Dimensions: A2 size. 420mm x 594mm

Free entry, superb weather and free bus travel on all Metro services saw a record crowd, estimated to be more than 150,000 people, attend the 2011 MyState Financial Australian Wooden Boat Festival – with MyState Financial becoming the first naming rights sponsor of the AWBF.

The festival site was almost double that of previous years, taking up the whole of the Hobart Waterfront, including the massive Princes Wharf Number 1 Shed.

Feature vessels included the majestic Tall Ships, James Craig, Enterprize, Windeward Bound, Young Endeavour, Lady Nelson, One and All and the magnificent Princess Iluka. Also in attendance was Tacoma, the fully restored fishing trawler from South Australia and Gretel 11, the famous 1970’s America’s Cup Challenger.

Rob McGuire once again headed up the management team with Steve Knight leading the all-volunteer Board. Favourable wind conditions ensured there was a spellbinding display of sail. The theme of the festival was “Celebrating our maritime culture”.

Jessica Watson, the youngest person to ever sail round the world single handed, was the MyState Financial Festival Ambassador. Iain Oughtred, an internationally recognized leader in the field of small boat design and construction, was also a guest speaker at the festival.

As the largest festival in the event’s history, there were more special features than in any other year. International villages from Japan and Indonesia, and the largest display of scrimshaw art ever shown in the southern hemisphere, helped to make the event the best one to date.