From Shed to Sea: Supporting A Boat by the River

On the banks of the Huon River, one of Tasmania’s most remarkable wooden boat projects has been slowly taking shape.

A Boat by the River follows Matt Morris and Iefke van Gogh as they build Tarkine, a handcrafted wooden vessel created not in a major shipyard, but in a shed at Glen Huon.

Matt grew up in Cygnet, surrounded by the Huon Valley’s wooden boatbuilding culture. After meeting Iefke while sailing aboard the tall ship Bark Europa, the pair returned to Tasmania and began building their own boat in 2019. Their goal is not simply to launch Tarkine, but eventually to sail her around the world.

A project built plank by plank

Tarkine has been a project of repetition, patience and an enormous amount of hands-on work.

By September 2020, Matt and Iefke had completed 18 laminated frames and moved on to planking the hull. Each plank was fastened with bronze screws and nails and bonded using Compset epoxy supplied through their local fibreglass shop. At that stage alone, the project had already used at least 90 litres of epoxy adhesive.

That early connection has grown into an ongoing relationship, with The Fibreglass Shop supplying materials and consumables used throughout the build, including:

- Resin and associated laminating materials
- Peel ply
- Flotation foam
- Primers and coatings
- Abrasives
- Gloves and workshop consumables

These are not necessarily the most visible parts of a finished wooden boat, but they are often the materials that allow each stage of the work to happen properly.

Peel ply, for example, is applied over a wet laminate and removed after curing. It protects the surface from contamination, helps manage excess resin and leaves a textured surface ready for further bonding or finishing, reducing the amount of sanding required between stages.

Primers and abrasives become essential as the boat moves from structural work into fairing and finishing, while flotation foam provides lightweight buoyancy in areas where additional reserve flotation is required. Even everyday consumables such as gloves, brushes and mixing equipment become significant on a project measured in years rather than weekends.

Supported by a boatbuilding community

One of the things that makes Tarkine special is that it has never been the work of only two people.

Matt and Iefke have spoken about the network of boatbuilders, tradespeople, suppliers and members of the Huon community who have offered materials, knowledge, labour and encouragement throughout the project. It reflects a part of Tasmania where success is often measured less by status and more by craftsmanship, resourcefulness and the willingness to help someone complete an ambitious job.

That is a philosophy we understand well at The Fibreglass Shop. Many of the projects that come through our doors begin with a rough drawing, an unusual repair or an idea that has never been attempted by the customer before. Our role is not only to supply a product, but to help people work out what they need to take the next step.

After seven years of work, Tarkine is scheduled to appear at the 2027 Australian Wooden Boat Festival as part of a special From Shed to Sea display. Following the festival, she is expected to be transported to a shipyard for her official launch—the first time the hull will touch the water.

We are proud to have played a small part in helping Tarkine make the journey from a shed beside the Huon River towards the open sea.