Boat Building Academy students Joe Latimer and Alex Lyddon dipped the 14ft Broome Runabout they built on the Academy’s long course at the Academy’s student launch day December.
The photos are by Jenny Steer, Derek Thompson and Becky Joseph.
Named in memory of one of the builders’ late grandmother, the Honda HP40 powered Rita rapidly left the harbour and raced across the bay.
Designed by instructor Mike Broome, the boat is built in stitch and glue, sheathed in bi-axial glass cloth and epoxy underneath a painted finish.
Joe and Alex added their own customisations, which included a burr walnut dashboard, bright finished sapele laid deck, cockpit soles and match boarding.
Joe visite Lyme Regis regularly on holiday as a child, and in 2012 he completed the BBA’s five-day basic woodworking skills short course. That course, and seeing the boats being built in the workshop gave him a taste for woodworking and boat building, and so he joined the 38 week course.
Alex came to the Academy from Surrey. ?As a qualified RYA sailing and powerboat Instructor, he has taught RYA courses in Egypt, Greece and Sardinia with tour operator Mark Warner Ltd.
In April Joe will use his new skills to travel and work his way around Australia. The BBA folks report that he’s satisfied with what he has learned and the skills he will be able to use in future – but also that he’s sad the course is over.
Alex, meanwhile, is exploring maintenance work opportunities with a charter company working in the Greek islands…
See ‘Rita’s’ photographic build diary here.
