News
Boat Building Academy - Lyme Regis
1 February 2010
Building a Boat - Initial Set-up
Learn how to set up building frames and construct the backbone for both modern and traditional wooden boats. Produce the stem, keel, hog and transom for a small dinghy and then fit all the components together to form the backbone. You will learn how to set out fair planking lines and how to fit the first plank (or garboard) to a clinker dinghy. The theory of setting up for cold moulding, strip planking and carvel builds is also covered.
25 - 29 January and 5 - 9 July £550
Traditional Wooden Boat Building
A practical course giving insight into the construction and repair of traditional clinker and carvel built craft. Learn tool sharpening, scarfing, fitting of planks, riveting and steaming. The course also covers the theory of set-up and the lining off of planks and set-up for traditional builds. If time permits, you will also fit rubbing strips and knees.
1 - 5 February and 12 - 16 July £550
Modern Wooden Boat Building
Shape and fit glued clinker and cold moulded planks. Learn the basics of scarfing for the lengthening of planking timbers. Understand the theory of modern methods for setting up building moulds and backbone arrangements and basic lamination of timber components. If time permits you will also fit rubbing strips and internal components.
8 - 12 February and 19 - 23 July £550
Wooden Boat Restoration
A five day melting pot of traditional and more modern techniques. Practical activities include tool sharpening, timber preparation, scarfing, gluing, removal and re-fitting of clinker planking, riveting and steam bending. Time permitting you will also refit internal components such as thwarts, risers and knees.
22 - 26 February and 16 - 20 August £550
Advanced Wooden Boat Restoration
By popular demand, a course for those who have already attended the Wooden Boat Restoration course. Work on a ‘Victory' class boat repairing decks, floors, backbones and other structural components.
23 - 27 August £550
Basic Woodworking
This course sets solid foundations for general woodworking skills; tool se-lection, sharpening and maintenance, appropriate wood selection and timber preparation, basic joints including dovetails and framing joints, lengthening and widening joints.
8 - 12 March and 21 - 25 June £550
Build a Tender
Build a stitch and tape tender/dinghy under expert supervision. Make the bare hull and install gunwales and rubbers, thwart risers and thwarts. If you want to buy your dinghy for the materials cost (about £250) let us know when booking the course. An activity holiday for the family, friends, or getting to know someone new while building a boat.
9 - 13 August £375
Oar Making
Learn various oar construction methods i.e. hollow/solid looms, and how to shape blades and looms. Make your own pair of oars or paddle to take away for the cost of the materials. Please contact us in advance to
discuss your specific requirements.
15- 17 February £330
Diesel Engines
This course is part practical, part theory. Learn to maintain your marine diesel engine and diagnose and deal with common problems. Syllabus wider than standard one day RYA certification, including gear boxes, drive lines, propellers, engine instrumentation etc. (Course fee includes RYA certificate).
30 - 31 January £220
Rigs & Rigging
Sail Design & Maintenance
Cover all aspects of spars and rigging for cruising and racing yachts, keelboats, dayboats, and racing dinghies. Extensive practical sessions include whipping cordage, modern fibres' properties and splicing e.g. spectra and making Talurit eyes in wire stays. Learn about cruising and racing boat sail design, manufacture, repair and maintenance. The course includes computer sail design, shaping and re-cutting as well as sail maintenance and sail handling, the function of sails and their interface with spars. Comprehensive notes included.
8 - 10 February £330
Yacht & Boat Electrics
Aimed at sailors and professionals who want to learn the fundamentals of electrics for vessels of less than 24 metres. DC and AC systems tackled. Theory and practical sessions. Comprehensive learning pack supplied with the course.
1 - 2 February & 26 - 27 July £220
Marine Electronics
Aiming to keep everyone up-to-date with the latest navigation and safety electronics for marine use, including how instrumentation works, fitment, calibration, fault finding and legal aspects. Reference notes included.
3 February & 28 July £110
Sail Making
The only sail making course available in the United Kingdom. A highly practical course designing, cutting shapes, hand-sewing and maintaining traditional sails for anything from a small dinghy to a round-the-world yacht. There is a machine demonstration during the course. Contact us in advance if you want to work on sails for yourself.
1 - 5 March £550
Bespoke Lofting Courses
Jack Chippendale, renowned boat builder and former Chief Instructor at the Academy, now offers Lofting courses near his home in Norwich to two or three people at a time. The Academy is therefore not running Lofting courses in 2010, but will be delighted to give you Jack's contact details should you wish to learn the art of lofting from one of the most respected experts in the field.
Coming soon...
Greenland Kayak Building
We will publish details of this course on the website but if you would like further details or would like us to notify you when dates are set for the course please don't hesitate to contact us.
In-house accommodation
The Academy has 12 single bedrooms on site should you wish to live and work at the Academy while on a course. Please let us know as soon as possible if you would like further details or to book a room.
Please contact us, or see our website, for an application form. Send with your fee to:
Gemma Stunt
Boat Building Academy Ltd
Monmouth Beach
Lyme Regis
Dorset DT7 3JN
tel: 0044 (0)1297 445545
email: office@boatbuildingacademy.com
website: http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com/
If you need any further information, or would like to discuss your specific
requirements of a course, please don't hesitate to contact us.
If you would like to:
learn a skill not covered in this programme
join a course but can't make the date
arrange a bespoke course
please do talk to us about it. We are a small school and happy to work with people outside the published programme.
