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Fred Moore

BiographyFred Moore was born in Hobart in 1857. It is understood his father was a shipwright or else in the ship building trade, so it was not surprising to see Fred follow this path. He moved to Launceston around 1900 at the invitation of two prominent locals, Thomas Griffiths and WJ Bain, and continued boatbuilding and repair work. EA 'Ned' Jack came at the same time, and both became very well-known and respected as highly skilled boatbuilders.

The pair worked together for a short period, setting up a yard next to Gunn's timber yards, then moved to Charles St and finally Canal St. As the business expanded Ned Jack moved to Trevallyn to set up his own yard, while Moore moved to a site near the North Esk River.

Moore built many small craft for the region, his rowing shells and dinghies were used by many, but his prominence as a craftsman boat builder is best reflected by the many large craft he built for private and commercial use. The yachts MALLANA, ROSETTA (later YOULA) and ROONA show different aspects of his prowess; MALLANA's lovely canoe stern cruising hull contrasts with the racing lines of the 21 ft. waterline class ROSETTA, and both were his designs too, while ROONA is one the craft he built from plans supplied by the premier naval architect of the early 1900s, Walter Reeks from Sydney. Reeks also designed the steamer TOGO and ferry DERWENT which were built by Moore in the early 1900s. He also went to Sydney to oversee the construction of the steamer NIREE for the Tasmanian river trade. His son Tasman entered the trade and worked for Fred in the 1920s.

Fred Moore was also a member of the Launceston Marine Board over a number of periods, and employed by them as a foreman from 1920 to 1925. A pilot vessel was named after him, and he supervised its construction. Moore died in 1947 aged 90.

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