'Some of the skills are still there, although thinned out by the march of time. There are still some wooden boatbuilders around doing fine work. We still have the timber and the waterfront building sites. I cannot see it happening, but I would like to hope."
Jock adds on a note of optimism: "Perhaps if it could be subsidised instead of penalised as an industry and an apprenticeship scheme developed, possibly then there would be a glimmer of hope."
He also thinks some of the traditional boatbuilders still around like himself would be keen to help in setting up a scheme and acting as part-time "lecturers" as the scheme became established.
A summarised plan to revive the industry, he says, would be to drop the sales tax, provide incentives to employ apprentices and seek out some of the skilled artisans that are still around to help train them.
Jock adds on a note of optimism: "Perhaps if it could be subsidised instead of penalised as an industry and an apprenticeship scheme developed, possibly then there would be a glimmer of hope."
He also thinks some of the traditional boatbuilders still around like himself would be keen to help in setting up a scheme and acting as part-time "lecturers" as the scheme became established.
A summarised plan to revive the industry, he says, would be to drop the sales tax, provide incentives to employ apprentices and seek out some of the skilled artisans that are still around to help train them.
Westward, on slip in Hobart, 1952