Production boats may rule in Paarden Eiland, but not on Thesen Island
Knysna has never been in a hurry. This is why slowly but surely the Garden Route town has become a centre of excellence for classic boats which were once again on display this month in Thesen Harbour Town.
Visitors to this year’s Knysna Antique & Classic Boat Show on October 5 were treated to another eye-catching array of boating craftsmanship, ranging from a racing hydroplane with a vintage Mercury outboard to an unrestored Thesen Boatyard speedboat displayed on an enormous plywood box.
Boat show coordinator Cameron Searle commended exhibitors for donating time and resources “for no gain other than to give pleasure to others”.
“One exhibitor travelled from Cape Town, two from Stanford, and the steamboat ‘Perseverance’ and others arrived from the Wilderness area,” Searle said.
“A beautifully restored runabout was sold on the day to a couple in the Phantom Pass area and a Henti’s fishing boat was kindly donated by a Sedgefield resident to a local fisherman,” he said.
“A paediatric CPR dummy has been provided to the local NSRI Station on the proceeds from the Boat Show thanks to our generous sponsors and additional money will go to supporting the ongoing, vital research by the Knysna Basin Project. My thanks go to all those who came out and enjoyed the day in Thesen Harbour Town,” Searle said.
This year’s Show also featured Classic boat cruises and product displays by local boat companies. Wooden surfboard company WaWa demonstrated how to shape wooden handslides and skateboards using environmentally conscious methods.