Lars Herfeldt builds a gentleman’s runabout at the Boatbuilding Academy

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

16ft gentleman’s runabout Lola, built to a design by C G Petterson, and photographed at the Boatbuilding Academy’s student launch day in December

Lars Herfeldt built this very pretty motorboat during his Boatbuilding Academy course at Lyme using plans by the Swedish designer CG Pettersson.

Academy principle Yvonne Green reports that Lola, which is named after one of Lars’ grandchildren, is a 16ft cold moulded motorboat made from two layers of 3mm plywood with a final layer of mahogany veneer laid fore and aft to simulate a more traditional carvel planking construction.

While on the course Lars wrote a weblog that includes the boat build but also of his life while living at the Academy on the course – it’s in German but includes many excellent photos including a series showing one of the famous Beer luggers going about. He also played Father Christmas at the Academy Christmas dinner, at which Yvonne says he managed to look as if he’d stepped out of a Norman Rockwell illustration.

For more photos from the student launch, check out Edward Pearson’s Picasa photo set of the event.

Intheboatshed.net readers may be interested to know that Lars is returning to the Academy in September to instruct a residential course on building West Greenland kayaks in September, at which up to eight students will build a traditional kayak over ten days – course members will stay at nearby Trill Farm and build the boats in the farm’s  magnificent old barn.

Many thanks for the story Yvonne – and don’t forget to tell us more about the kayak course, as I think there will be some interest from readers!

Boatbuilding Academy student launch day, December 2009 – some early photos

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy launch Dec 5th 2009 022

Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy launch Dec 5th 2009 032 Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy launch Dec 5th 2009 070 Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy launch Dec 5th 2009 040

Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy launch Dec 5th 2009 101 Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy launch Dec 5th 2009 052

Reader Brian Pearson has kindly given me permission to put up a few of the photos he and his son took of the Boatbuilding Academy’s student launch day last Saturday. Thanks Brian!

He tells me that it was a really nice event with lots of people, a watery winter sun – which was great after all the terrible weather we’ve been having – and lots of lovely boats and happy boat builders with their families.

There will be more when principal Yvonne Green manages to send some over together with details of the boats, as I hope she will – and perhaps with luck the students themselves will chip in also.

I must say there are some delightful pieces of work here – particularly the pram with no metal components of any kind. Take a bow, boatbuilding students of Lyme!

Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy launch Dec 5th 2009 057

Don’t miss the great Boatbuilding Academy students’ launch, 8.30am, this Saturday

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Sadie Snowdon Johnny Tyson Teddy at sea

dsc_0528 cirrus-with-mike-broome-bba-instructor-designer seapod-the-peapod-5

Some of the boats Academy students have built in the past: Sadie Snowdon’s dory; Johnny Tyson’s whitehall; Edward Hoogewerf’s Ebihen;Marc Chivers’ pilot punt; Bob Hinks’ Cirrus; and Charlie Hussey’s Seapod the Peapod

If you’re in the area, don’t forget the Boatbuilding Academy’s students are due to launch their boats at Lyme on Saturday, starting at 8.30am. Read this earlier post to find out what boats will be included this year.