Images(4)

Walnut

Vessel numberHV000342

Designer C Blunt

Builder C Blunt

Date1920

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 2.44 m x 2.44 m x 1.22 m x 0.24 m (8 ft x 8 ft x 4 ft x 0.8 ft)

Terms

DescriptionWALNUT is 2.44 metres long, beam 1.22 metres. It is clinker planked in New Zealand kauri with Australian hardwoods used for the supporting structure. It has three thwarts and two sets of rowlock brackets. The inside features a set of floorboards, another typical dinghy feature. The nature of a dinghy's operation usually means water slops aboard and a set of floorboards above the planking and frames are often fitted to keep things dry.

Greg Blunt, who ran the yard in 2009, identified the craft as a vessel built by Blunt's. He noted features such as the knees on the thwarts coming to a pointed end; the lines scored into the fore and aft edges of the thwarts; and the 1/2 round trim and double scored lines at the transom. These were details typical of dinghies built by the yard in the early 20th century. The builder's plate was missing, but the indentation matched the shape of the plates used by Blunt in the 1920s, so it is assumed it was built at this time.

WALNUT was rebuilt by its owner in the mid 1990s, who retained as much original material as possible, replacing items with structure that matched the original. In 2009 the dinghy remained in excellent condition.
SignificanceWALNUT is a wooden dinghy built around 1920 by Charles Blunt's yard in Williamstown in Victoria, established in 1858. The yard still operates and is now run by the fifth generation of the family, Greg Blunt. WALNUT is typical of the small dinghies built by this firm and reveals many of the construction features used by Blunts. It has the classic proportions of a yacht tender.