I just love the Boat Building Academy winter launch! Especially with the crispness of a winter day. The students of Class March 2015 were busy making getting the boats ready when I arrived. As usual there were some beautiful boats built. Only two boats were launched this time as the other two weren’t quite finished. Those launched were an 18’7 cold moulded and bright finished Robert Steward motor launch and a 16’ traditional clinker Iain Oughtred Norwegian Faering. The other two were a Strip planked, gaff rigged replica of a Herreshoff 12 ½ and a 22’7 glued clinker double ended Iain Oughtred ‘Kotik’ with a two berth cabin.

Students come from all over the UK and overseas and from a range of ages and backgrounds – many of them had never picked up a chisel before! Following an intensive woodworking foundation phase the class have learned to build boats to professional standards using modern and traditional construction methods.

The students have graduated with the skills needed to work in today’s marine industry certificated by the City & Guilds level 3 diploma in Marine Construction, Systems Engineering and Maintenance.

These are some of my favourites but for the full gallery please see the Students gallery here:Students Gallery

Further details about the Class of March 2015 & where Academy Graduates go on to work check out the Academy’s website at: Boat Building Academy