Those That Survive

Tasmanians hold a special empathy with the sea and, in particular, their vintage and veteran boats. This book profiles over 300 vintage or veteran commercial and government vessels built prior to 1970 that are of significance to Australia's small island state across a wide range of types, sizes and locations and in various stages of condition. Categories include sea-going sail, motor ships, river steamers and motor ferries, excursion boats, waterman's boats, commercial launches and motor boats, as well as military and fishing vessels, and open boats. The book encompasses craft that are well loved with a secure future to those that are in peril. The large number of vessels highlighted herein is a far cry from the 150 craft profiled in the first edition of Those That Survive, published in 1996, and is indicative of not only the interest that these boats and ships now generate, but also the increased awareness of a specific vessel's history, singularly and as a collective amongst its cohort. In fact, the number of vintage and veteran craft still in existence of relevance to Tasmania has meant that the vessels have been split across two volumes. While this volume purely concerns commercial and government craft, a companion volume focusses on recreational vessels. Overall, the outcome is a robust summary of craft significant to Tasmania's maritime history.