Famous Itchen Ferry racer Dolly Varden to be restored

https://youtu.be/Mf4ULh9D5xI

A new YouTube shows the famous racing yacht Itchen Ferry Dolly Varden arriving at the International Boatbuilding Training College Portsmouth for restoration.

She’s described in one of Uffa Fox’s famous books and was known for trialling sails rigs for Ratsey’s. She’s now in the hands of a new owner and happily seems to have a bright future ahead, which is great news. Read all about her and the project here.

IBTC now safely installed in its Portsmouth Dockyard premises

Gill Wilson has written to report that the International Boatbuilding Training College Portsmouth is now definitely installed in its new home at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard’s Boathouse number 4, following various and no doubt frustrating delays.

The building has been refurbished as part of an Heritage Lottery Fund heritage skills training centre scheme.

As well as the International Boatbuilding College Portsmouth, the building also hosts a free-to-enter exhibition of the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust’s small naval boat collection.

IBTC students will train on over 20 project boats in the main boat shop, including Alec Rose’s Lively Lady, Simba one of four Victory Class racing yachts that the college is to restore, and Fandango a Laurent Giles designed reverse sheer light displacement yacht.

Eagle eyes will spot Lively Lady and Fandango among the shots above.

 

The IBTC opens at Portsmouth

tea 1 editIBTC Portsmouth and it’s satellite shipwright school at Buckler’s Hard have now opened their doors to the first cohort of boatbuilding students.

The group at Portsmouth are said to be the first boatbuilding students at the site since the 1960s – the photo shows the nine Portsmouth students enjoying a break in the sun last week.

The IBTC folks report that local reaction to the opening has been very positive.

The college now recruiting for July 2015 for the college’s 47-week City & Guilds wooden boatbuilding diploma at both Portsmouth and Lowestoft. April is the first course, with intakes in July, Sept and December 2015. Enrolling now.