ABOUT US
The Wooden Boat Association of Cairns (WBAC) is an energetic group sharing a passionate interest in the building and maintenance of wooden boats. Members combine their skills, knowledge and expertise to assist each other in the construction of boats in the club and for individual members. Traditional boat building skills and knowledge are passed on from members with a lifetime of experience in the industry to those of us with no knowledge at all!
With a motto of “Shiploads of fun”, club days are enjoyable with plenty of time for coffee, cake and tall stories interspersed with construction and maintenance of the boats.
The Cairns Motor Boat Club (CMBC) is included under the umbrella of the WBAC. It is over a hundred years old, with a rich history of racing, marine rescues and boating events. It was disbanded in 1998 and now some WBAC events are held under the name of the CMBC.
New members are always welcome and need no previous skills in boat construction.
OUR HISTORY
Bob Goodall and friends started the club in 1998 as “Bobs Shed”. Incorporated in 2003 as the Wooden Boat Association of Cairns, it moved to Lyons Street in the same year. In 2007, the club moved to 68 Tingira Street, its present home. The facilities have been built and/or moved and improved by members over the years and currently consist of 2 work bays, a clubhouse and tools and equipment in 3 shipping containers.
In Memory of Dr Tom Wright Founding Member of WBAC
Support the WBAC with Containers for Change and quote our number: C10026463
PROJECTS
The WBAC are working on a number of projects this year. Rogers trimaran built in the Kiribati Islands is finally fiberglassed and we are now working on painting and finishing details. John's Scruffy Shimmy is almost completed with the help of a great team, Tom, Glen and Chris working alongside John to finish this new build project. We have completed a number of boats including the Pathfinder which is featured below as well as a Canadian canoe, a Mushulu dinghy and a Water Rat.
MEMBERSHIP
Become a member! Click on Membership Form.
Annual and monthly boating events
Camaraderie around a
common interest
Wealth of boat building knowledge and experience
Workshop with wide range of woodworking equipment
Workshops twice weekly
RESTORATION
WBAC in collaboration with Ports North have completed the restoration of the public artwork. The photos below showcase the many skills, effort and team work by the members of the WBAC.
THE CROC BOAT STORY
DRAGON BOAT COLLABORATION
WBAC and our neighbours The Cairns Dragon Boat Club Inc work together to repair dragon boats
CONTACT US
E MAIL: wbacairns@gmail.com
Saturday and Tuesday mornings 8.30 - 12.00
68 Tingira Street Portsmith Cairns Qld 4870
Image use policy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial 2.5 Australian License
