Undine – Restoring a Mythological Creature

In mythology and folklore, an Undine refers to a water nymph or spirit, usually associated with water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and seas. Undines are often depicted as beautiful female beings who possess the ability to influence and control water. To us Undine is a Derwent Class yacht currently undergoing restoration at the Wooden Boat Centre. 

In 1948, Robert Cosgrove was reinstated as Premier of Tasmania, Westward won the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race on handicap and Don Colbourn of Pirie Street, New Town, launched a Derwent Class named Undine. D13 was launched just in time for the 12th sailing season on the 8th of November, and soon became part of the strong fleet of sailing vessels.

From the 1950’s onwards, the history of the boat varies, although fast-forward to today, she’s in the best position of her life, at the Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, Tasmania. In late 2020 the boat was donated to the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, by the Oyster Cove Marina, she was in poor condition and required significant restoration works.

In mid 2022, a private Trust reviewed the AWBF’s proposal for funds and agreed to provide the financial support for the restoration project. The AWBF then confirmed with the Wooden Boat Centre, that Undine would be the perfect project for the Wooden Boat Centre’s Shipwright Program.

Works that need to be carried out are:

Stage 1:  

• Complete inner hull restoration.  
• Begin construction of deck component, expecting to have most if not all deck beams in by this point.  

Stage 2:  

• Completion of deck component. 
• construction of cabin and forehatch. 

• Internal fit out. 

Stage 3:  

• Fit deadwood and lead ballast.  

• Caulking of boat, painting, rig (including but not limited to mast, boom, bowsprit, and spinnaker pole), deck hardware, stainless work, etc.  
• Test launch of boat. 

So far, the stem has been rebuilt – she was originally cut for and aft with a chainsaw, to widen the stem! A chunk of wood was glued in to fill the gap, and a new inner knee to cover the stem on the inside of the hull has been fitted. A few new ribs are going in and the transom has new inner cheeks to strengthen the outside edges, to assist better fastening of the planks to the transom. In lead Shipwright Cody Horgan’s words “she is one of three boats that are currently being restored at the school, so it’s going off”.

Wooden Boat Centre past projects in preparation for the AWBF 2023.