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Class of
September 2009
Student
Profiles & Boat Diaries
To view the photographic
diaries of the boats being built on this course click on the links
below:
14'
Yachting World Dayboat
16'5"
Islay Skiff
14'3"
Canadian Canoe
12'5"
Mallard Dinghy
16'5"
Beer Beach Boat
14'
Skiff with polyester/ glass hull and wooden fit-out
| Steve Bramley |
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| Steve
worked as a tree surgeon and builder. He joined the
course not just because he wants to build boats, but also
because the woodworking skills will help him realise his ambition
to buy and renovate a property to house him, his wife, three
children and two dogs. Steve's family (and dogs) moved
from Hampshire to Lyme Regis with him so that he could join
the Academy which, Steve says, suits him because he's not
among just young students. |
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| James Downs |
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| From Ramsbottom in Lancashire, James joined the
BBA straight after studying carpentry and joinery at college.
Enrolling at the BBA was his father's idea (we do wonder whether
James's father will join the course one day) but James is thoroughly
enjoying the course and looking forward to pursuing a career
in boat building. |
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| Dom Frankis |
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Like
many people Dom fell into jobs with no idea
whether any of them
would bring him real satisfaction and, above all, the fun
he was looking for. After working for the last five
years in London as a Management Consultant in the health sector
Dom decided to take a break from it all and do something he
had never done, or even thought of doing, before - build a
boat. Dom's year of adventure will culminate in him building
a 12ft Mallard sailing dinghy and getting as many friends
in as possible...as Dom can't sail those friends could come
in very handy at the launch in June next year... |
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| Alasdair Grant |
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| Alasdair comes from a fishing family who live
in Aultbea, a village in the North West of Scotland. He has
always enjoyed working with wood and is very interested in boats,
in particular traditionally built wooden boats. Alasdair
first contacted the Academy when he was fourteen. Now
he is seventeen we felt that Alasdair was an excellent exception
to the '18 years and over' rule. After the course Alasdair
will continue working on boats and hopes to one day own his
own boat yard at home. |
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| Ben Larcombe |
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| Ben has worked as a snowboarding instructor in
California and loves the outdoors. He plays the violin, mandolin
and piano. After finishing an apprenticeship in pattern
making, which gave him some experience of working with wood,
Ben wanted to learn more and get some excellent practical skills
that he can use in boat or furniture making...or both.
Ben's dog, Carter, is a regular visitor to the Academy where
he is working on the skill of slipping his collar undetected
as an art form. |
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| Lachlan McKenzie |
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| Locky is a retired chartered surveyor and keen
dinghy sailor. He chose the course as a retirement project with
the objectives of being able to maintain wooden boats and also
to build a clinker Yachting World Dayboat to race in Chichester
Harbour. |
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| Martin McMahon |
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| Martin has long nurtured the idea of boat building
as a career and after 40 years in sales and marketing, predominantly
spent in the Financial Services and Banking industries, the
last 9 working in the Middle East, has finally committed to
realising his dream. Martin has considerable sailing experience
and has competed in many offshore yacht races including the
Fastnet. However, his real interest now is in traditional boat
building techniques and the restoration of classic craft. Martin
will pursue this as a new career path upon completion of the
course. |
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| Jon Palmer |
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| Jon studied product and furniture design at university.
He then spent three and a half years working in the industry
before taking a year out to travel round Asia, Australasia and
North America. He has always enjoyed an active life and took
the year to trek, climb, dive, cycle and paddle in as many places
as possible. During the following year, back at a desk in the
UK, Jon decided to find a course that would allow him to further
develop his skills, learn an alternative trade and work in a
more practical environment. Upon completion of the course, Jon
is looking to work in the marine industry. |
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| Tim Price |
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| Originally from South Africa, Tim joined the
course from Alderney, in the Channel Islands and has a lot of
past experience with boats; he is a MCA Master of Yachts, has
worked as crew, a water taxi, sailing instructor, counsellor
and in yacht delivery. Tim looked at the BBA because he wanted
to build boats, he joined the Academy after seeing the atmosphere
here during his interview visit - it 'sealed the deal'.
When he finishes the course Tim thinks he will probably stay
in the UK for a while, job allowing, but would like to live
somewhere sunny... |
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| Tom Trevessey |
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| Tom studied photography at Art College, and then
travelled around Europe and Australia. He joined the course
because he didn't want to be "just a chippy", and
with a love for outdoor activities, such as sailing, surfing,
skating and mountain biking, and a passion for boats he decided
that this was the course for him. Tom is using this course as
a stepping stone into the marine industry, eventually hoping
to become a skipper. |
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| Jim Walsh |
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| Jim is from the south of Ireland and at the age
of 27, while working in an architectural practice in Cork, he
awoke to the fact that he didn't want to spend the rest of his
life working at an office desk. Jim decided that the course
would enable him to combine his interest in woodwork, mechanics
and boats. Jim will go back to Ireland with his new skills
and set up a boat building business in Novohal near Kinsale,
Co. Cork. |
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