If you've been to a festival anywhere in Australia in the past few years, you may have wondered how (not to mention why) there was a sodding big boat parked in the middle of proceedings. That boat is the SS Strongbow, which has been providing good times, great views and a whole lot of refreshment to party people at festivals around the country since it launched at Sydney's Stereosonic in 2010.
While standing on the deck, enjoying a Strongbow and the view at Southbound, we asked around and found out the boat was the brainchild of Strongbow and Dave Strong at
District Agency. We caught up with Dave to get a little bit of history and find out just how a boat comes to find itself in the middle of a music festival.
Everguide: Where did the idea for the SS Strongbow come from?
Dave Strong: Strongbow wanted to add to people's music festival experience and bring to life their positioning about enjoying the spirit of summer. So we needed to create something that would do this and catch people's attention. Years ago festivals had a lot more big installations in them and we wanted to create a big, eye-catching thing people connected with. So the core of the idea was to take some amazingly big thing that encapsulated the spirit of summer and land it in the middle of a festival. That’s how we came up with the boat. Strongbow are all about summer and what is more summer than being at a music festival on a boat?
EG: Is this one of the more out-there ideas you've had for Strongbow? Did they need much convincing to let you make it happen or were they into it from the get-go?
DS: Ha Ha..... It’s not the most out there idea we’ve had for Strongbow. Recently we created a
night time neon glow in the dark surfing display for Strongbow. Strongbow delivered it to celebrate the start of summer. It was a massive success and got worldwide coverage. The Strongbow Team are great, they understand the potential in ideas straight away.
EG: Where did the boat itself come from? Was it sailing the high seas somewhere, or was grass growing under it in a disused shipyard? Do you know much about its history?
DS: The boat itself was from the Gippsland Lakes region. It was actually still in the water when we found it. It is wooden Ketch built in the 1930’s. It had quite a life. When we went down to Gippsland and asked the boat brokers if they knew of any boats that may be appropriate to truck into music festivals. They looked at us as if we were mad.
EG: What are the logistics involved with sailing it to festivals around the country – are the a lot of crew involved in transporting and setting it up?
DS: The logistics are not simple, but that’s what makes it so interesting. It’s also why people like it so much because they wonder how a massive boat is sitting in the middle of a festival. The boat is a wide load on a truck and has to be craned into position each time. We actually had to locate the boat based on the dimensions that could be trucked on road. Once we lay it down we build an entire marina deck and bar around it, complete with summer caravan.
EG: Do you captain the ship on most of its tours?
DS: Ha Ha... I like to think so but the team is bigger than just me.
EG: Has the reaction been as good as you've hoped?
DS: Yes and a whole lot better. People connect with it. At Southbound Festival recently, the boat had one of the best views of the main stage from anywhere at the festival. It was packed the whole time. People just love a big boat sitting in the middle of a festival.
EG: What's the funniest thing you've seen aboard the SS Strongbow?
DS: This year we mounted a water cannon to the bow of the boat. People went nuts for it running around in circles under it like they were under a sprinkler in the back yard!
In truth I would really love to have a photo of the boat making the Nullarbor crossing on the truck. Its done it four times. I think the boat has been further on land than any big boat ever!!!
EG: Where to next for the SS Strongbow? Any plans to sail it across the seas and conquer other festivals?
DS: Look out for it. No doubt it will be coming to a festival near you.