Tag: boat building academy

Boat Building Academy student launch 23rd November

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It’s nearly time for one of the BBA’s great annual events – the autumn-winter student launch, which this year takes place at Lyme Regis on the 23rd November. (The photo above is from last year’s event.)

They’re inviting folks to join the celebrations, which begin at 12:00 when five boats built or restored by the 38-week boat building, maintenance and support course class of February 2016 are launched.

The boats to be launched are:

  • 11ft6in Iain Oughtred-designed Guillemot
  • 14ft RNSA dinghy restoration
  • 15ft Christmas Wherry
  • 15ft sailing canoe
  • 12ft 1930s International 12 racing dinghy restoration

They make an ingteresting collection. See photos of the projects as the students work on them.

The BBA folks have published a its 2017 short course programme – new courses for 2017 include:

  • introduction to woodworking (back by popular demand)
  • separate courses on antique furniture restoration and marquetry are now part of the regular programmeafter running once each in 2016

Principal Yvonne Green tells me that this year some 40% of people joining short courses had been on a BBA course before, which I guess says a lot about what folks think about the courses.

 

BBA class of September 2015 launch their boats on the 9th June

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A date for your diary: the Boat Building Academy has sent out an invitation to the next student launch on Thursday the 9th June.

This season’s crop of boats include:

  • 11ft 6in Iain Oughtred Guillemot
  • 17ft International Canoe
  • 19ft Replica of a traditional Beer Beach Boat
  • 20ft Paul Gartside daysailer Terror
  • 21ft 6in Gil Smith South-Bay Catboat

If anyone is able to get along and to send me some photos, please do! Email me at gmatkin@gmail.com . Thanks!

Boat Building Academy students launch a traditional Norwegian faering

Back in December a bunch of proud Boat Building Academy class members launched a clinker built Norwegian faering built to Iain Oughtred’s Elfyn plans.

The boat was was built by student Neil Hammond and the rest of the class, including Ross Wheeler-Clayton.

Planked in Scottish larch on steamed green oak timbers, she has laminated oak stems, a solid oak keel, Douglas fir thwarts and centreboard case, and spruce spars.

She has two rowing positions and a balanced lug rig – her sails were made by the students as part of a sail making short course at the Academy.

Neil came to the Academy from Somerset: his previous career has ranged from rigging and drilling in both the Persian Gulf and North Sea for the oil industry, to managing and directing IT and engineering services for the MET Office.

With a love for water sports and the sea, Neil has RYA Yachtmaster qualifications and is a keen kayaker – and came to the BBA because he wanted to learn skills to build his own boat.

Ross, who worked closely alongside Neil, was at 18 one of the youngest members of the class. He joined the Academy straight after completing A-Levels in film, media, sociology, philosophy and ethics.

He is a young ambassador for the Meningitis Now charity and is a member of the Young Fire-fighters and MOD Combined Cadet Force.

With particular interests in traditional boat building skills, Ross thoroughly enjoyed constructing the Elfyn’s copper fastened traditional clinker hull.

See the Elfyn’s build diary here and for further details about the Level 3, 38-week boat building, maintenance and support course, click here.