Inches was one of the best boat builders in Australia at the time. His yard was in Battery Point. Preana was to be his masterpiece, a beautifully crafted 55 -footer in Huon Pine, 13ft on the beam and with a draft 4ft 6 inches.

The long and slender hull led to her being named ‘Preana’, the Tasmanian Aboriginal word for spear.

Originally powered by a 60hp triple expansion steam engine made by Simpson Strickland & Co of Dartmouth, Devon, the 12-ton Preana slipped along quietly and effortlessly at 12 knots leaving no wake.

In later years she was sadly abandoned. The fact that she was built of Huon Pine saved her. The hull was sound. The Preana Trust lead by Jim Butterworth lovingly restored her over a period of 16 years. She was re-launched in 2005. Preana was re-built to commercial survey standards. A steel keel slipper was added to enhance stability.

Today as you step aboard Preana, you step back more than 100 years into an atmosphere of Edwardian opulence as enjoyed by the very rich of this gone era. Sink into the soft red velvet upholstery of the magnificent main saloon… and admire a symphony of moving steel and bronze as the century-old compound steam engine quietly pushes the vessel towards its destination.’

Source: Boat Sales Tasmania (2019)