Located in St Arnaud on Beechnest Drive, the Classic Boat Museum is a delightful surprise for boat enthusiasts, with a wonderful collection of classic boats. The museum was established by Pete Rainey around 20 years ago, and there are approximately 30 boats that mainly reflect the development of powerboats over the decades.
The stars are the fabulous high-performance racing boats. If you want to see some beautiful boats designed to go incredibly fast, this is the place to visit. The racing boats include the world record-holding BelAir 111 and the legendary Flak Too, which has a Rolls-Royce Aero engine. Most of the boats are in mint condition, while a few look as if they’re waiting for their turn for restoration. It doesn't matter if you don't know much about boats, as there are various explanatory panels.
Over Easter, you can also see some of the boats, plus others from around the country, in action at the Antique and Classic Boat Show, which is associated with the museum. This event is organised by Pete Rainey and Glenn Common, who also operate the museum. The event features boat displays on land in the morning, followed by races on Lake Rotoiti in the afternoon.
The Classic Boat Museum is close to the main highway through St Arnaud, with a road sign pointing to Beechnest Drive. Follow Beechnest for 100 metres, then turn left into a large gravel parking area. The museum is in the warehouse on the far side. There's a single door entrance with a sign, and there is a modest admission fee. St Arnaud is about a 90-minute drive from Blenheim and Nelson.
