch the best price for their catch. There was a competitive edge embedded into the boats even in the early days. In fact, every so often the fishermen would organise a Couta Boat regatta, usually held on New Year’s Day or over the Easter long-weekend.

Couta Boats unloading at Queenscliff, c. 1920

The demand was steep for Couta Boats, and right up until the Second World War there was a shortage. With about 15 new boat builds a year, and an abundance of barracouta, the Couta Boats were thriving. However, the boom years did not last. Barracouta eventually became scarce due to overfishing, and the rise of gummy shark as a popular eating fish saw the gradual decline of the Couta Boat fleet.

Humble beginnings

By the 1960s and early 1970s many Couta Boats were rotated out of use and sat dilapidated in garages and backyards. Years later, Tim and his friends begun to take an interest in these craft and set about restoring their own Couta Boats. Thus, The Wooden Boatshop was born, and its early origins exemplify our ongoing commitment to maintaining and preserving important and often long-forgotten aspects of maritime history.

In the early days The Wooden Boatshop was operated out of Tim’s carport in Delgany Avenue, Portsea. Already a master carpenter, Tim undertook an informal boatbuilding apprenticeship with Jack Norling, restoring Couta Boat Wattle and building 28’ Sally alongside Ken Lacco. As a local Couta Boat fleet begun to emerge Tim and his mates started the Portsea Fishing Boat Regatta (now The Portsea Cup). As the fleet kept growing, so too did The Wooden Boatshop. We now occupy 3-acres of land in the heart of Sorrento, where we service and build hundreds of boats throughout the local area.

Committment to craft

Our yard comprises a sail making loft, mechanical workshop, multiple marine engineering factories, a well-stocked boat chandlery, boat storage, flagpole construction, bronze castings, boat painting, antifouling, boat design and manufacture. We are passionate boaters and master craftsmen, placing quality and function above all else!

An incredible boat range

Over the last 30 years we have developed our boat range, which was born out of a love for cruising both near and afar. Our range consists of smaller craft such as the Wyuna Launch, modelled from the early Pilot Boats at Queenscliff, responsible for safely guiding ships through the perilous Heads, to 50’ Launches capable of circumnavigation and outfitted with all the modern amenities such as wood fires, full galley set-ups and futuristic navigation software.

We pride ourselves on building boats capable of practical seafaring, and the foundation of our ethos travels back to the early tales of the Couta Boat. Working boats are reliable, having proved themselves in the hard years spent fishing and working local grounds. Our boat range reimagines traditional working boats and offers those dreaming of a seafaring lifestyle the ideal vessels for exploration.

Constant refinement

To date we have built over 130 boats and have dedicated a lifetime to developing a boat range suitable to any number of purposes. Whether it’s cruising down to Tasmania and exploring the Kent Group Islands, cray-potting, snorkelling, and sailing around Australia, taking a Clinker Dinghy for an afternoon cruise, or racing a Couta Boat off Sorrento, we are a one-stop-shop able to cater to any seafaring itch!

Speak to us about ordering your boat today!

Andy Johansson, the original owner of Muriel, and Tim Phillips OAM at Melbourne Museum, 1985

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