'Little Blue Boat' has its 'soul back' ahead of return to water

The 'Little Blue Boat' brought back to life thanks to labour of love by volunteers and students feel good - S By Sophie Jaggers Topic:History In short: The Sea Breeze, known affectionately by Hobartians as the 'Little Blue Boat', will return to the water today in Franklin, south of Hobart. Extensive restoration work has taken place over the past 18 months, following damage caused to the 50-something-year-old boat in 2024. What's next? Further restoration work, including repair to the mast, will take place before it is fully restored and presented at next year's Wooden Boat Festival. Sporting a fresh shade of blue, Hobart's beloved 'Little Blue Boat' is set to return to the water this morning following a year-and-a-half of restoration works. The boat has been missing from its long-held spot in Montrose Bay since 2024, when it was ripped from its mooring and battered against rocks during a severe storm. It's since found a temporary home with the Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, where boat-building volunteers, students and apprentices have worked to restore the much-loved vessel. Today, the boat will be lifted into the Huon River via crane, marking its first return to the water since restoration works began. Head shipwright and trainer at the centre, Cody Horgan, said the team was excited to see the boat "regain her energy". "I think when a boat goes back in the water, it gets its soul back, it's alive again." Sold for $1 Over an almost 50-year period, the little blue boat became a ubiquitous feature of the commute south to Hobart down the Brooker Highway. The boat, officially named Sea Breeze, was built by Robin Attrill in the early 1970s. Constructed of celery-top pine and built in Mr Attrill's backyard in Montrose, his son Colin said it was first launched at Macquarie Wharf in 1976. While it may feel for many passers-by as if the boat has been moored in Montrose Bay forever, the Attrill family used Sea Breeze for many fishing trips and adventures. But after being moored in Montrose Bay for almost five decades, like all wooden boats, Sea Breeze needed regular repairs and upkeep. At least once a year, the Attrill family would put the boat on a slip to make any repairs, as well as clean and antifoul it. By the time wild weather unmoored the boat in August 2024 — battering it against the foreshore walkway — Mr Attrill was in his early 90s and had already made the decision to sell the beloved vessel to an owner who could give it the time and attention it needed. Mr Attrill sold the Little Blue Boat for a symbolic $1 to the Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, whose team of volunteers and students, led by Cody Horgan, embarked on an 18-month major restoration project, including the crucial step of finding the correct shade of blue. "I didn't want to make the decision personally because I'd get my backside kicked, so we put it out to the world,"Mr Horgan said. The boat centre held an online poll to select the vessel's new look, with 90 per cent opting for 'Bondi Blue'. Boat in a 'terrible' state, before restoration Mr Horgan said taking on the boat was a good opportunity for the volunteers and students of the boat school, but it came with "a lot of work". First, the boat was completely stripped, for the damage to be assessed. "She looked terrible, the poor little girl,"Mr Horgan said. "Overall, there were about 22 ribs that needed replacing, three planks that needed replacing, and a lot of plugs and splines." Four volunteers worked twice a week on the project, alongside boat school students and boat centre staff. "The volunteers have done so much work in regard to putting new ribs in; they're putting a new stem on, we've put a new keel on the boat. "I've also had students assisting; I've taught them how to put a couple of planks in, and they've completed repairing the hull, and volunteers have been doing a lot of painting. "It's always fun to get students and volunteers working side-by-side," Mr Horgan said. Volunteer Nick Whyatt has volunteered at the centre for six years, and said the project was one of the more difficult he has worked on. "We've painted it, sanded it, just about everything really. "We just put some new windows on and managed to salvage all the old brass handmade frames, which are quite quirky, but really add to the character of the boat. "A lot of the apprentices here have been involved doing some of the more complex work on it,' Mr Whyatt said. "It's been a great collaboration." Launch comes two months after passing of boatbuilder Today's launch is a particularly significant moment for the Attrill family, who will see his beloved boat take to the water two months after his passing. A notice published at the time of his death in June reads: "Now sailing into the sunset on the Little Blue Boat together with Mum. Sail peacefully." Mr Horgan said it was "a great shame" Mr Attrill will not see the boat return to the water but believes the family will get "a lot of delight" in seeing the Sea Breeze restored. "It's very satisfying to help a family regain a little bit of their history and their maritime culture," Mr Horgan said. "The volunteers will be really satisfied with their work and what they've achieved over the past year and a half." Final restoration works to continue, new owner to be found Although returning to the water today, further works are needed to fully restore the little blue boat to its former state. Volunteers will complete the remainder of the fit-out, with the mast also to be replaced while the boat is moored behind the boat centre. The fully restored Sea Breeze will then be unveiled at next year's Wooden Boat Festival. The boat centre is yet to find a long-term custodian for the boat and is currently seeking expressions of interest. "We're looking for an organisation that can take her on, a not-for-profit who will use it within the community and use it for activities that make people happy," Mr Horgan said. As for whether the little blue boat will ever return to its traditional mooring, Mr Horgan said it was a possibility. "I believe there is a group out there who have actually bought the mooring that she used to be on. So there is an opportunity she might go back there, but it all depends on them."