The 38 week course began on a sunny September day. Staff and students
attending a welcome presentation and introduction to life
at the BBA. Some students had years of boating and/or
carpentry experience, others had little or none, but everyone
was here with one goal - to learn the skills they'd need
to change their lives and work in boat building, restoration
and repair.
Each
student talked about what they were doing before joining
the course. Their wide variety of backgrounds included
painting and decorating, automotive engineering, yacht
racing, graphic design, plastering and sign writing. One
student has spent the last 20 years at sea, another has
travelled extensively and we are saying 'hello' again
to two students who had previously joined us on short
courses. Once again a wonderfully diverse and interesting
group with a huge amount of life experience.
The group have completed their three months as the 'Upstairs Group' and are now down in the main workshop building their boats. Two of them have clubbed together and bought a 16' Lewes hire boat as a restoration project, the group will also build a new concept coastal rowing skiff designed by their chief instructor, Justin Adkin.
While washing up skills for some of them leave a lot to be desired the group has made a very positive and proactive start to 2012 in the work shop. To meet them and see photographic diaries of the boats they are building click here.
