The Wooden Boat Association was formed in 1989 for people who enjoy wooden boats and wooden boat building.
In 2019 we celebrated the Club's 30th anniversary!
Click here to listen to Founding Member Colin Hunt recall the early days of the WBA at the 30th Anniversary celebartions in July 2019.
Members appreciate wooden boats for their aesthetic qualities, the beauty of the boats and the materials from which they are constructed, and the pure romance of wooden boats.
In this age of mass production, each wooden boat is as individual as her owner.
Find out more about the club, its members and activities under the About Us tab.
The Wooden Boat Association is pleased to announce that Russell Hurren is the recipient of the inaugural Alan Chinn Award for excellence in boatbuilding.
This is a new award for a member of the Association who has completed a boatbuilding project that shows excellence in the skills of boatbuilding. The award recognizes the contribution made by Alan Chinn to the formation of the WBA and the example he set in the skills of boatbuilding and in assisting members in their boatbuilding projects.
The 2019 panel, consisting of Graham Signorini (WBA Committee), Greg Blunt and Peter Batchelor, judged the completed projects of four nominees - Jimmie Baillie, Jack Ellis, Russ Hurren and David O'Dempsey - and interviewed the builders about their work. The winner was announced at the AGM in July.
The perpetual trophy made by Graham Signorini will be inscribed with the winner's name, and Russ also received a plate to affix to his boat Maude. You can read more about Russ, Maude and the other finalists here and read the judges'comments here.
Why build a wooden boat? Maybe we all have different reasons – but I built mine because I wanted to go fishing on Port Phillip Bay, and I didn’t want to spend the money on a new boat, or take a chance on someone else’s reject

Looking for a boat? The Boatyard is the WBA's "For Sale or Wanted" section - some FREE.


Have you recently had a great day on the water, voyaged from A to B successfully, or completed a small project such as a locker lid or new spar? Our members would love to hear about it!.
Please send a short paragraph and a picture to the Shavings Editor, preferably by email to shavings@woodenboat.asn.au, so that we can include your account in Shavings.
We also encourage members to share their achievements and experiences at club nights. Bring along photos, drawings or examples and feel welcome to talk about these as part of the meeting.
We have 199 guests and no members online
| Sun Mar 22 @10:00AM - 05:00PM Sailing Day - Patterson Lakes |
Wind and weather info for Port Phillip, Western Port, and elsewhere.
Extended forecast for Melbourne
Tides information
Links to Parks Victoria boating guides
Dromana to Blairgowrie; Werribee River to Williamstown and Phillip Island North
Coast Guard SafeTrx is a Smartphone App for both Android & Apple iOS devices that allows you to have your journey recorded and monitored by the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard 24 hours per day, every day of the year.