Buildingboats

07/03/2021

The beginnings of a new project, working with . found this characterful oak in Sussex, perfect for their project ‘Refuge for Resurgence’.

23/04/2019

10/06/2018

Just to let you know that the Classic Watercraft website is down for maintenance. A new and improved website is on its way! Do contact me directly if you would like to get in touch.

31/05/2018

Boat Building Academy boat launch one year ago today!

28/05/2018

Today is the last chance to visit Sylva Foundation Wood Centre during Oxford Artweeksbto see the wonderful works of furniture, boats, upholstery and more created by local craftsmen and women. Classic Watercraft Mary's Chairs Oxford Oak Henwood Halcyon Limited Ali Buchan Furniture Neil Scott Furniture

19/05/2018

27/01/2018

16/01/2018

2018 Awards nominee: Laure, built by Simon Hawksley in the Powered Vessel, New Build category

Vote by clicking here: awards.classicboat.co.uk

30/12/2017

Designed NG Herreshoff/Sandford Bros, built First Light Boatworks, 26ft (7.9m), berm sloop The story of the Alerion Class Sloop, as it is known these days, started in 1912 when Nat Herreshoff drew Alerion III for his own enjoyment. The design was largely forgotten until, in 1977, Alfie and Edward Sa...

01/10/2017

Britain Afloat - a great new series on BBC presented by Mary-Ann Ochata discovering a history of British people through boats. Six episodes are available on iPlayer. Have a look at 'The Rowing Eight' which traces its origins from working boats, including Cornish Pilot Gigs. Some good shots of gigs racing at the Isles of Scillies, including a shot of Lyme Regis Gig Club's 'Black Ven', built by Boat Building Academy graduate Gail McGarva.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b096s2s4

A history of the British people told through six of its best-loved boats.

11/09/2017

After devoting his 30s to building a career in advertising and marketing, Luke Hope says his colleagues thought he was “bonkers” to give it up. Now aged 44 and running a successful wooden spoon-carving business in north London, he says that bemusement has turned to jealousy. “In contrast to years of...

30/08/2017

While Boat Building Academy instructors were teaching, I had a great time wandering around the exhibition at Messums Wiltshire

30/08/2017

'Jessie' was invited to take part in a course run by the Boat Building Academy at Messums Wiltshire exhibition "Material: Wood - Design & Inspiration" at Messums wonderful medieval barn in Wiltshire. The course on lofting, cold-moulding and clinker construction was led by BBA instructors Matt and Joe, assisted by Steve. The course was enjoyed by all of the participants and I picked up some good tips! Here are some photographs.

29/08/2017

Our recent Boat Building Academy boat launch is featured in this month's 'WaterCraft' magazine. Photographs of my boat 'Jessie', Warren's 'Swanson' and Simon's 'Donzi'. Good to see high praise for the BBA's approach too.

26/08/2017

Heres's a short film about The Boat Building Academy and the last launch day.

Yvonne Green is Principal at the prestigious Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy, Dorset. She heads up a team of tutors, technicians and office workers who guid...

25/08/2017

"Jessie" ready for the Lofting workshop today Messums Wiltshire Boat Building Academy

25/08/2017

Excellent talk last night by Boatbuilding Academy instructor Matt Law

07/07/2017

Jessie has a new home! She's been living in a workshop close to Dorchester for the last four weeks while I searched for a workshop close to home. So for the next few weeks Jessie is in the Sylva Wood Centre where I can get on with the list of jobs that were left unfinished...... I'll also use it as a base for other work too.

13/06/2017

Some fantastic photos of the boat launch!

04/06/2017

There were a number of times in the last weeks of building "Jessie" when I doubted we would be able to take part in the launch. If anything, these thoughts drove me harder to complete the work. Full days, late (and very late) nights were the order of the day. Steve, Mark and Jonny were fully committed to the project (thank you guys!) and we worked really well together. I'll always be grateful. Jonny had been making the sole boards, which were oiled and fitted on Wednesday. Mark had been making the bench seats and these too were fitted on Wednesday. Steve and I were sorting out a mountain of small jobs. We decided to add a second coat of varnish to the deck, which went on in the early hours of Thursday morning! Fortunately, we weren't the only boat being worked on. Simon's powerboat was in full swing as was Warren's dinghy. After varnishing, we weren't able to do any more work on the boat, so Steve and Mark went to grab some sleep. I kept going until about 3.30, splicing eyes in the standing rigging and attaching it to the mast. We were back in the workshop at 6 for the final push, tidying things up, stepping the mast, attaching the standing and running rigging, fitting the sails and tweaking. It was rather last minute, but we made it!

We processed from the Boat Building Academy to the Cobb, led by Roy Gollup and surrounded by a huge crowd of well-wishers. It was a glorious morning with a clear blue sky and calm sea. Unfortunately there was little or no wind, so we slipped out of the harbour and "ghosted" rather than sailed. It was wonderful to sit back, relax and enjoy the moment! All of the boats launched - a terrific achievement, and they all looked beautiful!

03/06/2017

It has been a frantic week! `Busy during the day and working through the night. The deck has been planed and sanded. The steamed coamings have been shaped and fitted. Rubrails have been fitted. Unfortunately we were unable to sheath the deck in epoxy and glass as the relative humidity was too high which could have caused the epoxy to turn cloudy. So the deck was varnished and I plan to epoxy the deck when I get a chance. Boat launch was last Thursday so I'll sort out some photographs soon!

29/05/2017

Jessie's deck is now on! The wide strips are Yellow Cedar and the narrow strips are Mahogany. We've been planing it for the last 2 hours and about to sand it smooth before sheathing it in a glass cloth and epoxy. Off the boat, I've been varnishing the mast, tiller and rudder. Launch day this Thursday 1st June - do come and watch. I'm also looking for suggestions for a name ......

27/05/2017

Pretty good day so far - Jonny has been working on the cockpit sole boards. Made of Iroko, they are all cut to shape and ready to be fitted. Steve and I have been fitting the deck planking. The planking is Yellow Cedar and will have Mahogany 'caulking' strips. Mark has been cutting large planks mahogany for the stern seats & benches.

26/05/2017

Covering planks and margin boards epoxied in place

26/05/2017

It has been a massively frustrating week so far as we have come across a number of small problems that have taken time to overcome. We've lost two days of constructive work, unfortunately. One problem was the cockpit coamings - large planks of mahogany needed to be steamed to curve them into place. One of the planks, when we started to shape it, began to loose its curve and had to be steamed again! Still, it is looking OK now. Sim and Ellie jumped in to help sand the hull on Wednesday evening so that we could get further coats of varnish on the hull, centreboard case and mast step last night. We'll add further coats each evening over the weekend. The deck planking is underway too, so hopefully we'll be able to make some good progress this weekend!