Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
Modern and plywood boatbuilding and plans
The folks at the Boat Building Academy have kindly made the offsets available for the cute little Fleet trow some of its students built during their long course last year.
For the offsets laid out in a pdf, and more pictures of the handy, easily built little boat, click here and go to the bottom of the post.
Every spring and autumn, the Boat Building Academy folks send over some photos and a few words about their student’s launches.
The shots above were taken by Jenny Steer and Derek Thompson, so my thanks to them and to the Academy.
Here’s what they have to say about the first boat launched at the BBA launch on the 3rd December last year:
‘A crowd of about three hundred people braved the cold to celebrate with the class of March 2014 at their student boat launch.
‘The sun shone as four boats, each built as part of the students’ intensive 38 week training, were launched into Lyme Regis Harbour for the first time.
‘Mayor of Lyme Regis Sally Holman and Academy Director Tim Gedge said a few words congratulating the group on their achievements. Then the champagne corks popped as each boat launched.
‘Eleven students joined the Academy’s level 3 course boat building, maintenance and support’ course last March. Of all ages, some were local but others came from places as far away as Brazil and America.
‘The first to be launched launch was The Lost Tribe, a 12ft glued clinker Fleet trow.
‘Planked in marine ply, the Trow has a khaya stem with bright finished sapele thwarts and trim.
‘Trows are used on the Fleet, a lagoon located behind Chesil Beach in West Dorset, to transport mackerel caught off the beach across to the mainland, and for wildfowling.
‘The Lost Tribe is based on a 1970s example featured in the book Working Boats of Britain – Their Shape and Purpose by Eric McKee.
‘One of the builders, Nigel Chapman, worked as an engineer on the National Grid for 29 years before joining the Academy.?Spending time with friends who worked as boat builders – and seeing them enjoy the work they did – made Nigel want to develop his carpentry skills and train to become a boat builder too.
‘Nigel’s main partner in the build, Fred Faro, came to the Academy from Brazil, where he worked as field engineer and manager on heavy infrastructure projects. ?With a love for the sea and a desire to work with his hands using practical skills, he decided that becoming a boat builder would combine the two.
‘When Nigel was taken ill part way through the course, Fred and other members of the group completed the build. On the day, Fred and Nigel’s wife Alison together launched The Lost Tribe. We all wish Nigel a speedy recovery and look forward to him joining us again when he’s fit. Fred is now at Palma Mallorca, working for Classic Yacht Shipwrights and Joiners.
For photos of The Lost Tribe’s build, see the Boat Building Academy’s website here.
PS – Here’s a real bonus. The good people at the BBA have agreed to make the offsets for the 12ft Fleet trow available via Intheboatshed.net. Click on the drawing for the pdf.
The 20ft Roger Dongray-designed Golant Ketch shown above was built by Boat Building Academy student Keith McIlwain on the BBA’s long course. (Photos by Liz Griffiths, Becky Joseph, Jon Pritchard and Jenny Steer.)
Daydream, the largest boat built by the BBA’s October 2013 intake, is a decked trailer sailer with lifting centreboard, outboard engine and cabin. Her hull is constructed using the ply on frame method.
From Bristol, Keith started his working life as a sailmaker and worked his way up to loft manager for a premier sail company before starting a career in sales and marketing.
He decided to join the 38-week course as a way of returning to the boating industry with a new career, and is currently setting up his own boat building, restoration and repairs business just outside of Bristol, to be called Daydream Boats.
Keith will build on his prior experience of furniture and sail-making, and will also be an agent for Jeckells Sails in the South West.
He chose to build the Golant Ketch as he wanted a boat he could sail around Bristol and the South West, and to help promote his business to potential customers.
Brenton Pyle from South Africa worked with Keith throughout the build.
Brenton moved to the UK with his family in 2005 and worked for an aircraft maintenance company. He joined the Academy to start a career in boat building, and throughout the course has particularly enjoyed developing his woodworking skills.
He is currently working with former academy instructor, Justin Adkin at his workshop based in Axminster and in the future will consider options in boat building, woodworking and furniture making.
Students Andy Jones, George Le Gallais and Steven Roberts also worked closely with Keith to build Daydream, but between them also made a 14ft paddleboard, again shown in the gallery above .
George was the first to paddle it out into the harbour on launch day.
The plans for the ply on frame Kaholo board were purchased from Chesapeake Light Craft website. It was sheathed in glass and epoxy; to paddle it the students use paddles they built as part of the course.
Andy who grew up in Lyme Regis, joined the Academy from London where he worked for Babcock Critical Services in partnership with the London and Lincolnshire fire and rescue brigades. During the course he worked on all of the boat projects, in particular Keith’s Golant Ketch, to which he became quite attached.
Joe who loves to experience different cultures and to throw himself into unfamiliar territory, spent time travelling around Europe, North and South America, Australia and India before joining the Academy. Like Andy and all 38-week course students Joe worked on all of the course boat projects and enjoyed learning modern and traditional techniques.
Joe from Devon has work lined up at the Underfall Boatyard in Bristol, and Andy is working at Sutton Oars in Teignmouth, making wooden oars for gigs, and carbon skull oars.
