Category: wooden boat

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

Devon, country, boat building photographer

The Boat Building Academy’s class of September 2014 launched eight boats in bright but blustery weather at Lyme Regis last month.

I’ve put up lots of photos because I feel they convey the busy atmosphere of the event!

Around three hundred people gathered at the slipway to see the student-built or student-renewed boats were launched for the first time.

Following a few words from academy director Tim Gedge, and former Lyme Regis mayor Sally Holman, each of the boats set off on their maiden voyages, cheered on their way by the crowd.

The boats the students launched were:

• 10ft restored traditional clinker dinghy, believed to have originally been built by Naval apprentices
• 12ft strip planked Andrew Wolstenholme Mallard dinghy
• 13ft glued clinker Iain Oughtred Acorn Skiff
• 14ft traditional clinker faering designed by builder Max Stembridge’s naval architect father
• 15ft 2in cold moulded Iain Oughtred Whilly Tern
• 18ft strip planked Guillemot Night Heron kayak
• 20ft carvel Seabird Half-Rater (the claimed to be the oldest one-design class boat still sailing, this was the 107th to be built)
• 22ft clinker built small Viking ship Nordlands 

The Nordlands boat crew managed to keep hold of their Viking hats as they rowed across the harbour and experienced sailors aboard the Seabird Half-Rater and Mallard dinghy enjoyed an exciting sail across the bay.

Once the boats had been enjoyed, the students returned to the workshops on Monmouth Beach where they received their Level 3 City & Guilds certificates.

Principal,Yvonne Green, congratulated the class on their achievements and wished them well as they start their new lives as boat builders.

Dave Young from PodFilms caught footage of the launch from the safety boat (kindly provided by Rob Perry Marine). The Academy is delighted with the new film showing workshop and launch shots, which can be viewed on the homepage of their website.

Photographic build diaries of each boat can be viewed here.

• PS – My pal Pete Bromwich attended the BBA’s 12 week course in woodworking skills recently, during which he made a hammered dulcimer.  Here are some photos of the project.