‘Couta Boats’
by New Zealand Marine Artist Jim Bolland

As this issue of ‘A Brush with Sail’ is being written, the future of America’s Cup competition is sinking deeper and deeper into a verbal quagmire!

It’s actually becoming the butt of jokes! But not so funny I would imagine, for the syndicates trying to keep their sponsors on board. We’ll wait and see?

AUSTRALIA.

For years, I have been fascinated by the ‘Couta’ boats, that are an historic part of Melbourne and Australia’s sailing history.

On a recent visit to the beautiful city of Melbourne, I made it my goal to get to see at least one of these gaff rigged, 26 footers. I was told to go to Sorrento, on the far south eastern shore of the great Port Phillip Bay and find Tim Phillips and his business, the WOODEN BOATSHOP.

I spend a fair amount of time visiting high-tech, state of the art operations that are building today’s grand prix yachts and it’s easy to get used to the smell of epoxy resin as the smell of small boat building. But walking into the WOODEN BOATSHOP was for me, a return to Nirvana. The smells that accompany wooden boats took me back to the days of my youth when I first helped (?) build a clinker planked, fourteen foot X class yacht and then built my own boats in later years.

The WOODEN BOATSHOP is quite some operation and the amount of wooden boat construction was surprising and a great pleasure to see.

So I will keep the words to a minimum and share my visit with you by showing a photographic display of wooden boats. But first, a snapshot of the history of the ‘Couta Boat, borrowed from the WOODEN BOATSHOP web site www.woodenboatshop.com.au

“It started with a fish... The barracouta (Thyrsites atun) was one of the most important food fishes found in Australian waters.

‘Couta’ as they are known, are hooked by trolling lines baited with a strip of rawhide wired to a non-barbed hook. This fish became the mainstay of the fish and chips trade, supplying Melbourne with an abundance of inexpensive fish. The first boat back to port got the best price and so began the development of faster boats giving birth to the impressive performance they are known for today.

When Tim Phillips first spotted ‘Mermerus’ sailing in Port Phillip Bay she was one of only two Couta boats that remained afloat and in one piece. ‘Meremus’ was built in 1938, by Ken Lacco at Rosebud for the MacKinnon fishing family of Sorrento, who still own her today.

This encounter was a turning point for Tim who with considerable assistance from Ken Lacco set about turning his building skills to the preservation and restoration of the Couta boat fleet of Port Phillip Bay. With a committed kernel of enthusiasts the Couta Boat revival was started.

Active fleets of over a hundred boats in three states of Australia, are testament to their success.”

Now, let’s look at a ‘Couta’ boat sailing. Powerful and very physical!

Upon arriving at the WOODEN BOATSHOP, the first thing I saw were ‘Couta’ boats lined up being prepared for the coming season. Stacked in front of each yacht are the lead ingots of internal ballast, about two tonne per boat.

Visit Jim's website to see his paintings of the America's Cup as well as Commissioned works he has painted.