Crabs scuttled to safety and seaweed dangled from its hull - it will be a long voyage for the 1911 Highland Lass as its new owner begins a restoration project.
The boat was hauled out of Oamaru Harbour yesterday by its owner Peter Thorn, with help from fellow members of Oamaru’s Friendly Bay Boat Society.
Not wanting to watch a boat of its age go to the bottom, Mr Thorn purchased the vessel, which
would sit behind the big red sheds at Oamaru Harbour, next to the North Otago Yacht and Power Boat Club, as restoration work is undertaken.
"I believe the boat is worth restoring. It’s a very significant boat," Mr Thorn said.
"I want to restore it into what it was originally designed as ... a bit more of an open boat. It had an ugly cabin on it before."
The boat was once used for moving stock and transporting deer hunters.
It was worth restoring historical pieces because "once they’re gone, they’re gone".
"This is built out of kauri. The skills required to build a boat like this are disappearing."
The goal of the restorers was to have a boat that was in action on the water, taking people around the harbour, Mr Thorn said.
"That would be my dream."
