Welcome to the Regatta
The Davistown Putt Putt Regatta & Wooden Boat Festival is not only a great event but also an opportunity for the people to celebrate the Central Coast, Australia and the culture that is a part of our history, heritage and local character.
Putt Putt Regatta & Wooden Boat Festival is back up and running
The Organising Committee is back and working hard to run a successful Regatta on Sunday 2nd April 2023. This is the event that was postponed in October last year and will still be known as the 2022 Regatta.
While we had to cancel the Regatta last October, the other 2 events, namely,
- Putt Putt Charity Dinner – Friday 28th October and
- Heritage Ferry Challenge & Putt About – Saturday 29th October
both went ahead and were very successful. In total these 2 events raised in excess of $10,000 for the Kids with Cancer Foundation Australia – a great result and a testament to the local community for their great support.
In addition to the April Regatta, we will also be planning for the 2023 events to take place in October. Pending all necessary approvals it is anticipated that the events will be held on the following dates:
- Heritage Ferry Challenge – Saturday 14th October
- Putt Putt Regatta & Wooden Boat Festival – Sunday 15th October
- Putt Putt Charity Dinner – Friday 20th October
Watch this space as plans are developed.
We also take this opportunity to extend our thanks to our major sponsors without whom none of the events would be able to proceed.
It was out of the respect and knowledge of the enthusiasts – otherwise known as the “Black Hands” who formed the heart of the annual event, that the charter of the Davistown Putt Putt Regatta & Wooden Boat Festival is drawn.
“To promote an annual event to showcase Putt Putt engineering and timber boat skills in a family friendly, free to the public Festival, promoting and drawing on the camaraderie among Putt Putt enthusiasts and timber boat owners generally.”
In addition, the aims of the Wooden Boat Association – “To promote an active interest in all matters relating to the history, development, building, restoration and preservation of Wooden Boats” has been adopted.
While the heart of our charter is to display and promote the wooden boat community, we also look to provide a family focussed day where the local community and visitors can have an enjoyable day in a safe and family friendly environment.
Along with the water focussed activities there will be on-shore entertainment and activities to appeal to all ages.
The Regatta has the reputation of being one of the largest event of its kind on the eastern seaboard.
About the Boats
Many putt-putt boats are still in use on Brisbane Water today. In the Davistown area over 30 of the classics can be seen on their moorings.
Putt-putt boats usually range in length from 14-18 feet and are powered by either single or twin cylinder 2 to 10 hp Blaxland/Chapman, Simplex or Clay inboard petrol driven engines all of which make the very familiar putt-putt exhaust sound. Boats today will also often be powered by small one or 2 cylinder diesel engines.
Reintroduced as an annual event via a quorum of enthusiasts in 1996/1997, the Regatta is now one of the principal events on the Central Coast Calendar.
The Davistown Putt Putt Regatta & Wooden Boat Festival attracts a huge amount of quality putt putts travelling from as far as Queensland and the ACT. The 10th Anniversary event in 2007 attracted a field of over 100 Putt Putts.
2019 saw the re-introduction of the Saturday afternoon Putt About and added the spectacle of the inaugural Heritage Ferry Challenge in which a number of Heritage vessels challenged each other over a course from Woy Woy to Gosford. All proceeds raised were directed to the Kids With Cancer Australia Foundation
Sponsors
The Regatta could not proceed without the generous support of our sponsors. Local government and Corporate support has been an essential ingredient to our success. The Committee sincerely thanks the following organisations.
