2025 Quick & Dirty Boat Building Challenge. Credit: AWBF / Wilkography
From Quick & Dirty Builds to Timeless Yachts: A Chat with Nathan O’Neill from Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co.
AWBF caught up with co-Director Nathan O’Neill of Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co., a passionate crew based in Kettering who keep wooden boat culture alive with heart and skill and were the proud sponsors of the 2025 AWBF "Quick & Dirty Boat Building Challenge" at Constitution Dock. From restoring iconic Derwent Class yachts to sparking creativity through the Quick & Dirty, they bring tradition and craftsmanship together—especially when it comes to inspiring the next generation. Join us as we explore their AWBF partnership, their role in mentoring new makers, and what’s happening in the workshop.
Nathan O'Neill Credit: Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co.
Matt Stevens Credit: Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co.
What drew Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co. to partner with the Australian Wooden Boat Festival?
No matter what we do, it’s always the people behind the projects that make or break our experiences. At its core, the AWBF is all about people. It helps that Wooden boat people are a cracker bunch. We’ve always wanted to be part of that and so partnering with the AWBF was an obvious way to entrench that. The boats are a big deal too. It’s in the name after all. So every two years in February, come hell or highwater, the AWBF is the punctuation mark on our work.
Can you share what it’s been like supporting the Quick & Dirty Boat Building Challenge?
We’re all kids at heart. Building and creating is what we all love to do at Tasmanian Shipwrights and Company. Being able to support a group of kids to have fun, build, express their creativity and participate in a Con Dock tradition is really special. If it means one of those kids catches the boat building bug, that’s a bonus. We were so excited when Matt Morris and Iefke Van Gogh approached us with the sponsorship opportunity. It fits us like a glove.
Credit: AWBF / Hot Wax Creative
Credit: AWBF / Hot Wax Creative
What was your favourite part of the Quick & Dirty experience this year?
The best part for us was getting around to speak with all the teams at the end of their build. Undoubtedly, the fanfare of the race is a belter of a spectacle, but the best bit is the anticipation of what might be. The kids put so much thought and effort into their designs, construction and the story of their boats. Having them present the story of their boats to us was really special.
Credit: AWBF / Wilkography
Credit: AWBF / Ben Cunningham
Why do you think events like the Quick & Dirty Challenge are important to the wooden boat community—and to the next generation of makers?
The Quick and Dirty gets at the heart of what wooden boat building is. It’s the industriousness to take some basic materials and turn them into a container for fun and adventure. You can’t beat that simplicity. Equally, we hope that our involvement shows the next generation that it doesn’t stop when you get older. Maybe more complex, with some additional adult stuff, but still building pure and simple.
What’s currently happening in the workshop? Are you working on anything unusual or unexpected?
Another old Derwent Class has just entered the shed. Peri D16 is in for a full restoration. After getting Mermaid D11 to the AWBF (pretty in pink) and having a ball racing her at the D Class World Championships, Peri is the next one to watch. Work continues on Tradition, the last yacht to come out of Creese’s Boatyard, with Rob Gough pushing to have her ready for the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race later this year. The motor launch Floki is in its final stages of restoration and there’s plenty of other smaller projects underway. We’re having a couple of interesting discussions at the moment too so hopefully we can bring some more exciting projects to Oyster Cove Marina down here in Kettering.
Mermaid. Credit: AWBF / Mark Chew Photography
Looking ahead, what can we expect from Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co. over the next 6–12 months?
Our first apprentice Throfinn Cheney has just flown up to the Gold Coast for three weeks at TAFE as part of his traineeship. We’re really excited to see him grow and outpace us all. He’s a talented guy with creativity to burn so that will be really exciting. Wills McKay is teaching him as much as any of us and his ability to solve problems and think outside the box has been a massive boone for the team. Peter Shultz has been with us from the start and continues to work harder than a mule and take on any task big or small. So it’s all about the team for us and we’ve been really fortunate to have three great individuals come in and facilitate that growth. It’s set us up to take on bigger and more exciting projects so we can’t wait to see where that takes us. Seeing Tradition at the start line of the 2025 Sydney Hobart will be a huge milestone for us too.
Tradition. Credit: Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co.
What’s your favourite part of being a shipwright in Tasmania?
Personally, it’s always been the connection to the water. It brings me peace and makes me dream. More and more, though, it comes back to people and community. From Steve Reid, who’ll drop work on a dime to give us a hand, to Angelo at Abel Marine, who's done us more favours than we can count, to Andrew Denman, who continues to champion our efforts while lending us tools far too regularly. The list is long and there are so many good people connected to the shipwright industry in Tasmania.
Floki. Credit: Tasmanian Shipwrights & Co.
What advice would you give someone keen to get into the trade or try their hand at boat building for the first time?
Don’t be afraid to be seen trying. There’s more than one ‘right’ way to do things and lots of generous people who’ll help you along the way. Embrace the art of it and never lose sight of the adventure at the end.
