WoodenBoat School 2013
WoodenBoat School Campus
Our Working Waterfront
Mountain Ash Student House
Farmhouse Student Housing
WoodenBoat School Campus
Our Working Waterfront
Mountain Ash Student House
Farmhouse Student Housing
Application 2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL
NAME
PO Box 78, 41 WoodenBoat Lane, Brooklin, Maine 04616-0078 (207) 359-4651 Fax: (207) 359-8920 www.woodenboat.com www.woodenboat.c om
ADDRESS
Please register by phone, mail, or or fax. NOT NOT BY E-MAIL. E-MAIL.
CITY / STATE / ZIP
Desired Courses TELEPHONE: DAY
Date
Tuition
EVENING
E�MAIL
DATE OF BIRTH
FEMALE
MALE
OCCUPATION
EMERGENCY CONTACT
Total Total Tuition Tuition ADDRESS
Room & Board (course weeks x $481.50) CITY / STATE / ZIP
Campsite and/or Board Only (see page 56) TELEPHONE: DAY METHOD OF PAYMENT PAYMENT
EVENING
CHECK VISA MC DISCOVER AMEX
Total Material Costs Costs TOTAL COSTS
CARD NUMBER
Deposit Enclosed (one-half of total) EXPIRATION DATE
3�DIGIT CODE ON BACK OF CARD
Balance Due (one month before course begins) SIGNATURE (I understand the conditions for refunds)
DATE
Lodging / Meal prices prices include 7% tax where where applicable
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DATE
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT US?
Please describe any previous experience that relates to the course(s) you wish to attend. What do you expect to gain from the course, and how do you intend to use it? (Feel free to use additional paper).
2013 Schedule at a Glance MAY
JUNE
19–25 / 26–1 K E E W K R O W I N M U L A
K E E W K R O W I N M U L A
JULY
2–8
16 – 22
9 – 15
Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Greg Rössel
23 – 29
AUGUST
Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Wade Smith
Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Greg Rössel
Making Friends with Your Marine Diesel Engine with Jon Bardo
Glued-Lapstrake Plywood Construction with John Brooks
Finishing Out Small Boats with John Brooks
Build Your Own Greenland-Style Kayak with Mark Kaufman
TraditionalWood-andCanvas Canoe Construction with Rollin Thurlow
Stitch-and-Glue Boatbuilding with John Harris
Carving Waterfowl with Jerry Cumbo
Boatbuilder’s Hand Tools with Harry Bryan
Introduction to Boatbuilding with Bill Thomas
Marine Painting & Varnishing with Gary Lowell
Making Wood Tools with John Wilson
Fine Strip-Planked Boat Construction with Nick Schade
What Shape Is She In with David Wyman
Inspecting Fiberglass Boats with Sue Canfield
Bronze Casting for Boatbuilders with Sam Johnson
Lofting with Greg Rössel
Blacksmithing for Boatbuilders with Doug Wilson
Elements of Seamanship with Jane Ahlfeld & Annie Nixon
SEAMANSHIP COASTAL CRUISING SEAMANSHIP—pg 10
A week’s education under sail. On board ABIGAIL Hans Vierthaler—July 14–20, September 1–7
Elements of Seamanship The Marlinespike Sailor with Jane Ahlfeld & with Tim Whitten Annie Nixon
Knowing where you are on the water. Jane Ahlfeld—June 16–22
SMALL BOAT VOYAGING —pg 6
Competency, safety, and practical on-the-water skills. Jane Ahlfeld & Bill Thomas—September 1–7 TALLSHIPSAILINGAND SEAMANSHIP —pg 11 Learn numerous skills and sail handling aboard the schooner MARY DAY. Capt. Barry King & Jane Ahlfeld—August 11–17 THE CATBOAT —pg 5 The pleasures of a distinct American sailing craft. Martin Gardner—August 11–17 THE PLEASURE OF SEA KAYAKING—pg 12
CRUISING THROUGH THE WATCHES—pg 10
Voyaging safely and confidently under sail. On board ABIGAIL Hans Vierthaler —August 18-24 ELEMENTS OF SEAMANSHIP —pg 4
ADVANCED COASTAL K AYAKING Stan Wass—September 1–7
Learn-to-sail courses that emphasize seamanship, instill confidence, and are fun. ELEMENTS I Jane Ahlfeld & Annie Nixon—June 23–29, June 30–July 6 Martin Gardner & Sue La Voie— July 7–13, July 14–20 Jane Ahlfeld & Gretchen Snyder—August 4–10 (for women only) David Bill & Dave Gentry—August 11–17
ELEMENTS OF COASTAL KAYAKING Bill Thomas—June 14–20, August 4–10 Mike O’Brien—August 25–31 (age 50 and over) RECREATIONAL KAYAKING Mike O’Brien—August 11–17
ELEMENTS II Martin Gardner & Robin Lincoln—July 21–27 Martin Gardner & Dave Gentry—August 18–24 ISLANDEXPLORATIONAND SEAMANSHIP —pg 6
Exploring and using the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) islands. On board PATIENCE B Andy Oldman—July 21–27 KNOWING YOUR BOAT —pg 7
BOATBUILDING & WOODWORKING ADVANCED FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING —pg 14
Taking it one step further. Greg Rössel—September 1–14 BOATBUILDING AND WOODWORKING JIGS —pg 20
Do-it-yourself maintenance vs. hiring a professional. Hans Vierthaler—August 11–17 SAILINGDOWNEAST —pg 11
Exploring the Great Wass and Roque Island Archipelagoes. On board PATIENCE B Andy Oldman—July 28–August 3
The Art of Scrimshaw with Ron Newton
Rigging with Myles Thurlow
Elements of Seamanship with David Bill & Dave Gentry
SailingTraditional Daysailers & Beach Cruisers with Al Fletcher & Mike O’Brien
Seascape/Landscape in Watercolor with Phil Steel
The Catboat with Martin Gardner
Craft of Sail on BELFORD GRAY with David Bill
Elements of Seamanship for Women with Jane Ahlfeld & Gretchen Snyder
Craft of Sail on SOPHIA with Phillip LaFrance
Coastal Touring & Camping with Bill Thomas
Craft of Sail II with David Bill
Recreational Paddling with Mike O’Brien
Sailing Downeast with Andy Oldman
Elements of Coastal Kayaking with Bill Thomas
Knowing Your Boat with Hans Vierthaler
BOAT CABINETRY —pg 21
Practical guidance on the planning and constructing of interior joinery. Dave Merrifield—July 28–August 3 BUILDING A DORY —pg 16 Traditionalworkboatconstructionwith amastershipwright. Walt Ansel—September 8–14
Craft of Sail on TAMMY NORIE with Joel Roland
Island Exploration & Seamanship with Andy Oldman
Coastal Cruising Craft of Sail on ABIGAIL Seamanship on ABIGAIL with Hans Vierthaler with Hans Veirthaler Elements of Coastal Kayaking with Bill Thomas
BUILDING HALF MODELS —pg 25
The practice and pleasure of carving half-hull models. Mark Sutherland—July 14–20 Eric Dow—September 22–28 BUILDING THE ADIRONDACK GUIDEBOAT —pg 18 Lore, legend, use, and construction of a classic small craft. Geoff Burke—August 18–31 BUILDING THE ARCTIC TERN —pg 17
Epoxy-glued lapstrake plywood construction of a new Iain Oughtreddesign. Geoff Kerr—July 28–August 10
BUILD YOUR OWN SHEARWATER SPORT KAYAK —pg 29 A versatile,durable,easy-to-build kayak designedfor both the recreational and serious kayaker. Eric Schade—July 14–20 BUILD YOUR OWN SHELLBACK DINGHY OR NUTSHELL PRAM—pg 27
Glued lapstrake construction of a beautiful plywood daysailer. Arch Davis—August 4–17
Build the ideal dinghy in one busy, satisfying, and fun week. Jeremy Gage—July 21–27
BUILD YOUR OWN ANNAPOLIS WHERRY —pg 27
BUILD YOUR OWN SASSAFRAS CANOE —pg 28
Experience the ultimate in a recreational, open water pulling boat. Geoff Kerr—September 15–21 BUILD YOUR OWN BRONZE SALUTE CANNON —pg 25 Work alongside two master machinists. Michael Caldwell & Duke McGuiggan—July 28–August 3 BUILD YOUR GREENLAND-STYLE KAYAK —pg 26 A wonderfully simple and affordable boatbuilding project. Ideal to do with a partner Mark Kaufman—June 23–29 BUILD YOUR OWN NORTHEASTER DORY —pg 28 The elegance of a traditional workboat in stitch-and-glue construction. David Fawley—August 11–17
Designingandcreatingusefuljigs andboatbuildingaids. John Brooks—September 15–21
BUILD YOUR OWN PLANK CONSTRUCTED POND YACHTS —pg 24
BOATBUILDER’S HAND TOOLS —pg 21
BuildIduna,a vintageMarblehead-classpondyacht designedfor radio-control. Thom McLaughlin—September 1–7
Making, restoring, and using traditional tools of the trade. Harry Bryan—June 9–15
Essentials of Fine Woodworking with Janet Collins
Building the Arctic Tern with Geoff Kerr
Elements of Seamanship Elements of Seamanship Elements of Seamanship II with Martin Gardner & with Martin Gardner & with Martin Gardner & Robin Lincoln Sue LaVoie Sue LaVoie
BUILDING THE PENOBSCOT 13 —pg 17
COASTAL TOURING & CAMPING Bill Thomas—July 28–August 3
The Art of Woodcuts with Gene Shaw
Building the Penobscot 13 with Arch Davis
Elements of Boat Design with John Brooks
Craft of Sail on TAMMY NORIE with Joel Roland
The skill of handling these able, striking, and affordable small craft. Al Fletcher & Mike O’Brien—July 28–August 3 SEA SENSE UNDER SAIL —pg 8 Experience the true joy of sailing with a lifelong sailor. On board the 50’gaff-rigged sloop VELA Havilah Hawkins—September 8–14, September 15–21
A better understanding of your boat and her environment. On board a variety of boats David Bill —August 4–10
Build Your Own Build Your Own Shellback Build Your Own Bronze Salute Shearwater Sport Kayak Dinghy or Nutshell Pram Cannon with Duke McGuiggan & Michael Caldwell with Eric Schade with Jeremy Gage Building Half Models with Mark Sutherland
Build Your Own Northeaster Dory with David Fawley
Wooden Boat Restoration Methods with Walt Ansel
Woodcarving with Reed Hayden
SAILINGTRADITIONALDAYSAILERSANDBEACHCRUISERS —pg 5
CRAFT OF SAIL II—pg 8
Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Warren Barker
11 – 17
4 – 10
Boat Cabinetry with Dave Merrifield
CRAFT OF SAIL—pg 8
Learn and enjoy big-boat sailing with a master. On board the 40’Sloop TAMMY NORIE Joel Rowland—July 7–13, July 14–20 On board the 39’Ketch ABIGAIL Hans Vierthaler—July 21–27 On board the 28’Friendship Sloop BELFORD GRAY David Bill—July 28–August 3 On board the 38’C/B Yawl SOPHIA Phillip LaFrance—August 11–17, September 1–7 On board the 39’Yawl MISTY Queene Foster—August 18–24, August 25–31
28 – 3
Metal Working for the Painting the Downeast Coast in Oils Boatbuilder & Woodworker with Jerry Rose with Erica Moody
Coastwise Navigation with Jane Ahlfeld
COASTWISE NAVIGATION—pg 7
21 – 27
14 – 20
7 – 13
30 – 6
LapStitch construction of a lovely 12’ solo or 16’ tandem ultralight double-paddle canoe. John Harris—August 18–24 BUILD YOUR OWN WILLOW/QUICKBEAM SEA KAYAK —pg 26
Two easy-to-build, all-purpose stitch-and-glue sea kayaks. Bill Thomas—September 8–14 CARVING WATERFOWL —pg 30
Learn shallow relief carving along with decorative decoy techniques. Jerry Cumbo—June 2–8 ELEMENTS OF BOAT DESIGN —pg 15 Learn the principles and process–then practice on your own design. John Brooks—August 11–17 ESSENTIALS OF FINE WOODWORKING —pg 31 Building a dovetailed tool or utility box. Janet Collins—August 11–17
Tallship Sailing and Seamanship with Capt. Barry King & Jane Ahlfeld FINISHING OUT SMALL BOATS —pg 19
Creating neat woodwork and joinerwork. John Brooks—June 16–22 FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING —pg 14
Thetheory andpracticeof classicalboatbuilding. Greg Rössel—June 2–15, June 30–July 13 Wade Smith—June 16–29, September 15–28 Warren Barker—July 14–27 GLUED-LAPSTRAKE PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION —pg 19
Build ELLEN and a Sundog Skiff —versatile, agile 12’ sailing and rowingdinghies. John Brooks—June 9–15 INTRODUCTION TO BOATBUILDING —pg 16 A one-weekprimer on building small boats. Bill Thomas—June 16–22 John Karbott—August 18–24 LOFTING—pg 15
Making sense of all those lines and numbers. Greg Rössel—June 23–29, August 25–31
FINESTRIP-PLANKED BOATCONSTRUCTION —pg 22
MAKINGWOODTOOLS —pg 20
A guide tobuilding small boatswith wood strips andepoxy. Nick Schade—July 7–13, August 25–31
The art of making traditional woodworking tools. John Wilson—June 30–July 6
Off-Site Courses see page 40 SEPTEMBER 18 – 24
25 – 31
Building the Adirondack Guideboat with Geoff Burke Build Your Own Sassafras Canoe with John Harris
1–7
8 – 14
Advanced Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Greg Rössel
Small Boat Repairs with Eric Blake
15 – 21
22 – 28
Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Wade Smith
Build Your Own Willow/ Quickbeam Sea Kayak with Bill Thomas
Build Your Own Annapolis Wherry with Geoff Kerr
Making Friends with Your Marine Diesel Engine with Jon Bardo Building Half Models with Eric Dow
Introduction to Boatbuilding with John Karbott
Fine Strip-Planked Boat Construction with Nick Schade
Build Your Own Plank Constructed Pond Yachts with Thom McLaughlin
Building a Dory with Walt Ansel
Boatbuilding & Woodworking Jigs with John Brooks
Marine Electrics with Patrick Dole
Lofting with Greg Rössel
Coastal Maine in Watercolor with Amy Hosa
Vintage Pond Yachts Part II with Thom McLaughlin
Introduction to Canvas Work with Ann Brayton
Island Magic with Ruth Hill & Judy Mathewson
Marine Photography II with Jon Strout & Jane Peterson
Small Boat Voyaging with Jane Ahlfeld & Bill Thomas
Marine Photography with Jon Strout & Jane Peterson
Sea Sense Under Sail with Havilah Hawkins
Elements of Seamanship II with Martin Gardner & Dave Gentry
Craft of Sail on MISTY with Queene Foster
Craft of Sail on SOPHIA with Phillip LaFrance
Sea Sense Under Sail with Havilah Hawkins
Off-Site Courses see page 40 SEPTEMBER 25 – 31
18 – 24
Building the Adirondack Guideboat with Geoff Burke Build Your Own Sassafras Canoe with John Harris
1–7
8 – 14
Advanced Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Greg Rössel
Small Boat Repairs with Eric Blake
15 – 21
Fundamentals of Boatbuilding with Wade Smith
Build Your Own Willow/ Quickbeam Sea Kayak with Bill Thomas
Build Your Own Annapolis Wherry with Geoff Kerr
Making Friends with Your Marine Diesel Engine with Jon Bardo Building Half Models with Eric Dow
Introduction to Boatbuilding with John Karbott
Fine Strip-Planked Boat Construction with Nick Schade
Build Your Own Plank Constructed Pond Yachts with Thom McLaughlin
Building a Dory with Walt Ansel
Boatbuilding & Woodworking Jigs with John Brooks
Marine Electrics with Patrick Dole
Lofting with Greg Rössel
Coastal Maine in Watercolor with Amy Hosa
Vintage Pond Yachts Part II with Thom McLaughlin
Introduction to Canvas Work with Ann Brayton
Island Magic with Ruth Hill & Judy Mathewson
Marine Photography II with Jon Strout & Jane Peterson
Small Boat Voyaging with Jane Ahlfeld & Bill Thomas
Marine Photography with Jon Strout & Jane Peterson
Sea Sense Under Sail with Havilah Hawkins
Elements of Seamanship II with Martin Gardner & Dave Gentry
Craft of Sail on MISTY with Queene Foster
Craft of Sail on SOPHIA with Phillip LaFrance
Sea Sense Under Sail with Havilah Hawkins
Craft of Sail on MISTY with Queene Foster
Elements of Coastal Kayaking (age 50 or older) with Mike O’Brien
Advanced Coastal Kayaking with Stan Wass
Cruising through the Watches on ABIGAIL with Hans Vierthaler
22 – 28
Coastal Cruising Seamanship on ABIGAIL with Hans Veirthaler
MAKING FRIENDS WITH YOUR MARINE DIESEL ENGINE —pg 33
An introduction to evaluating small marine diesels. Jon Bardo—June 2–8, September 22–28 MARINE ELECTRICS—pg 33 A thorough introduction to marine electrical systems. Patrick Dole—August 18–24 MARINE PAINTING AND VARNISHING —pg 37
The art and science of finishing prep work to final coat. Gary Lowell—June 23–29
MARINE SURVEYING INSPECTING FIBERGLASS BOATS —pg 32 SMALL BOAT REPAIRS —pg 23
Figuring out what’s wrong and how to fix it. Eric Blake—August 25–September 7 STITCH-AND-GLUE BOATBUILDING—pg 29
Learn introductory and advanced modern plywood boatbuilding techniques suitable for heavy-duty boats. John Harris—July 7–13 THE ART OF WOODCUTS—pg 31
A professional approach to assessing fiberglass boats. Sue Canfield—June 9–15 WHAT SHAPE IS SHE IN —pg 32
A detailed study of boats. David Wyman, SAMS-AMS—June 2–8
RELATED CRAFTS
An intriguing woodworking project for the beginning or intermediate woodworker. Gene Shaw—July 21–27
BLACKSMITHING FOR BOATBUILDERS—pg 36 An introduction to traditionally forged ironwork for marine projects. Doug Wilson—June 16–22
TRADITIONAL WOOD-AND-CANVAS CANOE CONSTRUCTION—pg 18
BRONZE CASTING FOR BOATBUILDERS —pg 37
The art of the canoe with a master builder. Rollin Thurlow—June 30–July 6
The process of patternmaking and casting custom hardware. Sam Johnson—June 16–22
VINTAGE POND YACHTS – PART II —pg 24
COASTAL MAINE IN WATERCOLOR —pg 39
Further work toward completion of your previously started pond yacht. Thom McLaughlin—September 8–14 WOODCARVING —pg 30
Introductory and advanced techniques for both firsttime and experienced carvers. Reed Hayden—August 4–10 WOODEN BOAT RESTORATION METHODS —pg 23
The rebuilding process continued. Walt Ansel—July 28–August 10
Maritime details near and far. Amy Hosa—September 1–7 INTRODUCTION TO CANVAS WORK—pg 35
Project design, tools of the trade, industrial machine stitching, materials, and lots more. Ann Brayton—September 15–21 ISLAND MAGIC—pg 38
The art of seeing and s haring through writing, drawing, and photography. Ruth Hill & Judy Mathewson—August18–24
MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY I & II —pg 38
Techniques and tips for getting that perfect digital shot on and around the water. MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY I
Jon Strout & Jane Peterson—September 8–14 MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY II
Jon Strout & Jane Peterson—August 25–31 METAL WORKING FOR THE BOATBUILDER AND WOODWORKER—pg 36
A survey of tools and techniques. Erica Moody—July 14–20 PAINTING THE DOWNEAST COAST IN OILS —pg 39 A comprehensive approach to understanding how to see and paint the Maine coast. Jerry Rose—July 21–27 RIGGING—pg 34
Principles and practices; tools and traditional techniques. Myles Thurlow—August 4–10 SEASCAPE/LANDSCAPE IN WATERCOLOR —pg 39
The sea, the sky, and boats, for beginners on up. Phil Steel—August 4–10 THE ART OF SCRIMSHAW—pg 35
The step-by-step introduction to creating beautiful pieces. Ron Newton—July 28–August 3 THE MARLINESPIKE SAILOR—pg 34
Functional and decorative knots and ropework. Tim Whitten—July 7–13
2013 Dear Friends
W
elcome aboard! Thanks for inquiring about our program. As you browse through our catalog or our website , I’m fairly certain that there will be something that grabs your attention. There’s a lot of information packed into these pages, so take your time, read carefully, and get in touch if you have any questions or would like to register for a course(s). If what we offer interests you, I’m sure you’ll find that joining us for a course is worth your while. In Frank R. Wilson’s fascinating book The Hand, the author celebrates the importance of our hands to our lives today as well as to the development of our culture. Our hands play a key role in our capacity for thought, communication, and creativity. At WoodenBoat School, we present a wide array of “hands-on” courses that will both stimulate and inspire you. Classes are small and intimate, allowing each student the opportunity to receive plenty of personalized attention from their instructor. And our students are as diverse and fascinating a bunch as you could
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imagine—all ages and from all walks of life, with all levels of woodworking and boating experience. The common denominator is a passion for good boats— understanding them, building them, using them, and, most importantly, enjoying them. Our 64-acre campus is located on the beautiful coast of Maine, in the small community of Brooklin, an area steeped in the traditions of boatbuilding and fishing. It’s an easy place to settle in, relax, live in comfortable accommodations, make new friends, and learn new skills. Dedicated staff and faculty are more than willing to share their expertise with all who are interested. So, come join us this season, and help WoodenBoat School celebrate our 33rd year!
Rich Hilsinger Director
CONTENTS
MAINE
Seamanship ....................................3 Boatbuilding and Woodworking ... 13
BANGOR
VERMONT
Marine Surveying ......................... 32
AUGUSTA
Related Crafts ................................ 33 2013 Off-Site Courses..................... 40
NEW HAMPSHIRE
PORTLAND
Faculty .......................................... 41 Staff............................................... 55
MASSACHUSETTS
Registration Information ............... 56
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
BOSTON
BROOKLIN
Seamanship 2013 HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST WATERFRONT COURSE FOR YOU We receive many inquiries from individuals who are thinking about joining us on the water, yet are unsure which course(s) to sign up for. While there are certainly different things to consider, we’re confident that we can help you choose the best course to suit your needs. All of our Seamanship courses focus on becoming a sailor, which means much more than just learning to sail. Each course takes a “hands-on” approach, and the majority of class time will be spent in boats on the water. Our instructors are fine sailors themselves, each possessing good judgment and a knack for instilling confidence in a positive environment. Our classrooms are beautiful, wooden sailing and rowing craft that are a pure joy to step aboard. Our waters offer some of the finest sailing and cruising in the world. WoodenBoat School’s Seamanship program has something for everyone, beginner to experienced. A wonderful introduction to the art of sailing is our very popular ELEMENTS OF SEAMANSHIP course, offered throughout the season. For practical reasons, step two could be repeating ELEMENTS with another set of instructors. It is easy to forget information from one season to another, especially if you don’t have access to sailing where you live. The next step would be ELEMENTS II . Our CRAFT OF SAIL, CRAFT OF SAIL II , SKILLS OF COASTAL SEAMANSHIP , SEA SENSE UNDER SAIL, and ISLAND EXPLORATION AND SEAMANSHIP selections get more experienced students out
on an exciting array of larger sailing vessels. And, for those folks looking for a unique “liveaboard” experience, we offer COASTAL CRUISING SEAMANSHIP, CRUISING THROUGH THE WATCHES, and SAILING DOWNEAST. You’ll also find excellent opportunities to gain experience in coastwise navigation and kayaking. So, take your time and read through these pages slowly. Please keep in mind that we’ll be glad to help you with any decisions that may prove difficult; just get in touch with us. Choosing the appropriate course brings not only the exhilaration of learning new skills, but the satisfaction of time well spent for everyone involved.
WOODENBOAT’S FLEET OF SMALL CRAFT 28 6 BELFORD GRAY , Friendship sloop 18 8 Mackinaw gaff ketch 18 GERONIMO, Westpointer 16 SHEARWATER , double-ended ultralight 16 BABSON, outboard skiff 16 WHISP, sailing skiff 16 SHENANIGANZ, Fenwick Williams catboat 15 11 DOVEKIE, Herreshoff 12½ 15 11 WE 3, Herreshoff 12½ 15 11 SEAL, Herreshoff 12½ 15 11 ALLENE, Haven 12½ 15 11 CRACKERJACK, Haven 12½ 15 11 CONNIE L, Haven 12½ 15 11 FOX, Haven 12½ '
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14 9 AMERICAN BEAUTY , Whitehall pulling boat 14 SKYLARK, sailing dinghy 14 WILD ROSE, Maine Coast dory 14 SHIMMER, Biscayne Bay sharpie sloop 14 WINSLOW, Saturday Cove skiff 12 WHIMSY, Beetle Cat 12 ELATER, Beetle Cat 12 JESSE, Catspaw sailing dinghy 12 PICCOLO, sailing canoe 11 6 RACHEL and ARETHA, Shellback dinghies 11 6 CHARLOTTE, Tom Hill ultralight 10 GOOD COOKIES, Constant Camber rowing skiff 9 6 BIG, Nutshell sailing pram 7 7 LITTLE, Nutshell sailing pram '
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Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Seamanship ELEMENTS OF SEAMANSHIP I & II Learn-to-sail courses that emphasize seamanship, instill confidence, and are fun.
ELEMENTS I JANE A HLFEL D & ANNIE NIXON � JUNE 23�29 & JUNE 30�JULY 6
MARTIN GARDNER & SUE LaVOIE � JULY 7�13 & JULY 14�20 JANE AHLF ELD & GRETCHEN SNYDER � AUGUST 4�10
�women only�
DAVID BILL & DAVE GENTRY� AUGUST 11�17
ELEMENTS II MARTIN GARDNER & ROBIN LINCOLN� JULY 21�27 MARTIN GARDNER & DAVE GENTRY� AUGUST 18�24
Since early in WoodenBoat School’s history, we’ve had the great pleasure and satisfaction of introducing thousands of students to the joys of sailing. Our Elements courses continue to be among our most popular offerings, often bringing students back, year after year, for more sail training. Anyone can learn to sail, but these courses cover much more than that; our experienced instructors immerse each student in the art of seamanship. Our emphasis is on the skillful handling of small craft and building confidence in one’s abilities. These come from practice, and more practice. Sailing can provide a lifetime of fun and recreation, but it also requires some basic knowledge and experience. We have observed that the quickest and best way for folks to learn the fundamentals of sailing is by starting out in small boats. Our program will get you onto the water quickly, safely, and fully prepared. Under the calm and knowing guidance of our seasoned instructors, you’ll learn the essentials—sailing dynamics, boat rigging and spars, and safety precautions—followed by practical lessons on sailing techniques. Daily hands-on exercises and drills will take students through getting underway, maneuvering through the points of sail, keeping a course, tacking, returning to a mooring and dock, and much, much more. You’ll learn to rig our boats. We have various craft here that are suitable for the most timid and the most adventurous of students. Your on-the-water classroom for the week will be our fleet of Herreshoff and Haven 12½s—keel/centerboard daysailers that are a pure delight to sail safely. Above all, we want to take the drama out of sailing—it is a safe and enjoyable sport, and our heavy emphasis on seamanship should go far toward ensuring this goal. You’ll definitely have fun this week! When the wind is fickle, you’ll practice rowing and sculling. There will be daily classroom lessons about charts and navigation, safety equipment and weather conditions, knot tying and heavy-weather strategy. Our instructors focus their entire summer on our fleet and waterfront facility; their “sea sense” is highly tuned, and experiencing that may be the biggest lesson of all. In our ELEMENTS II course, students who have some prior small-boat sailing experience will have the chance to refresh their own “sea sense” and fine-tune their boating skills. You will work toward handling our vessels competently and confidently. Solo sailing will be encouraged, and a variety of more challenging
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tactical/navigational exercises will be presented. If you’re a graduate of ELEMENTS I, this is the perfect second step in your mastery of sailing. Essentially, this course is about sailing, sailing, and more sailing!
Tuition: $750
ELEMENTS II QUALIFICATIONS
Becoming a sailor takes time (more than one Seamanship course, we can promise), and it takes work. To ensure that you not find yourself “in over your head” in our ELEMENTS II course, we ask that you have recently completed our ELEMENTS I course, or have equivalent experience: you should feel reasonably comfortable sailing a small boat from a mooring or dock, and returning her safely, using crew to help. Improving your sailing skills will ultimately increase your enjoyment of the sport. If you have any questions regarding your abilities, please give us a call.
“Your ELEMENTS OF SEAMANSHIP course is extremely well organized and very well done. Teaching anything is not easy and trying to manage ten students on boats, and successfully pull it off, is a huge testament to our instructors. They were excellent.”
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
B.M., Sommerville, Massachusetts
Seamanship 2013 SAILING TRADITIONAL DAYSAILERS AND BEACH CRUISERS The skill of handling these able, striking, and affordable small craft. AL FLETCHER & MIKE O’BRIEN JULY 28AUGUST 3 In this unique seamanship course, students will have the rare opportunity to row and sail several traditional small boats, 20' and under, along the WoodenBoat waterfront and out to secluded islands that lie just beyond Great Cove. It will be a great chance to learn how to rig and handle spritsails, lugsails, gaff-headed sails, and the curiously named, but wonderfully efficient, Chesapeake leg-o’-mutton. With their origins along the working waterfront, these striking and no-nonsense boats make good practical sense. We’ll sample boats from such outstanding designers as Joel White, Paul Gartside, Nelson Zimmer, Iain Oughtred, Steve Redmond, Fenwick Williams, and others. Their simple and robust rigs are easily handled, readily repaired, and tend to cost far less than high-strung modern rigs with their tall masts and taut wire rigging. But, if you are to get the most out of these designs, you’ll need to know a few tricks. Both instructors, Mike O’Brien (former Senior Editor of WoodenBoat magazine) and Al Fletcher (past manager of WoodenBoat School’s waterfront), bring loads of experience rowing and sailing boats of this type. Al will also share his knowledge of working traditional three-strand rope with marlinespike and fid. Mike, a former championship oarsman, will teach participants how to row efficiently—more miles for less effort. A typical day might begin with a shoreside lesson and demonstration. Then we’ll row off into the morning calm. When the sea breeze pipes up, we’ll hoist sail. After lunch, we’ll enjoy more sailing and eventually return to the Mountain Ash Student House for a fine supper. The able small craft that we’ll sail offer an independence often lacking in heavier, deeper boats. Smaller boats can ride trailers to choice and distant cruising grounds. They can sail across the flats to unspoiled creeks. They can sidle right up to a deserted island beach that would force their larger cousins to stand off. They live happily, and inexpensively, in our backyards, not in boatyards. They go together relatively quickly. And if we wish to build our own, we can work happily without the worry that our heirs might have to finish the project.
THE CATBOAT The pleasures of a distinct American sailing craft.
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MARTIN GARDNER AUGUST 1117 Catboats have been around forever and are as much a part of America’s history as the Model T Ford or the Wright Brothers’ first flight. These shallow-draft, broad-beamed, centerboard boats with a single mast right up in the bow have played an important role among American working and pleasure craft. The earliest examples of these vessels were found sailing in New York waters. As the type spread into New England, changes were made to accommodate not only the different conditions encountered along these open coastlines, but also the different fisheries in which they would be employed. They eventually garnered the attention of sailing enthusiasts and became popular as a racing class, youth sail trainer, family daysailer, and cruising boat. Catboats are, as L. Francis Herreshoff said, “one of our most romantic types” and survive today as pleasure boats—very pleasurable boats—simple, roomy, comfortable, and when properly handled, very well behaved. This course combines practical skills with some fun, relaxed voyaging. We’ll use catboats large and small—from 12 ' Beetles to a 21' Crosby. We’ll rig them, sail them, reef them, and moor them. We’ll learn how to let them take care of themselves, to self-steer, and to heave-to. We’ll pick exciting destinations for day trips, sail to them, anchor, and explore local waters and islands. We’ll cover all the basics of seamanship with particular emphasis on navigation, using tools ranging from the lead line to the iPad. Catboats lend themselves to relaxed sailing, and we’ll make a point of soaking up the beauties of the Eggemoggin Reach and other local waters as we cruise under plenty of canvas.
Tuition: $750 Note: Prior sailing experience required for this course.
Tuition: $750 Note: Prior sailing experience required for this course.
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Seamanship SMALL BOAT VOYAGING Competency, safety, and practical on-the-water skills. JANE A HLFELD & BIL L THOMA S SEPTEMBER 17
Have you ever wished for the confidence to venture out further under sail than the familiar waters you’re used to sailing on? Or while you’re a student here at WoodenBoat School, have you yearned to go out beyond Great Cove? This new course taught by longtime sailing instructor Jane Ahlfeld and Maine Guide and waterman Bill Thomas will provide just such an opportunity and help build the skills needed for planning and executing your own voyages in a small boat. Participants will explore the wealth of islands and coves within day-trip distances of WoodenBoat School and return to our campus each day. In the classroom, you will review weather forecasts, tide and current tables, chart reading and navigation, as well as concepts and theories of small-boat handling. Trip planning, gear considerations, provisioning, first aid, and “leave no trace” ethics will be discussed. Out in the boats, we’ll put all these new skills to practical on-the-water use. Each day we’ll head out as a group to nearby islands and coves in boats selected from the school’s great collection of recreational watercraft. Depending on weather conditions, these might be rowing or pulling boats or daysailers. Daily practice at anchoring and coastwise navigation, including the real aspects of tides and changing weather, will reinforce the theories discussed in the classroom. At the conclusion of this course, students should return back to their home waters with the skills and judgment needed to safely plan and enjoy their own day and overnight small-boat voyages.
Tuition: $750 Note: This is not a beginner’s sailing course. Participants should be able to sail and manage a boat on their own.
“The trust which was placed in us and our abilities to work in your shops and use your incredible waterfront was extraordinary…..in fact, very unique, in my experience. Thank you so much.” B.Z., Mountain View, California 6
ISLAND EXPLORATION AND SEAMANSHIP Exploring and using the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) islands. ON BOARD THE 36’ KETCH PATIENCE B ANDY OLDMAN JULY 2127 The Maine Island Trail is a 325-mile-long waterway extending from Casco Bay in the west to Machias Bay in the east. The trail winds its way along the coast over saltwater rivers and quiet bays, around magnificent and exposed capes, and among islands large and small. It takes advantage of the existence of over 90 privately owned and state-owned islands and numerous public mainland sites along the route, using them for day visits or overnight stopovers where one can camp in a wilderness setting. Come share Andy Oldman’s enthusiasm for exploring, gunkholing, and navigating the MITA islands. WoodenBoat School is ideally located in the midst of the magnificent Deer Isle archipelago and is within five miles of 14 of the MITA islands. Remarkably, they are among the best-kept secrets of mid-coast Maine. Often thought of as the province of only kayaks, the MITA islands are open to all MITA members and any form of waterborne transportation. The emphasis of this course will be to balance the skills and demands of island seamanship with the incredible rewards of time spent ashore on these islands and islets. We will sail Eggemoggin Reach, Jericho Bay, and Merchants Row while learning a variety of specialized sail handling and anchoring techniques so that we can moor our 36’ ketch PATIENCE safely and very close to shore. Safety and fitness issues will include frank discussions on seasickness, the challenges of moving about the deck at night and in rough weather, and methods and products available for rescuing a man overboard. Toward the end of the week, we will practice a manoverboard recovery while under way. The anchoring and landing process is often complex and exciting. It is a fine exercise for building confidence. At particularly challenging locations, we will make our own detailed charts of the island anchorage so that return visits may be repeated with ease and certainty. During one of the island landings we will demonstrate setting up and using a portable outhaul mooring for one of our dinghies. We will also discuss and problem solve how PATIENCE B is able to safely approach and anchor, and then make a beach landing in thick fog. Each day’s voyage will be planned, charted, and navigated by the class to reflect wind and sea conditions and the particular emphasis of the island selected for exploration. All participants will have the opportunity to learn as much as they wish about gaff rig, chart work, weather prediction, and electronic aids to navigation. We intend to spend plenty of time on various islands to allow full enjoyment of the sweeping vistas, examination of the vegetation, bird and sea life, and to undertake photography, sketching, or just relaxing.
Tuition: $840 Note: Students should be in good physical condition, have good balance and agility and the ability to enter and exit small boats from larger craft, beach or rocky shore.
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Seamanship 2013 COASTWISE NAVIGATION
KNOWING YOUR BOAT
Knowing where you are on the water.
Do-it-yourself maintenance vs. hiring a professional.
JANE AHLFELD JUNE 1622 Except in the smallest bodies of water, the sailor is helpless if he or she lacks the ageold skills of piloting and dead reckoning. Even in the clear waters of the tropics, vigilant eyeball navigation is not enough to keep a vessel off the reefs. Along Maine’s coast of cloudy waters, sharp rocks, and sometimes thick fogbanks, only a fool would get underway without a good understanding of how to use charts and instruments to navigate a safe voyage. For these reasons, basic piloting is taught in all our Seamanship classes. The goal of this course is to give students a really thorough understanding of, and facility with, the subject—approaching it both “academically” and on the water. You’ll start with charts, the fundamental tool of the navigator. Modern charts present an incredible amount of information, and to really utilize it all—to continuously visualize the connection between the chart and your spot on the water—takes skill and experience. Jane will help you acquire both. You’ll learn about symbols, scales, specialized charts, and more. You’ll examine compasses—types, azimuths, lubber lines, the confusions of deviation and variation. Parallel rules and dividers will become your friends as you learn the techniques of plotting courses, LOPs, and fixes. You’ll move on to more advanced procedures such as running fixes, compensation for set and drift, bow and beam bearings, circles of position, and the six-minute rule. You’ll go boating a lot in this course, putting your lessons into practice and getting skillful with the tools. You’ll use traditional and reliable instruments like the compass and leadline, and you’ll get your hands on electronic devices like depthsounders, Loran, and GPS. A day or two of fog will be welcome, but barring that, you’ll work under an airplane pilot’s training glasses to experience running blind. The beauty of this course is that it provides the ideal blend of the theory and practice of coastal navigation. By week’s end, you should be able to enjoy the niceties of piloting and relax more with your boat on the water.
Tuition: $750 Note: This course will include a day with marine electronics writer, and former WoodenBoat instructor, Ben Ellison on his 37' lobster yacht GIZMO, aboard which is installed a remarkable collection of chart plotters, radars, sonars, and other modern aids to navigation.
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HANS VIERTHALER AUGUST 1117 In this new course taught by veteran skipper/boatbuilder/rigger and longtime boat owner Hans Vierthaler, we will look at many of the factors that go into maintaining a wooden boat and how to determine what work should/could be done by the owner and what should be passed on to a professional. Decisions like these can often be challenging ones, especially for the boat’s owner, but they don’t have to be daunting. A regular maintenance program is the key, and students in this course will explore how to go about designing such a plan. This week will be full of practical information. You’ll quickly discover that nothing is maintenance free. Hans and his students will cover all aspects of caring for a boat—paint and varnish, rigging, deck gear, systems, and mechanical. You’ll learn how things work, where to look for wear and tear, causes and cures, when to make improvements, and when a professional should be called in for advice or to do actual repairs. Each morning students will go aboard a different vessel and inspect how each one is set up, what condition it is in and where potential problems may exist. After lunch, you’ll take these boats out for an afternoon sail and see for yourself how all the various systems come together as a whole to make the vessel safe and fun under sail. At week’s end, students will have a new appreciation for boat maintenance and a keener eye for avoiding some of the trouble before it happens and keeping ahead of future problems. Most important, everyone will discover that a great deal of this regular maintenance, which is within the scope of the average boat owner, can easily be done by the boat owner him or herself. And, as a bonus, you will also have had the pleasure of sailing on some finest sailing craft you’ll ever step foot on.
Tuition: $750
“We came to the COASTAL CRUISING SEAMANSHIP course with high hopes and expectations, all of which were exceeded. Hans Vierthaler was excellent – knowledgeable, experienced and very patient. ABIGAIL was a wonderful classroom.” K.V., Tampa, Florida
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Seamanship SEA SENSE UNDER SAIL
CRAFT OF SAIL
Experience the true joy of sailing with a lifelong sailor.
Learn and enjoy big-boat sailing with a master.
ON BOARD THE 50' GAFF�RIGGED SLOOP VELA HAVILAH HAWKINS � SEPTEMBER 8�14 SEPTEMBER 15�21
ON BOARD THE 40’ SLOOP TAMMY NORIE
JOEL ROWL AND� JULY 7�13, JULY 14�20 ON BOARD THE 39’ KETCH ABIGAI L
HANS VIERTHALER� JULY 21�27 ON BOARD THE 28’ FRIENDSHIP SLOOP BELFORD GRAY
Havilah “Haddie” Hawkins has been sailing and fooling around in boats throughout his life. His father, Havilah “Buds” Hawkins designed, built, sailed, and skippered boats his entire life and was a well-known fixture in the wooden boat community. It’s no wonder salt water quickly found its way into Haddie’s veins. WoodenBoat School is excited to offer students a one of a kind opportunity to sail and learn from this master mariner on board the beautiful 50' gaff sloop of his own design, VELA. This will be a glimpse into the lure of sailing—a week full of seamanship, skills afloat, sound advice, and storytelling under sail. You’ll learn how to control VELA on all points of sailing, how her sails work, their trimming, the forces involved, dealing with wind shifts, picking up moorings, anchoring and laying to. Haddie will also share his thoughts on the practical aspects of running and maintaining a large vessel, and running a safe ship. Students will also learn about navigation, the weather and tides, the visual signs you should watch for, coastal geography and geology, marine life, sea conditions, and using common sense. Above all, this will be a wonderful occasion to enjoy the fun and rewards of sailing.
Tuition: $750 Note: Students should be in good physical condition, have good balance and agility and the ability to enter and exit small boats from larger craft, beach or rocky shore.
“You make a cohesive product out of disparate people who are way out of their element in a wholly welcoming, entirely comfortable, never condescending manner. And routinely blowing people’s minds. It is uncommon to see anyone do it as well as your team does. Very, very uncommon. Your passion is contagious. A class act in a class of its own. I’ll be back.” B.D., Flagstaff, Arizona
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DAVID BILL� JULY 28�AUGUST 3 ON BOAR D THE 38’ C/B YAWL SOPHIA
PHILLIP LAFRANCE�AUGUST 11�17, SEPTEMBER 1�7 ON BOA RD THE 39’ YAWL MISTY
QUEENE FOSTER�AUGUST 18�24, AUGUST 25�31
CRAFT OF SAIL is for folks who have some previous sailing experience, whether it comes from a seamanship program or personal involvement with boats. The course is designed for those who want to improve their skills and confidence on the water, particularly in the context of a cruising-sized vessel. Subjects include sail theory, hull and rig balance, helmsmanship, piloting in clear weather and fog, approaching and leaving floats and moorings, knots and rigging, man-overboard strategy, handling ground tackle, crew management; and, with those of our vessels that have power plants, maneuvering under power, and the rudiments of auxiliary engines and navigation instruments. The seaman aspires to the mastery of many subjects, but the essence of the craft of sail is sea sense: the ability to tune in to a boat, the weather, and the crew, and apply good judgment so that all work together harmoniously. Our instructors understand this, and they will help you to acquire that sense by sharing their own experiences and by encouraging you to think and feel a boat through various real and “what if” situations. With a maximum of five students, there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions and try tricks at the helm. There are numerous sailing schools out there, but few offer experience in cruising/charter-sized vessels like these—and none that we know of offer instruction by such experienced sailors on such lovely yachts.
Tuition: $750 Note: Students should be in good physical condition, have good balance and agility and the ability to enter and exit small boats from larger craft, beach or rocky shore.
CRAFT OF SAIL II A better understanding of your boat and her environment. ON BOARD A VARIETY OF BOATS DAVID BILL � AUGUST 4�10
This unique seamanship course is designed for those who have some big-boat experience, yet feel a need to fine-tune their sailing skills. Capt. David Bill and his students will head out each morning on a different boat to expose crew members to different rigs and how they perform in a variety of conditions. Sail selection, reefing, deck safety, heavy-weather sailing, anchoring, and steering with sails are among the many topics to be covered in this stimulating, on-the-water course.
Tuition: $750 Note: Students should be in good physical condition, have good balance and agility and the ability to enter and exit small boats from larger craft, beach or rocky shore.
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Seamanship 2013 TAMMY NORIE is a 40' sloop designed by Kim Holman. Built to be both a comfortable family cruising boat and a blue-wate r voyager, she was constructed in 1969 at Whisstock’s Boatyard in Woodbridge, England. The boat was one of seven sister ships (known as the Whisstock Landfall 40s) built by th e yard between 1958 and 1972. O n her maiden voyage, owner Bud McElf resh and his family deli vered TAMMY NORIE from England to Connecticut. She cruised in Long Island Sound and along the East ern Seaboard with the McElfresh family until she was pu rchased in 1992 by Dr. Mike Rowland and delivered to Maine. She has since completed two more transatlantic voyages and has received constant maintenance and upgrades to her hull, cockpit, cabin, and rig. Owned now by Joel Rowland, TAMMY NORIE has been outfitted for coastwise sailing and charter work. She is a modern, beautiful, simple, and stable boat for anyone wishing to learn sailing skills while exploring the islands and bays of the Maine coast.
Z T I W O L D N E M N I M A J N E B
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MISTY is one of the famed 39' Concordia yawls built at Abeking and Rasmussen in Germany for the Concordia Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Designed by Ray Hunt and Waldo Howland in 1939, the 39s served as family cruisers and successful b luewater racers, and are known for their intricate construction details, beautiful proportions, and grace on the water. MISTY spent 45 of her 52 years on the Great Lakes in the care of one loving family who raced her successfully. She’s received excellent care over the years, and has never needed a major rebuild. Her layout and details are original. Her yawl rig provides many lines to pull to adjust her sails to perfection. MISTY is easy to sail in nearly all conditions, because no sail is t oo large to handle.
Our own 28'6" Friendship sloop, BELFORD GRAY, was designed by Joel White and named in honor of a very special friend and former instructor here at WoodenBoat School. This handsome vessel was built with the talents and dedication of many enthusiastic students working under the guidance of master boatbuilder Gordon Swift. Launched in 1992, BELFORD G RAY has perform ed admirably over the years. With the feel of a real vessel under sail, BELFORD GRAY provides each individual student with a safe and enjoyable learning environment in which to sharpen his or her own skills afloat. With an easy motion, she deals with the wind and sea confidently—a common trait among Friendship sloops. She is fun to sail a nd may be the perfect boat in which to gain a better understanding of the art of seamanship.
SOPHIA is a handsome Arthur Robb design built in 1959 on the Isle of Wight in the UK by R & W Clark. She’s a comfortable 38’ auxiliary centerboard yawl with 4' draft extended to 7' with her centerboard down. The fast and successful centerboard yawl S&S FINISTERRE, extremely wide and shallow for the time period, influenced Robb. But SOPHIA’s design remains more in keeping with the English style, a little narrower and deeper. SOPHIA’s first owner took her across the Atlantic many times, stopping in Italy to make some interior changes. Her second owner sailed her from Maine to Hopetown in the Bahamas on a yearly basis and he served as the island doctor for the community. Phillip La France has owned SOPHIA for the last five years making her his sixth wooden sailboat. She is fast and stable and the shallow draft allows her to go places where others cannot. The yawl design gives everyone something to do with small mizzens, stay sails, and spinnakers, which add speed and unique sail options not found on a sloop.
VELA, a 50' straight-stemmed, gaff sloop, was designed by owner/skipper Havilah Hawkins and built in 1996 by the Wooden Boat Co. in Camden, Maine. Sporting a single headsail and a large mainsail—800 sq ft on a 35' boom—VELA is a pleasure to sail in all wind conditions. Lazyjacks and lifts enable the huge mainsail to be easily handled by only two people. Comfortable, seaworthy, and well balanced, this beautiful boat provides a perfect classroom for students who will learn how to work with the wind and sea, not against them.
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Seamanship CRUISING THROUGH THE WATCHES
COASTAL CRUISING SEAMANSHIP
Voyaging safely and confidently under sail.
A week’s education under sail.
ON BOARD THE 39 ' KETCH ABIGAI L HANS VIERTHALER AUGUST 1824
ON BOARD THE 39 ' KETCH ABIGAI L HANS VIERTHALER JULY 1420, SEPTEMBER 17
If you’ve ever wondered what it is like and how to make an overnight or extended trip along the coast, or an ocean voyage, this week with Hans will shed plenty of light on the subject. We offer this opportunity to the experienced, large-boat sailor wishing to advance his or her skills in the areas of coastal piloting, navigation, sail-handling, watch-keeping, safety at sea, and much more. In addition to the topics covered in our COASTAL CRUISING SEAMANSHIP courses, the centerpiece of this liveaboard course will be journeying overnight to a destination. Students will be able to immerse themselves in the daily routines of a traditional sailing vessel, while learning how to choose and plan a long-range destination appropriate for weather and tide conditions, safety considerations, standing a watch, and nighttime piloting. The moon will be moving toward its fullest stage during this week, and we hope to take full advantage of it and experience the thrill of moonlit sailing. The week will start with Hans explaining the various systems, instrumentation, and sail configurations aboard his beautiful 39' ketch, ABIGAIL. After spending the first night in a secluded anchorage, Hans and his students will determine the best option for an extended cruise after listening to the weather, developing a backup plan should conditions change, and laying out a watch schedule. Tuesday you’ll set off on your adventure. Designed to build the confidence of sailors who are seeking new challenges and wish to go beyond the boundaries of day sails from the WoodenBoat waterfront, CRUISING THROUGH THE WATCHES may help one prepare for eventual boat ownership and/or realize the dream of an extended cruise. Whatever your reasons for signing on for this course, you will find your captain a knowledgeable and patient instructor, and eager to share his 20 years of experience sailing in the coastal and offshore waters of Maine.
Over the years we’ve learned that the best way to discover the pleasures and develop the skills of cruising under sail is to sail off in the right boat with the right skipper. This season we are again proud to offe r two liveaboard courses on board a classic vessel. The 39' John Alden–designed cruising ketch ABIGAIL, with Hans Vierthaler as your instructor, is a beautiful example of a bluewater yacht, and a great vessel on which to learn about sailing. Designed to provide the maximum of comfort and seaworthiness, accommodating students in a safe, spacious manner. Hans Vierthaler is a seasoned, proven, and enthusiastic sailor who has spent a good portion of his life sailing and living aboard boats. He will create a custom-tailored course in which you will be patiently coached toward the next level in your sailing career—whether it be skippering a vessel on your own, or crewing with increased confidence, competence, and enjoyment. Everyone shares in the responsibilities of the cruise, including skippering, navigating, and cooking. There’s time, too, to savor the pleasures that cruising is all about—feeling a well-found vessel moving through a seaway, experiencing the peace and freedom of life at sea, and slipping into quiet anchorages each night. This is a rare opportunity to learn anything and everything you wish to about the complex subject of bigboat cruising, and we’re very pleased to have the chance to offer it to you.
Tuition: $1150
Tuition: $1150
Note: Students should be in good physical condition, have good balance and agility and the ability to enter and exit small boats from larger craft, beach or rocky shore.
Note: Students should be in good physical condition, have good balance and agility and the ability to enter and exit small boats from larger craft, beach or rocky shore.
ABIGAIL is a lovely 39' ketch designed by John Alden in his later years and built by Seth Persson in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Rugged yet handsome, this double-planked boat was originally launched in 1956. Having undergone both a structural and cosmetic restoration at Brooklin Boat Yard, ABIGAIL was relaunched in the summer of 1994. She is no stranger to the Maine cruising community and has also cruised the Caribbean during a brief period of ownership by an Italian count.Varied sail inventory gives ABIGAIL the versatility one needs for the changeable winds found on Maine’s coast, and a 4108 Perkins diesel is always available for those flat-calm days. Her spacious cockpit, wide decks, high bulwarks, standing headroom, and current electronics all contribute to a comfortable learning experience.
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Seamanship 2013 SAILING DOWNEAST Exploring the Great Wass and Roque Island Archipelagoes ON BOARD THE 36 ' KETCH PATIENCE B ANDY OLDMAN JULY 28AUGUST 3 In this course on board the 36 ' ketch PATIENCE B, Andy Oldman and three students will chart a course for the unsurpassed beauty of Maine’s Downeast cruising grounds and islands east of Mount Desert. We will visit and explore the Great Wass Island and Roque Island archipelagoes. Our itinerary, always subject to weather and sea conditions, will include Jonesport, Mistake Island Harbor, The Mudhole and Crumple Island, and on to Roque Island, famous for its cirque sand beach, and adjacent islands: Great Spruce and The Brothers. This course has an ambitious schedule, and students can look forward to extended days under sail with possible overnight sailing in the mix. Undoubtedly, the weather will vary, consisting usually of fine summer winds mixed in with some thick Downeast fog. Students will commence loading at noon on Sunday, and depart for Frenchboro in plenty of time to arrive before dark. At first light on Monday, PATIENCE B will depart for Moose Peak lighthouse and Mistake Island Harbor on Great Wass, and arrive by sunset. The return is timed to enjoy the spectacular scenery and sunset off Schoodic Point and Mount Desert as we head west to Frenchboro again for our final night at anchor. We will return in time to regale our fellow classmates with exciting Downeast tales at the Friday night lobster bake. Navigation, sail handling, maritime safety, anchoring, our own meal preparation, and island landings/exploration will occupy much of our time. Under sail we will have the opportunity to extensively use radar and a state-of-the-art chart plotter. On land, plenty of time is available for hiking, sketching, and photography. PATIENCE B has carried two families some 45,000 miles on two major open water passages, and is fully equipped and well found. She is spartan by contemporary yacht standards, filled with old-world ambiance and comfortable, cozy accommodations. Andy will communicate with the selected students to arrange basic meal planning, gear necessities, etc. well in advance of our departure.
Tuition: $1500 Note: Due to the extensive physical challenges of the trip, excellent physical condition, good balance, and agility are basic requirements for this voyage, along with previous large-boat sailing experience.
Another traditional sailing vessel in our Seamanship program is the William Hand–designed 36' cruising ketch PATIENCE B, launched in 1988. Harry and Martha Bryan and their two children spent three years lovingly crafting the gaff-rigged boat and then sailed off on a 32,000-mile adventure that most folks only dream about. In 2000-2001, Andy, Madeleine, and Sumi Oldman continued the adventuring on PATIENCE B with a 20,000-mile voyage to France, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic islands, Brazil, Chile, and home to Boston via the Galápagos Islands and Panama Canal. PATIENCE B is not only beautiful to look at, but a great pleasure to sail. She is a proven bluewater sailer, dry, comfortable, handy, able, and reasonably quick if her crew treats her properly. The versatility of her rig gives her the ability to be sailed quite comfortably under any wind or sea condition.
TALLSHIP SAILING AND SEAMANSHIP Learn numerous skills and sail handling aboard the schooner MARY DAY. CAPT. BARRY KING AND JANE AHLFELD AUGUST 1117
WoodenBoat School invites you to join Jane Ahlfeld and Capt. Barry King for a week of experiential instruction aboard one of Penobscot Bay’s legendary tall ships, the schooner MARY DAY. Launched in 1962 and rebuilt during the winter of 1999/2000, the schooner is 90’ on deck, 125’ sparred length, displaces 96 tons, and carries 5,200 sq. ft. of canvas with more sails than any other windjammer on the bay. She is a big, pure sailing vessel, designed and rigged along the lines of a traditional coasting schooner, but built with comfort and safety in mind. During this “hands-on,” team-oriented course, students will have the opportunity to become integral members of the MARY DAY crew. Topics covered will include general seamanship, coastal navigation, and marlinespike seamanship. Students will be divided into teams to learn the skills that every sailor needs aboard any vessel. The Crew of MARY DAY will expertly guide you in trimming and handling sails, steering, plotting a course, stitching a ditty bag, and going aloft (optional) to stow the topsails. On Friday, students will take command and utilize the skills they have been learning throughout the week. Like any windjammer cruise, we will get ashore each day to walk, stretch, and explore. There will be time at night to enjoy some traditional sailor’s songs and relax under the stars. Great food is the hallmark of any windjammer cruise to satisfy the hardiest appetites, including a Maine lobster picnic. The rhythm of shipboard life provides a unique environment to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the Maine coastline. Most importantly, Barry and Jane bring humor, joy, and a relaxed atmosphere to the sailing experience. Join Barry, Jane, and the crew of the MARY DAY for a great week under sail discovering the workings of a traditional sailing ship.
Tuition: $1075 Note: This is a six-day course that begins and ends in Camden Harbor, Camden, Maine. All reservations should be made through the schooner’s office at 800-992-2218. www.schoonermaryday.com. There is space available for friends of participants who would rather not take part in the hands-on sail training.
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Seamanship THE PLEASURE OF SEA KAYAKING Expert guidance for enjoying paddling in all types of water. Perhaps nothing, absolutely nothing, conveys the joy of being afloat quite so purely as a kayak. Thus, WoodenBoat School offers you a variety of outstanding opportunities in a world-class setting to learn and enjoy the art of this popular water sport. In a series of day trips, you’ll explore some of the most spectacular parts of the Maine coast. From the basics to tips on accomplishing more advanced sea kayaking skills, these courses and talented instructors will enable you to discover a new and exciting environment that beckons just off saltwater and freshwater coastlines everywhere.
RECREATIONAL PADDLING MIKE O’BRIENAUGUST 11 17 Using a variety of all-purpose, stable, and roomy recreational kayaks and decked, double-paddle canoes, students will learn about different types and features of paddling craft; basic gear and equipment; paddling strokes and maneuvering; navigation; rescue slings; car-topping tips; and much more. A great week to develop confidence and thoroughly enjoy open water paddling!
ADVANCED COASTAL KAYAKING STAN WASS SEPTEMBER 1 7
Choose from the following courses:
ELEMENTS OF COASTAL KAYAKING BILL THOMAS JULY 14 20, AUGUST 4 10 MIKE O’BRIEN AUGUST 25 31 FOR AGE 50 & OVER Selecting an appropriate kayak; safety skills; basic gear and equipment; transporting kayaks; paddling strokes; launching and landing; nautical charts and navigation; capsize and recovery skills; and better understanding weather and sea conditions are a sample of the many topics covered in this fully comprehensive course. Good fun and a great education!
An all-inclusive review of various strokes and braces; maneuvering; techniques to handle wind, waves, and weather; rules of safety; Eskimo rolls and rescues; long distance paddling; and more. Designed for those individuals looking to gain skills, further their understanding of gear, and spend more time on the water. This is not an introductory course; previous kayaking experience is required.
Tuition: $750 (For each course) Note: Kayaks, paddles, sprayskirts, and life jackets will be provided by the School, but students are welcome and encouraged to bring their own if desired. Note: Students should be in good physical condition, have reliable balance and agility and the ability to enter and exit kayaks from beach or rocky shore.
COASTAL TOURING & CAMPING BILL THOMAS JULY 28 AUGUST 3 Choosing the right kayak and equipment; seamanship skills; safety and common sense; trip planning and navigating; packing and keeping things dry; emergency repairs and rescues; and lots more. You’ll use the WoodenBoat School waterfront for three days and camp two nights on nearby islands. Perfect for the outdoor adventurer!
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Boatbuilding & Woodworking 2013 HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST BOATBUILDING COURSE FOR YOU The key to deciding which class best suits your needs is to carefully read each course description, which incorporates much information about the course’s content and level of experience. We’ll also be glad to help you with any questions you may have after reading this catalog, and if need be we can put you in contact with our instructors. Choosing the right course means that you will be satisfied, appropriately challenged, and among others whose goals and abilities are similar to yours. For those of you looking for a great introduction to traditional wooden boat construction, we recommend: FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING , INTRODUCTION TO BOATBUILDING , BUILDING THE ADIRONDACK GUIDEBOAT and BUILDNG A DORY. If you are interested in a certain type of construction, there is plenty to choose from. You’ll find various courses in the following construction
methods: plank-on-frame, plywoodepoxy, strip-plank, stitch-and-glue, and much, much more. You’ll also find a wide variety of courses in which a class or individuals will build canoes or kayaks. A fair number of students are interested in taking a series of courses, with a goal of becoming more proficient or even working toward a career in boatbuilding. We suggest considering the following sequence: LOFTING; FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING ; BUILDING HALF MODELS ; ELEMENTS OF BOAT DESIGN ; then one or more courses that focus on a particular design or type of construction. Many of our shop courses are designed for beginning, intermediate, or experienced woodworkers; a wise choice based on skill level can determine how much you may benefit from the course. Again, take time to read each course description carefully.
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING The theory and practice of classical boatbuilding. GREG RÖSSEL JUNE 215, JUNE 30JULY 13 WADE SMITH JUNE 1629, SEPTEMBER 1528 WARREN BARKER JULY 1427 Fundamentals of Boatbuilding is the core curriculum of our boatbuilding courses and our most popular offering. This series deals generally with the whole craft of boatbuilding, specifically with wooden boats, and most specifically with plank-on-frame small craft.
We tend to build difficult boats in these classes—round-bilged, carvel and lapstrake-planked types—because if you can build one of these, you can build almost anything. Ideally, each class will start one boat, work at planking another, and finish a third. The emphasis is always more on learning than on pushing through a project. Each session combines daily discussion periods with an abundance of practical work. Usually you’ll start out talking about boat plans and design, and how to develop a project plan. An explanation of lofting will follow, and everyone will get a chance to give it a try on the lofting table. (See LOFTING, as follows, for a complete treatment of this subject.) From there, it will be a continuous stream of boatbuilding lessons, both at the blackboard and on the workbench: how a body plan comes together; the meaning of a fair line; various types of small-boat construction; the right tools for the job at hand, and how to use them; different methods for planking a boat; discussions on fastenings, glues, woods, etc.; the tricks of steam-bending; techniques of lamination; and much more. Molds and patterns are picked up, and stems and transoms assembled. Planking, fastening, caulking, fairing, fitting seats and risers, knees and breasthooks—each operation is carefully explained and supervised. You’ll find yourself working on your own and alongside others, on real boats or just for practice. If your class happens to finish a boat, you’ll launch it, and that is some fun! You’ll finish this course with a better understanding in your mind—and in your hands—of the boatbuilding process. FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING is open to everyone, although woodworking skills and familiarity with tools and with the language of boatbuilding really help students to get the most out of it.
ADVANCED FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING Taking it one step further. GREG RÖSSEL SEPTEMBER 114 Many individuals, including alumni from our boatbuilding classes, are constantly looking for ways to continue their education in building classic small craft and taking the “next step” in working on more complex designs. Longtime boatbuilder/instructor Greg Rössel has designed just such a course to help those individuals meet their goals. As with our FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING curriculum, this will be two weeks filled with plenty of hands-on learning. Lofting will be reviewed, as will the steps involved in the construction of body plans. Various boat plans, a bit more intricate than you may have studied in the past, will be examined. Students will also be welcome to bring along their own plans for discussion. Consider these weeks spent with Greg as a great opportunity to get those questions answered that may have baffled you at home. And you will be working on boats! Greg will have chosen a couple of designs that will prove to be both interesting and challenging. Setting up, framing, steam-bending, laminating, scarfing, spiling, planking, fastening, fairing, interior and exterior joinerwork, sparmaking, centerboard installation, and various other details will be covered. Along with making plenty of wood shavings, daily discussions will take place on techniques, materials, and products, both old and new. ADVANCED FUNDAMENTALS is a wonderful complement to any earlier boatbuilding exposure you may have sampled. It will be a delight to those who take their boats and boatbuilding seriously, and it will certainly add to your versatility as a builder. Previous boatbuilding experience is required.
Tuition: $1200 two-week course
Tuition: $1200 two-week course 14
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... and Woodworking 2013 LOFTING
ELEMENTS OF BOAT DESIGN
Making sense of all those lines and numbers.
Learn the principles and process—then practice on your own design.
GREG RÖSSEL JUNE 2329, AUGUST 2531 Without question, lofting is an essential skill for the boatbuilder. Once you’ve mastered it, you can at least start to build any boat for which there are plans. Moreover, you’re going to be able to interpret plans and better comprehend the shape of the vessel, and what the building process will be. Also without question, learning lofting can be intimidating and/or frustrating. Lofting is complex, and there are numerous ways to go about it. Lofting takes time and concentration, and a good teacher really helps (see WoodenBoat Nos. 110 and 111). Greg thoroughly understands and enjoys lofting; and he has taught it repeatedly and in a variety of settings. He has a clear idea of how to present it, and how to help you master it. In this week you’ll discuss the written material that Greg has developed, build half models, and—in teams—loft several small craft. We have a couple of boats in mind, but it is also possible that some students in the course can bring in their own plans (call us). Tables of offsets, diagonals, buttock lines—all will be demystified and will become for you the wonderful tools they are for understanding, discussing, and building boats. By the end of the week, you should be able to visualize, lay down, and talk boat plans with the best of them. This course is meant to dovetail with the two-week FUNDAMENTALS OF BOATBUILDING courses, three of which Greg will also teach, and in which one of the lofted boats will probably be started. If there is time, you’ll also take lines off a classic round-bottomed boat and draw up a set of lines.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $52.50
JOHN BROOKS AUGUST 1117 Would you like to understand how to design your own boat or gain a better grasp of how design affects a boat’s performance? Would you like to better read and comprehend the hull line drawings that appear in any number of marine-related publications? Would you like to explore the relationship of construction methods to hull design—which works well with what? Would you like to think, eat, sleep, and discuss boats for a solid week? If so, you’ll find this challenging and fun course with talented boatbuilder and designer John Brooks to be right up your alley. Whether you want to get a taste of the design process, be able to put your ideas on paper, or start down the road to becoming a professional designer, this course will allow you to accomplish several things. You’ll dispassionately analyze the science of what makes a boat float and move, while gaining an understanding of the role art plays in boat design. You’ll learn what makes a boat seaworthy or not; performance oriented or not; and buildable or not. And you’ll start creating your own design, mainly working on the preliminary and lines drawings, as much as time allows. Before taking pencil to paper, you will research the type of boat you want to design, discuss your initial ideas with John, and learn how to start drawing on your own, using basic drafting skills and bringing them into the computer age. Various building methods will be explored, from traditional to modern. Any technique can be used for each student’s own “dream boat,” from plank-on-frame to vacuum-bagged and epoxied veneers reinforced with exotic materials. John will also introduce students to how their boats can be built in alternative materials from their original choice. You will need to back up your project ideas with sound engineering principles, hydrostatics, and scantlings that reflect the intended use and life of the boat. Students need not have any previous experience with boat design or mathematics; just a keen interest will do. The main focus of the course will be on understanding the concepts and principles that play a part in boat design and in developing an eye for aesthetics. In spite of modern technology, designing boats is still as much an art as it is a science. The eye and judgment of the designer are still the most important ingredients in any design. If each student leaves Brooklin with enough basic knowledge to design a good-looking boat that performs well, and a burning desire to go ahead and start another, then John will consider this week a success. You may even find a burning desire to go ahead and start another one!
Tuition: $750 Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... INTRODUCTION TO BOATBUILDING
BUILDING A DORY
A one-week primer on building small boats.
Traditional workboat construction with a master shipwright.
BILL THOMAS JUNE 1622 JOHN KARBOTT AUGUST 1824
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There are many individuals out there who have decided that they would like to build their very own boat but don’t know how to get started. Many first-time builders have run into problems understanding the process of what to do first and, as a result, soon get intimidated and the idea loses momentum. Bill Thomas and John Karbott, noted boatbuilders and teachers, invite anyone interested in wooden boats and woodworking to join them in either of these two six-day courses focusing on the skills and techniques used in basic boatbuilding. No prior boatbuilding experience is required; simply a desire to learn. If you want to build a good-looking, simple sailing skiff, Bill or John can help you get started and guide you through the step-by-step procedures to taking on and completing such a project on your own. Bill has chosen one of Iain Oughtred’s lovely designs, the Skerrieskiff 17, as the boat students will construct during his course. This beach cruiser offers a great compromise between rowing and sailing qualities. We will be building a rowing version during the course. Using traditional boatbuilding methods, she is built of marine plywood over a strongback and moulds. John Karbott’s students will build two of his handsome 12½ ' SemiDory skiffs combining marine plywood, white oak, and Northern white cedar. Both classes will start with understanding boat plans and lofting and proceed through scarfing, framing, planking, and interior joinerwork. As with any one-week building schedule, there will be plenty for students to do as we finish the boats. As both skiffs take shape through each week, Bill and John will lead discussions in small-craft design, selecting a suitable design for the amateur builder, setting up a oneman shop, proper hand and power tool usage, and much more. Whether you have a hankering for traditional skiff construction like the Skerrieskiff 17 or the 12½ ' Semi-Dory skiff or are simply looking for a perfect introduction to wooden boat construction, you will thoroughly enjoy either of these weeks.
Tuition: $800 Note: These are six-day courses ending Saturday afternoon.
WALT ANSEL SEPTEMBER 814
Mystic Seaport’s bodacious Eastern-rig dragger ROANN (see WoodenBoat No. 204) needs a new dory to grace the top of her wheelhouse. Dragger dories, despite being lifeboats, had relatively short lives. They dried out, became catchalls for spare rope and fenders, and happily rotted away up in the wind and rain. Those draggers that sword-fished during the late summer and early fall did exercise their dories retrieving swordfish, but short of calamity, this was about the only use they got. ROANN’s dory is beyond recovery, and Mystic Seaport needs a replacement. Following our successful halibut dory classes in 2011 and ’12, WoodenBoat School students will be building this 15’6” dragger dory with the same techniques. Over the first several days of class, we’ll build various parts. We’ll use wide pine boards, white oak frames, and plenty of copper clench nails. The bottom will be built up to profile and battened together with oak 1 x 2s. Five frame pairs will be built and screwed to the bottom along with the stem and transom. This assembly will be sprung down onto a strongback on the floor to establish the proper dory bottom rocker. We’ll then start planking with the garboards first and work our way to the sheer using three to four planks per side, depending on available stock. The emphasis will be on traditional boatbuilding skills all week, and John Gardner’s The Dory Book will be the class textbook. Students will be busy with millwork and hand tool shaping, making traditional caulking seams and caulking them, riveting with copper nails, and fastening dory lap planks with clench nails. Much of the building information will come from a scale half model, an ancient method that boatbuilders used in place of lofting. It’s remarkable that such a functional craft can have so much grace and beauty and yet be created from large straight boards, a few measurements, simple curves, and certain bevels. Come join Walt for an amazing, very satisfying, and productive week. You’ll learn more than you ever could have imagined!
Tuition: $800 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon. 16
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... and Woodworking 2013 BUILDING THE ARCTIC TERN Epoxy-glued lapstrake plywood construction of a new Iain Oughtred design.
BUILDING THE PENOBSCOT 13
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Glued lapstrake construction of a beautiful plywood daysailer.
GEOFF KERR JULY 28AUGUST 10
ARCH DAVIS AUGUST 417
D L E I F S N A M Y H T A K
©
The Arctic Tern represents the latest refinement of Iain Oughtred’s well-regarded fleet of double-enders. After working his way through various sizes and rigs and juggling Shetland and Norwegian influences, he has tweaked his way to what he considers the best performer in the fleet. The Tern’s hull is a bit fuller and flatter amidships, carried farther aft than with her sisters; this allows for improved sail-carrying ability and for better windward performance. Adding to that performance is a close-winded, gunter sloop rig recalling the racing yoles of the mid-20th century. At 18’2” by 5’5” or so, the Arctic Tern represents about 95 percent of a Ness Yawl, or perhaps 50 percent of a Caledonia, making her suitable for a crew of one to four people. Her weight of around 250 lbs will make her a joy to trailer and launch. She’ll row nicely when it’s calm, carry gear and a pair of happy campers, and make a striking daysailer. Her construction is classic epoxy-glued lapstrake plywood, a technique Oughtred helped pioneer. Building the Arctic Tern will give you a working familiarity with techniques, materials, and the sequences not only for this design, but any of the other boats of the designer’s family of double-enders, and indeed with epoxy-plywood construction, no matter what design you might be contemplating. We’ll start by looking at plans, discussing materials, then lofting and building molds. The building jig will be erected, stems will be laminated and shaped, followed by mounting and beveling the keelson and floor timbers. Next we’ll confront many of the mystical secrets of boatbuilding as we spile, pattern, scarf, bevel, and triumphantly hang six pairs of lapstrake planks. Outer stems, a keel, and a skeg will follow, and with a bit of artistic cleanup and fairing we’ll turn her over and begin fitting out the hull with breasthooks, rails, and a centerboard trunk. We’ll endeavor to complete the decks and bulkheads, and hope to build some spars and the rudder. We never know just how far we’ll get, but invariably we’ll have a sound, great-looking, nearly completed hull ready to be lifted onto a trailer for the drive home with a lucky raffle winner. On the final day of class, Geoff will lead a discussion on prep and finishwork, as well as thoughts and recommendations regarding trailers, sails, hardware, and equipment.
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Arch Davis and his lovely small boat designs have been well known to the readers of WoodenBoat magazine for a number of years. We are very excited to welcome Arch to our campus for the first time and invite you to spend two weeks with this innovative designer/builder constructing his latest design, the Penobscot 13. In this course, students will build two of these fine-looking lapstrake daysailers. She’s the little sister to two of Arch’s most popular designs, the Penobscot 14 and 17. It features the same glued lapstrake construction—with fore and aft stringers—which has proven so successful in the bigger Penobscots. The designer has introduced a number of modifications to simplify the building process so that students can aim to complete the two boats and prepare them for painting in the two-week time frame. The Penobscot 13 is smaller and lighter than the 14 but possesses comparable lines with similar characteristics under oars and sail. On the first morning, Arch will review the plans with students and explain how the Penobscot designs were developed. Students will then get busy setting up the station molds, stem, and transom on a simple strongback. All the following stages of construction will be covered – fitting the keel, sheer clamps and stringers, beveling and fairing, planking (including scarfing plank stock to length), and cutting gains. Once the hulls have been completed and turned over, you’ll fit breasthooks, quarter knees, seats, and rails, and complete other finishing details. These two weeks will be a comprehensive introduction to Arch Davis’s unique method of glued lapstrake construction and will leave students well equipped to tackle one of the bigger Penobscot designs, to build a Penobscot 13 of their own, or to tackle any other similar project. The course promises to be very rewarding to those participating and will bring plenty of satisfaction as these lovely craft come to life under their hands. And two very lucky students who win the raffle on the last day of class will each be taking home a very beautiful boat that will provide enjoyment for years to come.
Tuition: $1200 two-week course
Tuition: $1200 two-week course Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... TRADITIONAL WOODANDCANVAS CANOE CONSTRUCTION
BUILDING THE ADIRONDACK GUIDEBOAT
The art of the canoe with a master builder.
Lore, legend, use, and construction of a classic small craft.
ROLLIN THURLOW JUNE 30JULY 6
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GEOFF BURKE AUGUST 1831
Cedar-and-canvas canoes are coming back. Not only are they wonderful to look at and a pleasure to build, they also perform quite well. This construction method permits a clean, sharp entry and a subtle shape that is difficult to achieve with aluminum or fiberglass. The century-old technology of clenching thin planks to steamed frames and then covering the hull with a tight canvas skin yields an amazingly flexible and rugged craft. And the ingenious forms developed years ago by companies like Old Town and E.M. White make the building process relatively quick and easy. Rollin Thurlow has been building and using, writing and teaching about wood-and-canvas canoes for years. In this course, he will lead you through the complete construction of one traditional Maine Guide canoe, the 17’ Atkinson Traveler, and one traditional Maine fishing canoe, the 15’ square-sterned Kingfisher. You’ll start by steam-bending the clear cedar ribs onto the two forms. While they cure, you’ll make up ash thwarts and prebend the stems and gunwales. Then comes the fitting and fastening of the planking—a good chance to practice hand-tool skills in a very satisfying process. Working this thin cedar is a real pleasure. At week’s end, you will canvas the canoes in the traditional manner, using the “envelope” method, stretching the canvas drum-tight, tacking it in place, and filling the outside weave with a special compound. Between steps, there may be time to carve your own paddle—a fascinating project unto itself. Three students will leave this course with a new canoe nearly ready for paint and varnish; all will leave with knowledge and experience of what is probably the most indigenous of American boatbuilding techniques, a process directly evolved from birchbark canoes and still very much alive today.
The Adirondack guideboat is one of the most sophisticated products of American traditional boatbuilding. Once the common means of transportation in the Adirondack region of New York State, these exquisite craft were regularly used by guides taking sportsmen on camping and fishing trips. Rivalry—keen among the guides—produced a highly refined boat, ideal for its intended use. This two-week course will be an in-depth study of guideboat lore and construction. Under Geoff’s experienced eye, students will build two 12’ guideboats of a model built by a Mr. Buyce of Speculator, New York, and designed by Jim Ritter of Saranac Lake, New York. While most guideboats were built “smoothskin,” Mr. Buyce preferred to plank this particular boat using the lapstrake method of construction, leaving the planks proud. The boats built in this course will be planked like the original, although “smoothskin” construction will be covered as well. Students will learn and practice a variety of procedures applicable to many types of traditional small-craft construction. Work will focus on the setting up and planking of two hulls, as well as the making of all the necessary accessories that go with a properly equipped guideboat. Emphasis will be placed on historically accurate details and fine craftsmanship. This popular class promises to be a full two weeks of passionate work and study of an American small craft that has attained almost legendary status. In what has become a tradition at WoodenBoat School, the new boats will be raffled off to two very lucky students on the last day of class. Woodworking experience is required.
Tuition: $1200 two-week course
Tuition: $800 Note: This is a special six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
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... and Woodworking 2013 GLUEDLAPSTRAKE PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION Build Ellen and the Sundog Skiff—versatile, agile 12' sailing and rowing dinghies. JOHN BROOKS JUNE 915
This very popular course focuses on the construction method of modern, small boats called for in many designers’ plans. During this week students will build the hull for two of John Brooks’s wellknown designs, boats that feature light weight, resilient strength, permanent watertightness, and graceful lines. The Sundog Skiff is a great introductory project with a narrow, flat bottom and curved, lapstrake topsides. Ellen is a more complex design with all the structure and shape of a round-bilged hull. During this captivating six-day course, students will start out making and assembling the backbone parts for the two hulls: transoms, inner stem, keelson and bottom. You’ll then learn how to prepare and scarf marine-grade mahogany plywood planking stock. John will explain how the building jigs are created, then show students how to attach the backbones and how to bevel the keelson and bottom in preparation for planking. Everyone will have plenty of opportunity to learn how to spile, make, and attach planks plus how to bevel the laps. As the hulls are built, John will teach you his special methods and tricks that making the planking process go smoothly. He will also share many other ideas he has discovered while working in his own shop, a real bonus to anyone interested in learning the basics of modern wooden boatbuilding. John will also demonstrate efficient and elegant ways to use your hand tools and how to sharpen them—always a crowd favorite. The goal of this course is to give everyone the skills they will need to take a set of plans with full-sized patterns and build a beautiful boat—especially the hardest first step, turning lines on raw paper and raw lumber into a solid, real hull. Plans for both boats will be available from John at a discount to his students. Please keep in mind that woodworking experience is required for this busy and varied class.
Tuition: $800 Note: This is a six-day course ending on Saturday afternoon.
FINISHING OUT SMALL BOATS Creating neat woodwork and joinerwork. JOHN BROOKS JUNE 1622 Here’s a week that promises to be a fulfilling and challenging one, with plenty of opportunity to learn—with brains and hands—how to build the intricate parts and finish out small open boats. The joinerwork of a small boat is particularly exacting because there is nowhere to hide slipshod work—no burying rough joints under decks or in cabinetry. John will teach you how to make elegant parts and gorgeous, tight-fitting joints for a boat you’ll be proud to varnish. The course is designed to be a follow-up to all of John’s glued lapstrake hull building classes and very useful to anyone completing a small boat. Many of the skills and techniques you acquire can be transferred to big boats as well. Your instructor will start the week describing how to organize a project as complicated as a boat. Students will learn how to work from boat plans, drawings, or the lofting board. John will explain the versatility of various types of patterns and show you how to make them, as well as how to use them. He will also show you his special method of shaping complicated pieces, using routers with the patterns, that allow one to make accurate, duplicat e parts easily and safely. You’ll learn about making curved parts such as a laminated outer stem and steambent floorboard frames. John will demonstrate methods for measuring and layout in the hull to accurately position interior parts and pieces. He’ll also explain how to accurately scribe and fit parts such as the breasthook, quarter knees, bulkheads, half frames, floorboards, mast steps, and daggerboard trunks. And you’ll learn how and where to use epoxy and other glues, sealers and bedding compound; and to become familiar with woodworking in three dimensions with no right angles in sight. Working both at the bench and in the boat, you’ll refine your skills with a wide array of boatbuilding tools, from planes, spokeshaves, scrapers and chisels to the tablesaw, band saw, and router. By the end of this busy week students will know what to do after finishing the planking of a new hull—understanding not only the technical details of building the pieces and joints properly, but how to create fine, distinctive shapes and details that make a boat beautiful and truly yours. John’s course on GLUED LAPSTRAKE CONSTRUCTION is an excellent prelude to this particular course. Woodworking experience, including experience with routers and floor machines, is a requirement for this course.
Tuition: $800 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... BOATBUILDING & WOODWORKING JIGS
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Designing and creating useful jigs and boatbuilding aids.
MAKING WOOD TOOLS The art of making traditional woodworking tools.
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JOHN WILSON JUNE 30JULY 6
JOHN BROOKS SEPTEMBER 1521
There are many times when the right jig will make a job b uilding a boat easier, more accurate, and, as a result, help you build a b etter boat. The correct jig will also make the boat more fun to build. Students in some of John’s past boatbuilding courses have always been fascinated by the vast array of useful and intriguing jigs that he brings to the classroom. Some of these devices are intricate, but most are very simple inventions that can make a complex job simpler. Many of them come from John Brooks’s 35-plus years of boatbuilding, cabinetmaking, and furniture and musical instrument building. In this new course, you will learn the valuable skills in designing and building your own jigs to fit the problems you encounter in your own shop when building any boat or for other woodworking projects. Working with wood, metals and plastic, students will design and make devices for accuracy, safety, measuring, clamping, guiding tools, repetition, and quickness. No matter what level of experience you bring to this course, you’ll sharpen your own woodworking skills while being challenged. Once you learn to think about the advantages of jigs, you’ll look at woodworking and boatbuilding with a new mind-set. At the end of this week with a professional boatbuilder and woodworker, you’ll leave with a toolbox full of essential jigs to take home and the skills to design more. And maybe you’ll find yourself looking at future projects anew, for interesting challenges, just so you can build a really cool jig. After all, a problem is just another excuse to create another jig.
For centuries boatbuilders made their own tools. Today, there is a revival in toolmaking, which will enhance your skills and delight you in a pride of ownership, The path to a fine tool can take many routes. In this fascinating week, John Wilson will guide students through the various steps in crafting the wood body of a block plane, a spokeshave, and a jack plane. You’ll also learn a lot about blade making methods and actually make your own for each tool. With each tool, John will explain how one can come up with the design parameters, modifications, and actual project layout. He’ll discuss appropriate materials that can best be used in making your own tools—the various woods, glues, and tool steels. Throughout the week, students will use a combination of precision measuring and marking tools, bench metalworking tools, and basic woodworking tools to craft each tool. The average woodworker can make or modify tools to their own requirements with some guidance. After this week with John Wilson, students will have many of the skills and some newfound confidence to continue on the exciting path of making and modifying their very own wood tools at home. And you’ll definitely have a whole new understanding of how tools are made.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $183.75
Tuition: $750 Materials: $78.75
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
... and Woodworking 2013 BOAT CABINETRY
BOATBUILDER’S HAND TOOLS
Practical guidance on the planning and constructing of interior joinery.
Making, restoring, and using traditional tools of the trade.
DAVE MERRIFIELD JULY 28AUGUST 3
HARRY BRYAN JUNE 915
Master woodworker and furniture designer Dave Merrifield has designed a very useful and functional course for anyone interested in doing his/her own interior fitting out. The ultimate goal will be to develop practical cabinetmaking skills oriented toward boat work but also applicable to interior home projects. The variety of techniques covered, with an emphasis on curved shapes, will allow you to gain confidence and be successful in a wide range of boatbuilding or cabinetry designs. While many hand tool operations will be covered, this course is a machine-based woodworking experience. Plans for boat interiors can be much more complex than for cabinets found in homes. At the start, Dave will introduce students to design, understanding technical drawings, accurate layout, and how to go about making their own designs on paper. You’ll then discuss the materials employed: various soft and hard woods, glues, sealants, and fastenings. Other procedures covered during the week will be scribing irregular shapes, veneering curved forms, bent lamination, and a host of timetested joinery techniques. For simplicity’s sake, each student will build his/her own curved-top, portable storage box, designed by Dave, that will be handy for the boat or home. The construction of the piece will highlight practical woodworking techniques and procedures that can easily be repeated in the average home shop. Practice will make perfect. If you enjoy the challenge of creating something with your own hands and taking pride in your achievement, a week with Dave Merrifield just might be the perfect fit. Previous woodworking experience is required.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $63
In spite of the ever-increasing number of power tools in the woodworking/boatbuilding trades, the foundation of the boatbuilder’s skills is still largely dependent on the use of hand tools. Hand tools bring you in close contact with wood, enabling the user to get to know and work with its grain structure. Many of the pieces that make up a wooden boat are complex shapes employing compound angles and rolling bevels. Often it is more efficient to create these pieces with hand tools than trying to set up a machine that is not appropriate to the job at hand. This five-day course with well-known boatbuilder/designer Harry Bryan will focus on developing skills with hand saws, draw knives, chisels and slicks, auger bits and planes. You’ll build one of Harry’s boat designs and acquire skills, such as, cutting the complex angle on the end of a deck beam and having it fit first time. You will have the confidence to cut a stem rabbet and make short work of a plank scarf using a slick and a smoothing plane. Keeping these tools sharp is absolutely necessary for controlled, accurate work. Therefore, time will be spent presenting simple, straightforward methods for creating a razor-sharp edge. From setting and filing a handsaw, to renewing the edge of a drill bit for cutting steel, we will learn to restore tools rather them toss them aside when they are dull. You’re invited to bring along any old tools that you feel may be candidates for restoring. Harry will also discuss where to acquire good tools, how to avoid wasting your money on cheap ones, and how to recognize and restore that jewel covered with the rust of neglect. Making and modifying tools is a natural progression for the hand tool user. Students will learn about hardening and tempering tool steel, as well as sawing, filing, and drilling to create precise shapes. There will be practice in the use of silver solder and rivets for joining metals. Each student will be encouraged to make a tool of their own during the week, such as a carving gouge, chisel, boatbuilder’s level, pencil divider, or if there is time, a slick or plane. Hand tools are not a nostalgic holdover from the past. After this fascinating week with Harry Bryan, you’ll feel the direct connection between the craftsman and his work.
Tuition: $750
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... FINE STRIPPLANKED BOAT CONSTRUCTION A guide to building small boats with wood strips and epoxy. NICK SCHADE JULY 713, AUGUST 2531 If you want to build a lightweight, rugged, and beautiful small boat, combining thin strips of wood with epoxy and fiberglass will make a cartoppable, low-maintenance, and gorgeous vessel. Nick Schade has been building strip-built boats for over 25 years. He has written two of the standard texts on the subject, Building Strip-Planked Boats and The Strip Built Sea Kayak, and his efforts have guided thousands of people through building their own boats using the popular strip-planked method. In this six-day course, students will explore this method of construction while building two very different boat designs created by Nick. In the July course students will build the Nymph pack canoe and the Night Heron sea kayak. In the August course students will build the Mystic River tandem canoe and the microBootlegger recreational kayak. Nymph is a small, extremely lightweight, easy to handle double-paddle canoe. Night Heron is an elegant, high performance sea kayak design that has found a place in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The Mystic River 17’ tandem canoe is a wonderful example of a classic woodstrip canoe with graceful lines and a beautiful recurved stem. The microBootlegger 17 is an open-cockpit tandem kayak with lines reminiscent of a 1920s mahogany runabout. All four of these boats will provide an excellent overview of the strip-planking process. Students will gain experience in a wide variety of techniques involved in this modern boatbuilding process. Strip-planking small boats uses thin cedar strips reinforced inside and out with fiberglass and epoxy. The finished boat is lightweight, strong, and beautiful. The fiberglass fabric is absolutely transparent and allows the beauty of the wood to shine through. Students will learn how to work with the wood strips and fiberglass fabric and epoxy. With the open canoes we will mount inwales and outwales, breasthooks, thwarts and seats. On the kayaks we will make the deck and hull, join the two together, and make the cockpit, coaming, and hatches. Day One will have students fairing up the forms, shaping the inner stems, fabricating the kayak coaming and canoe backrest, and getting a start on the planking. Tuesday will have us continuing with planking, installing stems, and working on hatches and gunwales. Before you know it, we will start sanding the hull and deck and applying fiberglass on Wednesday. On Thursday, the kayak and canoe will come off the forms. After fairing the insides of the hulls, carbon-Kevlar hybrid fabric will be laid-up on the interiors. Come Friday, students will start finishing up the canoe while the hull and deck of the kayak are joined together. The class wraps up midday on Saturday with final fiberglass work and completion of details on both boats. Throughout this course, Nick will take time to discuss the many variations on the strip-building process that students can use on their own boatbuilding projects. After a week of fine craftsmanship and fun, we’ll step back to admire two stunning boats that will raffled off to two lucky students.
Tuition: $800 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
... and Woodworking 2013 N E W
WOODEN BOAT RESTORATION METHODS
SMALL BOAT REPAIRS
The rebuilding process, continued.
Figuring out what’s wrong and how to fix it right.
WALT ANSEL JULY 28AUGUST 10
ERIC BLAKE AUGUST 25SEPTEMBER 7
Our 2012 steam launch restoration class got off to a fantastic start last August. The intention was to take a museum restoration approa ch with proper documentation, careful disassembly, and thoughtful structural replacement on a lovely 24’ fantailed steam launch built around 1900. The first two days were spent removing rubrails, coamings, trim, and interior structure so that molds could be built to support the hull when it was inverted. Large-format photo documentation was carried out to preserve details and construction sequence. The launch’s backbone members—keel, stem, horn timber, and shaftlog—were rotted beyond recovery. Their condition was so poor back aft that much information, such as basic shapes and rabbet locations, was lost. It was decided to lift the lines off the boat and loft her shape full-size onto a lofting table. This allowed Walt and students to draw the new backbone on the table and make patterns and parts with great accuracy. To record section shapes, they used a large plywood framing square mounted on a wooden beam that could be slid down the length of the hull to each station location, where a joggle stick was used to locate section points. Fairing was done with the long lines on the lofting board. This was carried to a point of completion so that a table of offsets and scale drawings could be created in this year’s session. An entire new backbone assembly was built of white oak with a laminated N mahogany stem knee. Rabbets I K D were cut and parts were A Y connected with handmade H T A bronze bolts. On the final C © day of class, students bolted the stem and keel together, mating the original stem top to a brand-new forefoot. The perfect ending to an amazing two weeks! Walt promises that this year’s class will be extremely interesting and educational. We’re going to pattern and create 15 floor timbers. These will be bolted to the keel and screwed to the planking. The launch will then be turned over and the steam-bent frames replaced and clench-nailed to the planking. There will be plenty of planking repairs, which should be challenging, as the boat is strip-planked with edge nails. We’ll also replace the rudder and tapered rubrails, and repair the inwales and sheerstrakes. It’s guaranteed to be another fascinating two weeks for anyone interested in an advanced restoration class with particular emphasis on wooden boat structural problem solving.
Tuition: $1200 two-week course
The repairing and rebuilding of wooden boats is a journey that can provide great personal satisfaction. In the process, you’ll become familiar with your boat’s intricate construction details, and come to appreciate the careful craftsmanship that transformed the original raw timber into the boat you love. The challenge of repairing and rebuilding can frustrate beginner and professional alike. Conquering the complications of “bringing her back” can be more rewarding than building new, especially when the result is to return a classic to its calling—sailing, cruising, rowing, or fishing. There are also excellent practical reasons to acquire this skill. Wooden boat repair is the trade in demand at boatyards around the country. Thoughtful and skillful repair can help you keep a good boat alive or take advantage of the bargains available in the used-boat market. Our repair courses can help you gain the confidence to undertake a serious rebuild project and develop the abilities that will lead to a job well done. Repair solutions are unique for every project; they depend on the boat’s general condition, type of construction, and the time and materials available. From the very first day, this handson course will keep you busy with a wide assortment of repair problems. You’ll begin with a careful survey and analysis of the boat’s structure, leading to a practical repair plan—the crucial first step to a successful project. You’ll learn how to evaluate and then save or restore the boat’s shape. Your instructor, boatbuilder Eric Blake from Brooklin Boat Yard, will share numerous tricks used to carefully remove structural parts to be replaced; how to use patterns to transfer the shape to new wood; and spiling and measuring techniques. Plank refastening and replacement, broken frame repair, rot in the keel, stopping deck leaks, repairing transoms, and lots more will be discussed. You’ll practice various techniques necessary to these repairs, such as cutting scarf joints and fitting dutchmen, steam-bending frames, and laminating. And you’ll learn about the initial causes of the problems you might encounter, how they might be prevented, and alternate routes to their solution. The “patient” boats for this course vary from year to year. Between students’ boats and a couple more from our collection, everyone gets to work on a wide variety of repairs. There is room for a few students to bring their own boats; please contact us first to discuss the logistics. Whether you own a wooden boat, are thinking of buying one, work in a yard, or just enjoy solving problems with wood, this outstanding course with an accomplished boatbuilder may be just for you.
Tuition: $1200 two-week course Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... BUILD YOUR OWN PLANK CONSTRUCTED POND YACHT Build IDUNA, a vintage Marblehead-class pond yacht designed for radio-control.
VINTAGE POND YACHTS PART II Further work toward completion of your previously started pond yacht. THOM McLAUGHLIN SEPTEMBER 814
THOM McLAUGHLIN SEPTEMBER 17 Pond yachts are exquisite small wooden sailboats raced in urban settings. In the height of their popularity, the 1920s to 1940s, they were a common sight in public parks. They conformed to class ratings and were raced in international competitions, includ ing the 1936 Olympics. Today we admire them for their beautiful woodwork, simplicity of form, miniaturized fittings, and their ability to be sailed without high maintenance costs or storage and slip fees. In this course each student will be gaining experience in building a hull for a Marblehead-class pond boat. This type of small sailboat originated in 1932 with the minimal design requirements of 50" LOA and 800 square inches of sail area. Over the years, this type of pond boat became the premier example of a racing pond yacht. IDUNA has been designed by the course instructor, but it exemplifies the classic qualities of boats from another era. IDUNA’s form is inspired by the 1930’s CHEERIO designs of John Black, which garnered him a medal in pond yacht racing at the 1936 Olympics. When fully rigged for sailing, the pond boat is over 7' tall, which makes it very impressive from shore when under sail. The boat can be easily dismantled for transport in keeping with the origin of the 50" length, which was to facilitate fitting the boat into a 1930s car rumble seat. Working from lines drawings, each student will work on their own hull using the tapered plank building method. Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) parts for the strongback, molds, and keelson will be used to facilitate the initial building steps. Several past students have gone on to build other designs of pond boats using methods learned in this course. Besides actually building a pond yacht, this class is excellent for someone interested in building plank-constructed examples of model boats or being exposed to the fundamentals of full-sized boatbuilding. This course will be an intense six days of building and learning through demonstration and practice. Even though some of the furnished materials will be pre-cut before the course, this is not a kit boat, and the student will learn to make decisions based on reading blueprints and developing an eye for form, along with enhancing building skills. Also, instruction on decking, painting, mast and boom construction, rigging hardware, and radio-control devices will occur during the week to ensure ease of completion of the sailboat. A number of completed class boats will be available for sailing during the week. If you can schedule an extended stay at WoodenBoat School, join Thom for next week’s VINTAGE POND YACHTS—PART II course. While no previous boatbuilding experience is needed for this class, a basic understanding of simple hand tools and fundamental woodworking is a requirement.
Tuition: $800 Materials: $309.75 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
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This week is intended to provide the environment and guidance for you to return to Brooklin and resume work on the pond yacht you started here at WoodenBoat School. Students from Thom’s building courses from the past 15 years working on the 36” Acadia or Brooklin hulls, or any of the 50” Vintage Marblehead pond boats Naskeag , Peony, Rusticator , or Iduna are invited to participate. Completion of the hull in BUILDING PLANK-CONSTRUCTED POND YACHTS is only halfway toward getting your model ready to sail, and Thom will re-energize the group in getting everyone much closer to completion. Construction methods and tasks covered in this course will include epoxy sheathing of the hull, completion of the fin and rudder, fabrication of internal support beams, decking, electronics installation, sail control device, manufacture of mast and booms, mounting fittings, and final rigging. Perhaps not every class member will accomplish all of these steps, but at a minimum you will depart this week inspired with specific production knowledge and with the confidence to finish your model at home and get it out sailing. The course materials fee will cover the cost of the wooden materials for all of your boat’s deckbeams, mast, booms, deck, and electronic board. With Thom’s assistance and list of resources, students will be expected to bring along the electronics, appropriate fittings, and rigging items. As always with our pond yacht courses, students will have the opportunity to sail completed pond yachts on our waterfront or in local ponds throughout the week.
Tuition: $800 Materials: $157.50 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
... and Woodworking 2013 BUILDING HALF MODELS The practice and pleasure of carving half models. MARK SUTHERLAND JULY 1420 ERIC DOW SEPTEMBER 2228
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There are few products of woodworking as exciting to behold as a well-done half model. It reveals the character of the boat it represents at a scale that can be admired at a glance and appreciated for a lifetime. Half models are a wonderful way to remember a boat of the past or dream about one of the future. Half-hull modeling is both a practical way to enjoy woodworking with limited time and tools, and a tangible way to grasp the intricacies of boat plans. To carve for yourself and mount a half model is to forever capture a design in three dimensions. In both of these weeks of hands-on participation, you’ll explore the tools, techniques, and materials for half-model making from lines plans; the woods; the glues; the tools; the paints and varnishes. Mark Sutherland’s course is geared toward the more experienced woodworker. Projects will be large half models in the 36” to 48” range, and students will choose between three designs taken from the works of Howard I Chappell—a fishing schooner, a coasting schooner, or a square-rigged ship. Eric Dow will have students working on two smaller half models from the collection at The WoodenBoat Store. The first part of Eric’s week will be devoted to carving one design, and the second part to carving a model of your own choosing. Besides creating one or two models of your own, you will learn a lot about boat plans and gain a feeling for the long tradition of half-hull modeling—and go home with the ability to build more on your own.
BUILD YOUR OWN BRONZE SALUTE CANNON Work alongside two master machinists. MICHAEL CALDWELL & DUKE McGUIGGAN JULY 28AUGUST 3 In this unique course, master machinists Michael Caldwell and Duke McGuiggan will teach students the skills required to build a simple muzzle-loading blackpowder salute cannon. This 12" highly polished bronze cannon is in the tradition of the famous L. Francis Herreshoff cannons that were (and still are) used to celebrate boat launchings and other special occasions. Over the five days, your instructors will cover machine shop safety, tool bit sharpening, and all the necessary lathe skills needed to complete this beautiful project. These include boring, turning, cutting, drilling and tapping threads, polishing, nameplate engraving, and much more. They will demonstrate each step of the building process as the cannons take shape. Students will also fashion a simple cannon carriage. The wheels will be bronze, and students can choose between either cherry and mahogany for the carriage body. You can be one of the lucky students who will work alongside these master machinists. And at week’s end, each participant will have a working model that will be an attractive addition to any boat, pier, or backyard.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $210 (includes cannon & carrying case)
Tuition: $750 Materials: $105 for Mark Sutherland’s course (one larger model). $126 for Eric Dow’s course (two models and one set of plans).
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... BUILD YOUR OWN WILLOW/QUICKBEAM SEA KAYAK
BUILD YOUR OWN GREENLANDSTYLE SKINONFRAME KAYAK
Two easy-to-build, all-purpose stitch-and-glue sea kayaks.
A wonderfully simple and affordable boatbuilding project, ideal to do with a partner.
BILL THOMAS SEPTEMBER 814
MARK KAUFMAN JUNE 2329
Boatbuilder and designer Bill Thomas has spent the last 35 years working with wood; the last 20 years paddling and building boats. He’s been teaching boatbuilding classes since 1998. During this time he has tried out numerous kayaks, each of them someone’s idea of the perfect boat. Like many folks who spend considerable time on the water, Bill started dreaming, drawing, engineering, and constructing designs and models of his own and eventually arrived at the Willow sea kayak, a great boat to paddle . Students will have the choice of building the 17'7" Willow sea kayak or another of Bill’s designs - the 17'9" Quickbeam. Willow is suitable for paddlers and gear loads up to 300 lbs.; Quickbeam will accommodate taller paddlers and carry larger payloads. Feel free to contact Bill if you have any questions about the boats. Both are built by the stitch-and-glue method, using 4mm okoume plywood and epoxy. The kayaks feature cambered decks for strength, ease of construction, and beauty. Laminated deckbeams grace both interiors. The hulls are sheathed inside and out with 6-oz fiberglass cloth. Each boat has a keyhole cockpit sized to take a standard sprayskirt. Adjustable footbraces and proper seats come with the kits. There are bulkheads and deck hatches, with the option of a day hatch. The weight of the finished boats is approximately 45 lbs., much lighter than similar fiberglass or plastic kayaks. Bill has introduced enough rocker to allow control in big seas and surf, with a long waterline providing straight tracking. Hard chines assure easy, safe turns. A rudder will not be needed but can be added if the builder would like to have one. In touring kayaks such as these, Bill feels it is ease of control and stability that guarantee safe and enjoyable paddling. Boats with low wetted surfaces may have a high top-end speed, but keeping them upright and tracking straight can make for a long day. You don’t necessarily need to be an accomplished woodworker to build a kayak. With a few basic carpentry skills, you’ll be up for the challenge. With a little patience, lots of enthusiasm, and expert guidance from your instructor, you can build a beautiful boat.
Tuition: $800 (partner: $400) Materials: Willow–$1296.75 Quickbeam–$1333.50 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
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Few kayaks can match the skin-on-frame type for simplicity, elegance, and performance. These kayaks are custom-fitted to the individual, bringing you closer to the water and the paddling experience. During this rewarding six-day course, students will have the opportunity to build a replica of a traditional Greenland-style skinon-frame kayak based on museum surveys. Participants will have a choice of building one of four different Greenland kayaks. Two are of the West Greenland style, and two are of the East Greenland style. The West Greenland kayak has a flat, low aft deck wit h gracefully upsweeping ends, a pronounced V-bottom, and hard chines. The East Greenland kayak looks similar to the West Greenland kayak when viewed from above, but when viewed from the side it lacks the strongly upturned ends. The East Greenland kayak also has strongly sloped sides converging on a narrow, almost flat bottom. Unlike the West Greenland kayak that has a higher deck from the front than the back, the East Greenland kayak has a relatively level deck for most of the length and a lower profile than the West Greenland style. Minor sizing adjustments will allow the builder to custom-fit the kayak. Traditional construction techniques will be blended with modern materials to create a kayak that is fast and light. The finished kayaks, constructed from western red cedar with steambent white ash ribs and a stitched-on synthetic skin, will weigh between 25 and 28 lbs. Instructor Mark Kaufman will create a materials/kit package that includes pre-machined western red cedar gunwales, stringers, deckbeams, stems, white ash rib stock, laminated white ash masik deckbeams, finished cockpit rim, seat slats, deck lines, synthetic skin, urethane coating, and a partially preshaped western redcedar paddle blank. Skills Mark will teach include procedures for accurately replicating the original profile of the kayak from line drawings, layout procedures, mortise-and-tenon construction, steambending, hull shaping, sewing on a skin, and, time permitting, carving a Greenland-style paddle. Mark promises a fun, fast-paced, intensive week as each kayak takes shape. Students can expect some long, very productive days so that each day’s goals can be met, and by the end of the week each participant will have a stunning kayak that is ready for the water.
Tuition: $825 (partner: $400) Materials: 16’4” West Greenland kayak–$1102.50 17’10” West Greenland kayak–$1155.00 16’6” East Greenland kayak - $1102.50 18’8” East Greenland kayak - $1155.00 Note: This is a seven-day course that begins on Sunday morning and ends the following Saturday afternoon .
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
... and Woodworking 2013 BUILD YOUR OWN SHELLBACK DINGHY OR NUTSHELL PRAM
BUILD YOUR OWN ANNAPOLIS WHERRY
Build an ideal dinghy in one busy, satisfying, and fun week.
Experience the ultimate in a recreational, open-water pulling boat.
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JEREMY GAGE JULY 2127
The original Nutshell Pram was designed by Joel White to offer as much beauty and purpose as we could imagine in less than 8’ of length. Eventually, a 9’6” version was designed, and both prams have been wonderful successes. The 11’2” Shellback dinghy soon followed, and all three of Joel’s creations turned out to be easily built, strong, light and lovely dinghies for oar and sail. Thousands of them have built and enjoyed over the years. As a modern, all-around small boat, or an easily cared-fortender, the Nutshell and Shellback seem pretty hard to improve upon. The boats provide an education in the fine points of sailing, rowing, and sculling for sailors of all ages. In this course, individuals or pairs of students will assemble a Nutshell or Shellback kit using the glued-lapstrake method of construction under the guidance of professional boatbuilder Jeremy Gage. It’s an ideal undertaking for a “team”—say, a husband and wife, grandparent and grandchild, father and son or daughter, brother and sister, or just good buddies. You’ll find this to be a busy week so come prepared to work! There’s plenty to do building one of these elegant, little daysailers, and you’ll find that the week goes by quickly. Although you might not completely finish your boat here, Jeremy will make sure you get through the hardest steps, learn many basic skills of woodworking, and have a good time in the process. Prior woodworking experience is extremely helpful but not required. And by week’s end, You’ll be the proud owner of a lovely, versatile craft for you or your family to either row or sail, along with achieving the satisfaction of building something both beautiful and practical.
Tuition: $800 (partner $400) Materials: 7'7" Nutshell $2073.75 (rowing) $2609.25 (sailing) 9'6" Nutshell $2115.75 (rowing) $2651.25 (sailing) 11'2" Shellback $2126.25 (rowing) $2672.25 (sailing) Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
GEOFF KERR SEPTEMBER 1521 In this six-day course, each student will build an Annapolis Wherry from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit. The Wherry is designed after the graceful 19th century livery boats used on the River Thames. She is, however, lighter and slimmer, combining breathtaking grace with thoroughbred performance under oars. Solid stability, sea-kindly lines, a buoyant bow, and ample flare make the Wherry a natural choice for rowing in choppy water. It is designed around a sliding seat and, in the hands of an experienced oarsman, cruising speeds easily reach 5 to 7 knots. The Annapolis Wherry (see Small Boats 2007) may be unsurpassed as a rowing trainer, exercise boat, long-distance cruiser, or open-water racer.
The boat is made of 6mm okoume plywood with 9mm okoume plywood frames, thwarts and flotation tanks. Outwales, breasthook and quarter knees are solid mahogany. The Annapolis Wherry is built using the LapStitch™ construction technique. Traditional lapstrake boatbuilding employs molds over which planks are nailed or riveted together. By using precision-rabbeted, computer-cut plank shapes and frames which double as molds, a CLC Lapstitch kit boat is wired together just like a stitch-and-glue kayak. When glued with small epoxy fillets, the planks create a stiff and strong hull that will last for fifty years. The pre-cut hull planks are scarfed together, and then connected to the frames and each other with copper wire stitches, then fixed in place with epoxy fillets. Next come thwarts, knees, wales, and air tanks. Fiberglass cloth on the bottom, inside and out, provides abrasion resistance. The instructor will also discuss the proper way to sand and paint or varnish your boat, and will explain sliding seat installation. At the end of an absorbing week, students will have learned about stitch-and-glue basics, including epoxy work, fiberglassing, and laminating. Building a LapStitch™ boat is easy, but assembling an 18' boat in a week means a tight schedule, and you’ll be spending plenty of time in our shop. It will be an exciting week with an outstanding boatbuilder to guide you through your project!
Tuition: $800 (partner: $400) Materials: $1495.20 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Boatbuilding... BUILD YOUR OWN NORTHEASTER DORY The elegance of a traditional workboat in stitch-and-glue construction DAVID FAWLEY AUGUST 1117 A dory is a lot of boat for the money, which explains the enduring popularity of the type over the last 150 years or more. Graceful roundsided lapstrake dories like this 17-footer were once the primary recreational craft on the New England coast. In this six-day course, you’ll assemble a faithful reproduction in just a week, using marine plywood and epoxy. Capacity is three adults, and you can add a sailing rig if you choose. Enjoy fast rowing with one oarsman or two, or add a sliding-seat unit. This very popular John C. Harris design uses Chesapeake Light Craft’s patented LapStitch™ process, which yields boats of 19th-century appearance but 21st-century weight and durability. More than 11 years after the first CLC LapStitch™ models, the Northeaster Dory enjoys numerous refinements for faster, easier, prettier, and stronger construction. Just as in the original dories, we begin with a sturdy flat bottom, erect frames, and then add planks in a single day. A handsome timber rail adds stiffness, and the structure is further reinforced with epoxy and fiberglass. Solid timber seats feature alternating Spanish cedar and cypress strips, which will look great under varnish. All plywood is marine-grade okoume. The impulse for this new design was the desire for a fast but safe and dry rowing craft, for exercise during Maryland winters on the creeks near John’s Kent Island home. Simple and sturdy, the dory can live in or out of the water, ready to go in any condition of wind and wave. Dories are great load-carriers, and the Northe aster Dory is no exception. The maximum payload is 800 lbs. By the end of this exciting week, hulls will be assembled, ready for sanding and painting at home. If there’s time during the class, those who elect to add the traditional dory sailing rig may get started on that option. Come join John, a leading designer in the wooden boat community, and experience the satisfaction of building your very own beautiful dory.
Tuition: $800 (partner: $400) Materials: $1491 (rowing), $2644.95 (sailing) Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
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BUILD YOUR OWN SASSAFRAS CANOE LapStitch construction of a lovely 12’ solo or 16’ tandem ultralight double-paddle canoe. JOHN HARRIS AUGUST 1824 Today many folks often think of wooden canoes as being strip-built, but lapstrake canoes have an even longer history. The legendary Rushton lapstrake canoes of the 1880s are considered the pinnacle of the canoe builder’s art. Lapstrake construction permits very stiff and light hulls with a minimum of fiberglass. The nice sweep of the plank adds visual interest and knocks down spray. In this course you can choose to build either a 12’ Sassafras solo canoe or a 16’ tandem. You’ll start with a Chesapeake Light Craft kit and assemble the hulls using the LapStitch method. The planks are fastened together temporarily with copper wire “stitches,” and then the hull is stiffened with epoxy. Cedar rails are added, and the lightweight fiberglass cloth is applied in high-wear areas for ruggedness. Everything is sealed in epoxy for a lifetime of lowmaintenance enjoyment. The Sassafras 12 is what’s known as a “pack canoe,” At less than 30 lbs, you can walk it into the wilderness to a secret fishing hole. Keep it on top of your car for spontaneous solo explorations of lonely creeks or bays. Capacity is 275 lbs. The Sassafras 16 will easily handle two adults and a decent pile of kids or gear. Take it out for Saturday afternoons or multi-week camping expeditions.
The Sassafras canoes have been built by the hundreds and have been regulars at WoodenBoat School since the 1990s. In recent years, both models were extensively refined by designer and boatbuilder John Harris for easier construction, better handling, and bigger payloads. This is a wonderful opportunity for canoe lovers to build and go home with a high-performance wooden boat and gain a nice set of new boatbuilding skills. And it’s a great project for the first-time builder or the old pro.
Tuition: $800 (partner: $400) Materials: 12' - $1017.45 16' - $1180.20 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
... and Woodworking 2013 BUILD YOUR OWN SHEARWATER SPORT KAYAK
STITCHANDGLUE BOATBUILDING
A versatile, durable, easy-to-build kayak designed for both the recreational and serious kayaker.
Learn introductory and advanced modern plywood boatbuilding techniques suitable for simple or heavy-duty boats.
ERIC SCHADE JULY 1420
JOHN HARRIS JULY 713
Is there a perfect kayak? You can’t have it all in one kayak. For speed, you want a hull that is long and narrow. For comfort, you want broad beam and a big cockpit. For maneuverability and ease of handling, a short kayak is desirable. Artful compromise is the mark of good design, and Eric Schade’s 14'6" Shearwater Sport is a great combination of kayak virtues. For paddlers with longer legs (or stiff knees) who want an easy entry and egress, Eric specified a 34"-long cockpit. Standard spray skirts will fit, and the Shearwater Sport is outfitted with all of the features expected in a high-performance kayak: knee braces, hip braces, and a low aft deck for those who might want to roll the boat. The compact Shearwater Sport gives up nothing in cruising speeds to longer, skinnier traditional kayaks, and it’s still more than fast enough to accelerate onto waves for surfing. Indeed, many paddlers will build the Shearwater Sport just for surfing. For less adventurous paddlers, the Shearwater Sport offers the perfect compromise of light weight, sharp West Greenland handling, effortless cruising speed, and an extra-large cockpit for comfort. The shorter length means easier construction, storage, and cartopping. It might just be the “one kayak” that does almost everything well. Watertight bulkheads and flush-mounted deck hatches are standard; so many builders will camp-cruise in the boat. Built from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit, the Shearwater Sport
The “stitch-and-glue” construction method is the easiest way to build a boat, as tens of thousands of amateur boatbuilders will testify. The approach, which emphasizes the use of epoxy adhesives and strategic fiberglass reinforcement combined with marine plywood, is ideal for first-timers. But like so many things, it’s easy to do but hard to do well. This class is about how to do it well. The stitch-and-glue techniques date back to the advent of modern adhesives in the 1960s. The basic process involves prefabricated plywood parts, which are stitched together with loops of wire, then glued with epoxy to create rigid and seaworthy hulls. The process dispenses with lofting, elaborate molds, and much of the complex joinery of traditional wooden boat building. While the method is beloved of amateurs, in recent decades professionals have seized on this type of construction as a way to create beautiful free-form hull shapes with amazing strength and light weight. While still benefiting from the speed and ease of stitch-and-glue boatbuilding, pros deploy sophisticated techniques that result in optimized structures and glittering finishes. As the owner of Chesapeake Light Craft, John Harris has shipped 24,000 stitch-and-glue kits and built hundreds of boats in classes and in his own shop. In this class, students will build a sprightly 16’ multihull of John’s design called the Outrigger Junior. This ultralight and ultra-fast sailboat offers many opportunities to focus on the finer points of stitch-and-glue construction: perfect handdrawn fillets that look like they were molded in place; fast and clean fiberglass sheathing and reinforcement; the use of advanced materials like peel-ply and carbon fiber; high-performance foil construction; and hollow wood-epoxy spars. Whether you’re building your first boat, or looking to learn the advanced tricks that the professionals use to get “showboat” finishes, this one-week class will advance your abilities to work with wood, epoxy, and fiberglass. And the boat we build together will be raffled off at the end of the week to one very lucky student!
uses all of the most advanced wood-composite techniques. Stitchand-glue plywood construction has come a long way! Computercut hull panels are cut from marine-grade okoume for the hull and dark red sapele for the deck. The class begins with the assembly of a “puzzle” of pieces into an elegant kayak shape. The structure is carefully and neatly reinforced with epoxy and fiberglass for rugged use on rocky beaches. Eric will help students bring up a smooth finish, ready for varnish, and install flush hatches in the decks. Only light sanding followed by varnishing remains to be done at home.
Tuition: $750
Tuition: $800 (partner: $400) Materials: $1102.50 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
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2013 Boatbuilding... CARVING WATERFOWL Learn shallow relief carving along with decorative decoy techniques.
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JERRY CUMBO JUNE 28
WOODCARVING Introductory and advanced techniques for both first-time and experienced carvers. REED HAYDEN AUGUST 410 Professional boatbuilder and woodcarver Reed Hayden offers students a stimulating look at decorative woodcarving during this week. Whether you are a casual hobbyist or a devoted craftsman, this week promises each participant very satisfying results using basic carving tools and woodworking skills. Reed will introduce a variety of carving and woodworking techniques including design and drawing, incised lettering, low and high relief carving, overlays, three-dimensional projects, router work, and gold leafing. All of these procedures will enable students to produce elaborate carvings as well as integrate them into marine and residential applications.
Carving wild birds can be exceptionally satisfying and enjoyable, but it is likely to be a new or different and somewhat challenging experience for many woodworkers. In this new course taught by Jerry Cumbo, students will gain a better understanding of woodcarving and how to gain the skills associated with this art form. You’ll learn simple and straightforward tooling techniques and methods for achieving two different and beautiful carvings. The first class project will be a shallow relief carving of a New England shorebird. For simplicity’s sake, Jerry will have on hand three bird designs for students to choose from. To begin, he’ll demonstrate basic carving tool use and sharpening, along with which woods are appropriate for carving. Moving on to drawing, design, and layout, students will learn to develop an eye for a finished piece from the original blank or block, and how to formulate a wellthought-out carving strategy for their own project. Using a variety of carving tools and knives, and a small amount of time with a router, each student will practice carving techniques before starting on their chosen piece. Patience and practice make perfect, and, as the week slides by, students will gradually gain the skills and confidence to create a fine-looking relief carving. Midweek, Jerry will also introduce students to the steps in creating a freestanding sculptural piece—an Atlantic Coast shorebird decorative decoy. A bandsaw will replace the router, but the majority of the woodwork will be done with gouges, rasps, and knives. Starting with a block of wood, you will go through the steps of drawing a profile of the bird, removing wood, redrawing your shape, and slowly developing a form. Wood responds to firm but gentle coaxing, and you will alearn to work with patience and develop a rhythm in your work. Techniques in finishing, details, painting, and mounting will also be covered. If there is time, Jerry will lead a field trip to the Wendell Gilley Museum of Bird Carving in Southwest Harbor to provide a bit more inspiration. The more one knows about the construction of the things one carves, the better. At the conclusion of this week, students will not only leave with two beautiful pieces they’ve carved themselves, but with new skills and an eye for artistic expression and the harmony between nature and art.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $78.50
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For those individuals new to carving, one of the first projects will be a motif sign. Coupled with this exercise will be a decorative carved shell. Both of these projects will help the student develop a “good eye” toward visualizing various shapes and forms. As one’s carving skill and experience develop, so does that “good eye.” Having brought the motif sign to a point where it is ready for paint, students will be encouraged to explore other techniques. These may be incorporated into a project of their own design. Reed will provide plenty of examples of his own work and others for reference. For the more experienced carvers, Reed will offer more ambitious projects that focus on three-dimensional carving. All students are encouraged to bring any of their own carving projects they may want to work on in the course. If you’ve ever had the ambition to design and carve your own work, this week might be just the one you’ve been waiting for. Complete with design advice, tool and wood selection, carving instruction, and finishing techniques, Reed’s helpful course should provide immense satisfaction and inspiration.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $89.25 for novice carvers; to be determined for advanced carvers based on project.
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
... and Woodworking 2013 THE ART OF WOODCUTS
ESSENTIALS OF FINE WOODWORKING
An intriguing woodworking project for the beginning or intermediate woodworker.
Building a dovetailed tool or utility box.
GENE SHAW JULY 2127
Woodcut printmaking is a relief-printing artistic technique in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges, knives, and chisels. It was created in Europe about 1400 and, throughout time, has gone through various levels of technical and artistic development among woodworkers around the world. Gene Shaw, artist and master woodworker, has designed this captivating course for individuals interested in learning how to create black-and-white woodcut prints. On Monday morning, Gene will introduce students to the proper use of carving tools, methods to sharpen them, and how to make a straight knife from a simple hacksaw blade. During the week, work will be done on both soft and hard woods, plywood, and linoleum blocks. There will also be an introduction to various papers, inks, and brayers. Printing will be by hand using a traditional Japanese barren (of several types) or a bamboo paddle, the instructor’s favorite. A trip to a nearby gallery that exhibits woodcuts and wood engravings by a number of local artists will be planned early in the week to expose students to a wide variety of styles and provide inspiration. Gene will also take the class on several drawing excursions to some of the boat yards and shops in Brooklin to help students develop ideas and compositions to take back to the shop to translate into woodcuts. Anyone interested in woodcarving and woodworking will be fascinated by this week with Gene, a very talented craftsman and artist. By the end of the course, everyone will have achieved a solid foundation for designing and producing high-quality woodcut prints in a small space using quality tools and materials.
JANET COLLINS AUGUST 1117 There are as many approaches to designing and making boating projects as there are woodworkers. In this six-day course with woodworker/furniture maker Janet Collins, students will learn the intricacies of fine joinerwork in a project that will combine elegance with utility. Each student will build a dovetailed box approximately 18"×10"×12" in cherry. Building the box will include learning to lay out and accurately produce hand cut dovetails, mitered base frames, wood batten hinges, as well as a discussion of appropriate handles or chest hardware available on the market. Janet will first introduce students to the components of designing and laying out the chest. She’ll then move on to wood selection, coping with wood movement, types of joints, and the correct procedures for gluing up material—solid wood for the box, lid, base frame and hinge battens. Hand tool selection, how best to use them, and, most importantly, how to keep them sharp follows. Day two will find students practicing the step-by-step process for cutting dovetails by hand and crafting the sides of the chest. Practice is the most essential component to mastering craftsmanship. In this course you’ll learn from your mistakes and successes, and, above all, learn from your hands. The base frame for the box will then be mitered, followed by the creation of wood batten hinges. Hardware will be installed bringing the woodworking portion of the chest to a close. Janet will cover wooden hardware fabrication along with finishing, although time may not allow for any applications of oils, varnishes, or paint during the course. It will be a very informative week with a very talented craftswoman that everyone, even longtime woodworkers, will find enjoyable. And at week’s end, each student will take home a beautiful, handcrafted treasure chest that will last a lifetime. Previous woodworking experience is required.
Tuition: $800 Materials: $89.25 Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $31.50
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Marine Surveying WHAT SHAPE IS SHE IN A detailed study of boats.
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DAVID WYMAN, SAMSAMS JUNE 28 The more a boat owner knows about their boat, the safer it will be. Even a less than perfect boat in the hands of a knowledgeable boater—who understands and respects the limitations of the boat—can be perfectly seaworthy. In this course taught by David Wyman, a marine surveyor with an outstanding reputation in the industry, students will learn how to inspect a boat and to assess its condition. David is also a small
boat designer and an avid boater, with many years of experience surveying all types of boats, as well as designing boats and consulting on construction, repair, and the operation of vessels. He’s seen it all. This invaluable course is designed for an average boat owner who wants to learn more about their boat or for someone contemplating buying a boat. It is not meant to replace the need for a professional marine survey, but will help you understand what is involved in a survey and the basics of what to look for before bringing in a certified marine surveyor. It will also help you choose a marine surveyor appropriate for your vessel should you need one. Students will meet for daily lectures and discussions in our Boathouse, but much of the class work will be done in the field at local boatyards and shops. We will examine wooden hulls of traditional and modern construction as well as fiberglass hulls. You’ll inspect boats from keel to truck and learn how to examine a boat and where to look for common problems caused by rot, corrosion, and general deterioration as a result of age or neglect. Solutions to problems and how they could have been prevented will be discussed. Propulsion, electrical, and plumbing systems will also be inspected. In addition, David will cover topics that are important to insurers and lenders, such as the requirements set by the U.S. Coast Guard, the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
INSPECTING FIBERGLASS BOATS A professional approach to assessing fiberglass boats. SUE CANFIELD JUNE 915 Fiberglass boats have problems that are as varied—and as difficult to detect, assess, and repair—as those associated with wooden boats. Hydrolysis, osmotic blistering, delamination, core deterioration, and a host of other complex problems can develop as a fiberglass boat ages. Although some of these conditions may be purely cosmetic, many are ultimately of structural concern. This course covers the various materials and methods used to construct and repair fiberglass boats typically found on the used-boat market, e.g., hand layup, vacuum-bagging, and resin infusion. Attendees will learn how to detect hull and deck molding problems, and how to assess their effect on boat safety and value. Since fiberglass moldings represent less than half of the cost of the typical sailing auxiliary or power cruiser, knowledgeable surveyors must also be familiar with all the other components of the vessel being inspected. As time permits, your instructor will also address hull and deck fittings, spars and rigging, propulsion and controls, tanks, piping, electrical installations, and miscellaneous equipment. Lectures and discussions will be held in the Boathouse classroom each morning, with visits to various local builders and yards each afternoon to observe fabrication methods and put your own surveying skills to use. While this course is tailored to the needs of a practicing marine surveyor, it will also prove invaluable to those in allied work—including boat builders, repairers, insurance underwriters and adjusters, yacht brokers, and those in government regulatory agencies—as well as anyone who owns or is planning to purchase a fiberglass boat.
Tuition: $750
“Everyone who works at WoodenBoat School is a special individual and a great host. I was impressed that each staff member remembered my name after my initial introduction. Your program is outstanding. I had no idea what to expect but all my hopes were far exceeded. Thanks for everything!”
Tuition: $750
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
R.H., Folly Beach, South Carolina
Related Crafts 2013 MARINE ELECTRICS
MAKING FRIENDS WITH YOUR MARINE DIESEL ENGINE
A thorough introduction to marine electrical systems.
An introduction to evaluating small marine diesels.
PATRICK DOLE AUGUST 1824
JON BARDO JUNE 28, SEPTEMBER 2228
From electronic navigation to refrigeration, the complexity of, and stresses upon, the electrical and mechanical systems aboard pleasure boats have increased dramatically in recent decades. If you ask a room full of marine surveyors what boat systems are prone to the most abuse and degradation, one of the most frequent responses would surely be marine electrical systems. And if you ask a group of boaters what are some of their biggest fears in boating, sinking and fires would certainly top that list. With 50 percent of fires on boats attributable to marine electrical systems, it is certainly well worth the time to inspect your system and ensure it is up to the task of providing your needs in a safe manner. This introductory course will give you the necessary background and understanding of theory and standards, as well as training in practical troubleshooting so you can better comprehend your electrical system. You’ll learn about the importance of ABYC standards, and why marine designation is so important in your installation. And students will explore load balancing and energy budgeting. In addition to covering AC and DC systems, the course will also introduce students to galvanic corrosion and bonding systems, as well as lightning protection. Upon completion of this course, each student will know where to find the appropriate information needed to make many repairs and upgrades themselves, and when to seek the services of an ABYC-certified marine electrician. You will be able to discuss viable options with the electrician and have the confidence to make better decisions as to the scope and extent of upgrades desired. And you will no doubt have a much more thorough understanding of the systems aboard your boat and better means to cope with their maintenance and repair.
Realizing that the diesel engine powers the world, we are offering this course to provide you an indepth view of the small marine diesel engine. Despite their apparent complexity, diesels are quite simple machines that can be given an almost indefinite lifespan by painless preventive maintenance techniques and proper operation. Jon Bardo has had over 30 years of experience troubleshooting and rebuilding diesel engines from 16 hp to 2,400 hp, and has tailored a course that will meet the immediate needs of each student and his/her own engine. During the week, students will be presented with a wide array of hands-on demonstrations and lectures designed to cover the care and repair of the small marine engine. Fuel systems, cooling systems, lubricating systems, electrical systems, exhaust and intake systems, and more will all be explored and thoroughly explained in layman’s terms. Mechanical problems are almost always the result of some human weakness or deficiency, and Jon will create a “survival guide” for owners of diesel-powered watercraft to properly maintain their own power plants and extend the lives of the engines. You’ll get plenty of grease under your fingernails in this course as your instructor details correct operation of your engine from start-up to shutdown. Students will have a great chance to find out what to look for in troubleshooting common problems, and which repairs you can do yourself and which should be done by a professional mechanic. And if you should need repairs, Jon will teach you how to find and deal with a mechanic, and how to tell if you’re being taken care of or being taken for a ride. If you are one of the many boat owners who are interested in improving your understanding and ability and gaining confidence in dealing with your motor, then come join Jon Bardo for a fascinating look at the marine diesel.
Tuition: $750
“Patrick Dole was superior! His background and currency on MARINE ELECTRICS, as well as his ability to teach, make him a perfect fit on the faculty of your school. It was an incredible course.” B.E., Oxford, Michigan
Tuition: $750 Note: A copy of Peter Compton’s book Troubleshooting Marine Diesels will be provided to each student at the start of the course.
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2013 Related Crafts N E W
RIGGING
THE MARLINESPIKE SAILOR
Principles and practices; tools and traditional techniques.
Functional and decorative knots and ropework.
MYLES THURLOW AUGUST 410 Beyond its obvious value to such people as boatyard workers and bluewater cruisers, a working knowledge of good rigging is useful and enjoyable, sometimes even crucial, for anyone involved with boats. This week with Myles Thurlow, professional rigger from Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, will prove indispensable to all those interested in gaining a fuller appreciation of rigging design and layout along with many do-it-yourself rigging operations. From splicing to mooring lines, from leather chafe protections to mast tuning, from fixing deck hardware to inspecting and maintaining a rig, students will have plenty of “hands-on” opportunities to come away with a broader understanding of rigging. Myles’ course will be based on a thorough discussion of traditional rigging design and layout. It will lean toward the traditional rig with some modern concepts added to the mix. Using WoodenBoat School’s fleet, along with boats in neighboring Center Harbor, you’ll examine and inspect a variety of rigs. A wide assortment of rigging tools, wire, line, and hardware will be used and compared, and students will be kept busy throughout the week practicing splicing, serving, seizing, and a variety of useful knots. At the conclusion of this week, all participants will have a better understanding of marlinspike seamanship and how to create safe and effective rigging.
TIM WHITTEN JULY 713 Marlinespike seamanship skills have been a hallmark of sailing for centuries. From the era of square-rigged merchantmen to modern naval vessels and including all manner of pleasure craft in between, neatly done ropework has been regarded as a sign of a well-kept boat. This course with Tim Whitten is intended to strengthen one’s basic rope skills and introduce students to the extensive world of fancy work.
Tuition: $750 Materials fee: $120.75 The Ashley Book of Knots will serve as the text for the course. This comprehensive volume of knots and techniques can sometimes be daunting for the novice. It has hundreds of illustrations, yet like many knot books leaves many readers wondering how to piece things together to make a finished item. Tim will begin the course by covering simple knots and splices but will quickly move into a more advanced project: making a bell rope. Successful execution of this project requires mastery of several core techniques. Once students complete the bell rope, they will move on to other projects involving those same techniques. Tim will provide plenty of one-on-one and hands-on instruction. Students will be encouraged to bring items of their own which they may want to dress up with fancy work, such as tillers, steering wheels, tool handles, rail sections, bottles, etc. Examples of other projects students can tackle during the week are a ditty bag and lanyard, deck mat, rope fenders, and sea chest beckets. Knowledge of marlinespike seamanship is what distinguishes a true seaman from the weekend sailor. Anyone spending any amount of serious time out on the water should be well versed in knots, palm and needle work, and the making of small objects on board as necessary. This week with Tim Whitten will be a strong first step in that direction.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $47.25
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Related Crafts 2013 INTRODUCTION TO CANVASWORK
THE ART OF SCRIMSHAW
Project design, tools of the trade, industrial machine stitching, materials, and lots more.
A step-by-step introduction to creating beautiful pieces.
ANN BRAYTON SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 1521
RON NEWTON JULY JULY 28AUGUST 3
Ann has been running her very successful canvaswork busi ness out of the family barn in Brooklin, Maine, for close to 20 years. Her reputation as an exceptional canvasworker (specializing in custom interior and exterior boat cushions) leads many of the area boatyards and boat owners to her doorstep each year with orders in hand. We are fortunate to be able to offer students the chance to work alongside Ann learning the basics of this valuable skill. Canvaswork is one of those traditional crafts that have been part of the boat owner’s world for centuries. Sails, protective covers, seabags, even clothes were once made out of canvas by a ship’s bosun. These days, the availability of new synthetic fibers has drastically changed the landscape for those producing marine canvaswork, though many techniques remain the same. Students in this course will learn the ins and outs of working with a wide range of these materials that are on the market today. Students will begin the week learning to use the industrial sewing machines we’ll have on hand for this course, followed by an introduction to all the various fabrics fabri cs and foams available to the canvasworker. We’ll then look at the other tools of the trade, and learn how to install grommets, zippers, and other fastenings. The course will cover how to make various styles of boat cushions ranging from simple cockpit cushions to beveled V-berth cushions, and as time permits, students will learn to make other useful canvas projects, such as covers, bags, tool rolls, etc. Everyone will discover the step-by-step step-by-st ep procedures in designing a project, choosing materials, and proper cutting and assembling to produce quality work that you will take pride in. Most canvaswork projects involve simple sewing techniques that are easy to master with plenty of practice, even if you’ve never done any sewing before. Students are welcome to bring their own projects to work on during class but must discuss their ideas with Ann prior to this week. There is much satisfaction to be achieved from producing your own canvaswork, not to mention the financial savings involved. After this week in the loft with wi th Ann, you’ll head home with confidence, a new awareness in working with fabrics, a completed project or two, and a seabag full of new skills.
Scrimshaw is one of the original American art forms, form s, having gained popularity in the 1800s among sailors, especially those working on whaling ships. Over subsequent years, artists discovered the art form, and today there are many master scrimshaw artists (scrimshanders) practicing a variety of techniques. Much of their work is highly sought after and collected. But one does not have to be an artist to practice the art of scrimshaw. Ron Newton has been teaching scrimshaw for a number of years and has authored the popular book Learning How to Scrimshaw. In that time, he has developed a system of techniques that do not require the student be able to draw. On day one, Ron will introduce a set of exercises that will help students gain control of the tools and the various processes used in scrimshaw. The next day, students will work on a relatively simple design, an eagle, which contains both stipple and line components. The remainder of the week will be filled with tips, techniques, and insights that will help students gain confidence and hone their newfound skills. Depending on each student’s progress, other projects will be introduced that match each individual’s interest. Scrimshaw is like any other art form in one respect: the more you practice, the better you’ll get. A week with this talented artist art ist and teacher will have you on your way to creating pieces that you’ll take genuine pride in.
Tuition: $750 Materials fee: $26.25 $26.25
Tuition: $750 Materials: $47.25
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat WoodenBoat School
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2013 Related Crafts METALWORKING FOR THE METALWORKING BOATBUILDER AND WOODWORKER
BLACKSMITHING FOR BOATBUILDERS
A survey of tools and techniques.
An introduction to traditionally forged ironwork for marine projects.
ERICA MOODY JULY JULY 1420
DOUG WILSON JUNE JUNE 1622 16 22
This highly useful course designed by professional metalworker Erica Moody will provide students the unique opportunity to explore and practice various metalworking techniques geared toward assisting woodworkers and/or boatbuilders, professional or amateur, in fabricating or repairing metal parts for their projects. There are any number of reasons to learn a few basic metalworking skills, not the least of which is the increasing difficulty of finding anyone to construct or repair anything! To start off, Erica will introduce students to the various types of metal used in the marine environment and their properties and uses, and review the tools and techniques to work them in simple ways without the need to set up an expensive, fancy metal shop at home. The focus all week will be on working mostly with sheet stainless steel, different bronze alloys, copper, and aluminum. Procedures covered will include drilling and tapping, simple machining, forming, silver brazing, soldering, oxy/ acetylene welding, and finishing methods. TIG-welding of aluminum, stainless steel, and silicon-bronze will also be demonstrated and available for use by students. Students can bring parts to repair or fabricate, complete small projects to take home, or just practice skills. No previous experience is necessary. This week with a very talented metalworker will give each individual the opportunity to clarify metalworking questions and start building the skills and confidence needed to repair, replace, or custom- make your own deck and hull fittings, cabin hardware, tools, or beautiful accessories and gizmos. It will be a great way to get started!
The time-honored craft of blacksmithing is alive and well. This captivating, five-day course, taught by master craftsman Doug Wilson, will expose students to the principles of the craft, focusing on hot-forging steel. Students will learn fundamental hand-forging processes and then have the opportunity to create useful items. No power tools will interfere with your understanding of the forging process. Do you need a special tool or would you like to restore an old one? Can it be fixed, or will you need to replace the original? How about steel hardware? The lessons learned here will apply to both ornamental forge work and tool making with high-carbon steels. The mysteries of hardening and tempering will be addressed, and students will learn to properly heat high-carbon tools of their own making. As students become more confident in basic blacksmithing skills during this course, they’ll move on to designing and making individual pieces to take home. The promise of success in this course will be limited only by the talent and enterprise of the beginner, and not by the lack of expensive or elaborate equipment and materials. And as students find themselves becoming more confident in their blac blacksmithing ksmithing skills over time, they will discover, with pleasure and satisfaction, that they have become their own teacher.
Tuition: $800 Materials: $210 $210 Note: This course course will be be held at Doug Doug Wilson’s shop located in Little Deer Isle, Isle, a short drive drive from WoodenBoat WoodenBoat School.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $210 $210
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Related Crafts 2013 BRONZE CASTING FOR BOATBUILDERS
MARINE PAINTING AND VARNISHING
The process of patternmaking and casting custom hardware.
The art and science of finishing prep work to final coat.
SAM JOHNSON JUNE JUNE 1622 16 22
GARY LOWELL JUNE JUNE 2329 23 29
If you are a professional or amateur amat eur boatbuilder, boatbuild er, in a small or large operation, working on traditional or modern craft, power or sail, wood or even plastic, one thing you always have to consider is the matter of hardware. Boatbuilders are often in need of special bronze fittings that are either not available off the shelf or must be cast at great expense. This course with Sam Johnson will introduce the basics of patternmaking, sand molding, and bronze casting. Students will learn how to build an inexpensive furnace and all the tools necessary to cast hot metal using sand-casting technology. Even if you don’t want to do your own casting, you will learn enough about design and patternmaking to minimize the cost of having a commercial foundry make your castings. In this stimulating, hands-on course, students will make patterns of their design to cast tools, boat hardware, and other small objects in bronze. Anyone who has ever lost an oarlock will appreciate learning how to make copies of original hardware. Students will also learn how to make complex castings using cores and following blocks, and how to make duplicate patterns from silicone rubber and epoxy. Last, but not least, each student will learn how to finish off their castings.
Painting a boat is not simply a matter of opening a can and dipping in a brush—especially if you want the job to look decent and last well. Marine finishing requires a lot of careful preparation, good technique, and an understanding of a bewildering bewilder ing array of products. Gary Lowell packs a great deal into this one-week course. He starts with the preparation of the surface—the key to a fine finish. Too many good coats of paint do little more than emphasize a rough hull, and too many fine hulls have been damaged by the misuse of power tools. You’ll work with a variety of grinders, sanders, and scrapers on a variety of wooden boat parts. You’ll develop the feel needed to make these tools work for you, not against you. You’ll examine the whole smorgasbord of currently available finishing products—strippers and primers, additives and thinners, enamels and epoxies, antifouling paints (both traditional and hightech)), varnishes and oils, etc. You’ll discuss how to pick the right product, and how to apply it. You’ll learn about different types of brushes and rollers, and the techniques of masking and cutting in, striking a boot top, and keeping a wet edge. And you’ll practice how to artfully coordinate the tools and techniques as you paint and varnish the boats on hand, or possibly your own. You’ll also learn how to protect yourself from the potentially harmful dusts and chemicals involved in this work. Gary will show you how to get a beautiful finish and stay healthy at the same time. ti me. This is a very worthwhile course for boat owners or anyone else who would like to make a good boat shine.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $262.50 $262.50
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Tuition: $750
Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat WoodenBoat School
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2013 Related Crafts ISLAND MAGIC The art of seeing and sharing through writing, drawing, and photography.
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RUTH HILL AND JUDY MATHEWSON AUGUST 1824 Leaving the mainland behind this week, students will discover one of the treasures of WoodenBoat School’s “backyard”— Babson Island. Join Ruth Hill, writer, naturalist, and co-owner of Brooks Boats Designs, and Judy Mathewson, writer, teacher, and journalist, for a fascinating week exploring a world apart—the life and history of Maine islands—and capturing these in words, snapshots, and sketches. Protected for many years by family owners, Babson Island is now cared for as an island preserve by Maine Coast Heritage Trust. You’ll explore the island’s rocky shores, gravel beaches, fern fields, shell middens, and spruce forests, investigating habitats and inhabitants, taking the time to slow down, to truly see and to hear what the island has to say. Together, Judy and Ruth will weave the island’s natural and human history together, traveling back in time to see the island as it was when islands—and boat s— had a very different place in Maine life. Each day, you’ll settle in a comfortable spot on the island or back on the WoodenBoat School campus to work on your journals or chosen writing work, adding in drawings and photographs as you wish and are able. Bring along a sketchpad and camera, and Ruth will be glad to give basic instructions for using drawing and photography for recording your experiences and thoughts. You’ll have the opportunity to try your hand at various genres—from daily field journal entries to essays; from journalism to poetry. Writing exercises in the field and back at the school will help you marry the naturalist’s careful eye to the writer’s “inner ear.” As the week slides by, there will be time for short readings and discussions of students’ works and those of other writers. We’ll be spending most of the week making daily trips out to Babson Island, but for one day during the week the class focus will broaden from the close and immediate of the island itself to the broad expanse of islands, coast, and sea as you head out on a field trip to see what lies beyond. Students should come prepared to spend much of each day outdoors, in varying conditions; while there’s nothing better than gazing out to sea from your seat on a warm sunny ledge with the cool ocean lapping at your feet, the enveloping sense of awayness felt on an island held in the soft gray hands of fog is also a gift—to experience and to capture in words. At the end of this captivating week, you’ll head home with notebooks, sketchpads, and memory cards full to the gunwales with words and images capturing the life, feel, and essence of the most wonderful and rich treasures the coast of Maine has to offer: her islands. And you’ll discover that you too have been captured, forever, by the beauty and wonder of the islands and the sea.
Tuition: $750
MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY I & II Techniques and tips for getting that perfect digital shot on and around the water. MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY I JON STROUT AND JANE PETERSON SEPTEMBER 814 MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY II JON STROUT AND JANE PETERSON AUGUST 2531 Photographing on, in, or around the ocean is very challenging. The coast of Maine is certainly no exception. Lighting conditions are constantly changing, offering unique opportunities for the most experienced photographer. How to make the most of these opportunities is the test every photographer faces. As we’ve seen, digital cameras have changed the world of photography overnight. Well-known photographer Jon Strout and his able assistant Jane Peterson come to our campus to offer two unique photography courses. MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY I will be an introduction to camera technique, the chemistry of light, and capturing first-class images. During the week, Jon will conduct daily sessions in shooting with available light. By using proper exposures and correct shutter speeds, you will learn the techniques needed to capture a multitude of conditions. MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY II is for the photographer who has already taken an introductory course, or is equivalently prepared and looking for the challenge of improving his or her style and technique, and moving on to the next level. Individual and group assignments will be given, and are designed to further develop one’s ability to see and create an image of what you experience and feel. Jon and Jane will offer advanced work on exposure and metering, lens selection and use, the three-dimensional photograph, the element of time, and, of course, composition. Students will use their own digital cameras, whether point-andshoot models or SLR. With the convenience of digital photography, the instructors will critique students’ work daily. Each morning each class will meet in our Boathouse to review the previous day’s work and prepare to cover new ground. But the real essence of both courses will be taking pictures with your instructors and on your own. The WoodenBoat School waterfront and boatbuilding shops, the many harbors and local boatyards, the town of Brooklin, and nearby Acadia National Park will provide a wealth of photogenic material. MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY I has been scheduled to coincide with the annual Windjammer Sail-In here at WoodenBoat—an exciting gathering of traditional schooners guaranteed to take your breath away. The challenge and pleasure of both of these weeks will be to capture it all on film!
Tuition: $750 38
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Related Crafts 2013 SEASCAPE/LANDSCAPE IN WATERCOLOR
Maritime details near and far.
The sea, the sky, and boats, for beginners on up.
AMY HOSA SEPTEMBER 17
PHILIP STEEL AUGUST 410
COASTAL MAINE IN WATERCOLOR
Imagine a low tide in the midst of barnacle-covered boulders, or sitting among a fleet of small dinghies in Center Harbor. Learn how to capture the moment in details, textures, and colors. Amy has easy-tofollow tips and tricks for composition, perspective, water surfaces, and landscapes. Your artwork will take on a whole new dimension. Instruction includes step-by-step lessons that explore the fundamentals of observation, sketching and watercolor techniques, in addition to on-sight demos while plein-air painting at a variety of stunning seaside locations. Students will receive plenty of individual instruction and critique that will nurture the novice and challenge the experienced artist throughout this fascinating week.
Tuition: $750
L E E T S P I L I H P
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Philip Steel has gained world recognition as an artist. He has offered watercolor workshops throughout the United States, Italy, France, Scotland, and England, and brings his warm and engaging style to our campus this summer. Emphasis will be on basic techniques of watercolor and some sketching, perspective, and value studies and the anatomy of objects; you’ll learn how to make a boat look like a boat. You’ll find out about mixing colors and the hows and whys of various techniques—wet on wet, dry brush, dry into wet, and wet into dry. You’ll be challenged to capture and interpret the moods of water, its reflections and transparency, its motion.
Tuition: $750 Materials: $26.25 (matting material)
E S O R Y R R E J
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PAINTING THE DOWNEAST COAST IN OILS A comprehensive approach to understanding how to see and paint the Maine coast. JERRY ROSE JULY 2127
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You are invited to join local artist Jerry Rose for a fascinating week painting in oil. Each day will find students working both in group settings and out on their own. Jerry will cover a variety of topics, including seeing and composing a sketch, tools and techniques to achieve wet-on-wet oil painting, mixing paint and brush techniques, capturing morning light, the elements of composing and arranging the visual elements to form a better design, experimenting with design and technique, and lots more. Morning and afternoon demonstrations and discussions by the instructor will cover a different facet of landscape painting/sketching and help students understand the process of painting in oils. Following Jerry’s presentations, students will work on their daily assignments followed by a class critique. The week promises to be challenging, fun, and inspiring. Previous painting experience is recommended.
Tuition: $750
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2013 O-Site Courses Can’t make it to Brooklin, Maine?
We’re very excited to be working with John Harris and the good folks at CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT in Annapolis, Maryland, and, once again, to be able to offer courses at their excellent facility.
Wood Duck Kayak
Tuition for each of these courses is $800 (partner $400)
CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT SHOP Annapolis, Maryland
MARCH 25-30 BUILD YOUR OWN WOOD DUCK KAYAK
Annapolis Wherry
With Eric Schade Materials: 10’ - $954 12’ - $1029
APRIL 8-13 BUILD YOUR OWN ANNAPOLIS WHERRY With Geoff Kerr Materials: $1429
Stand-Up Paddleboard
APRIL 22-27 BUILD YOUR OWN STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD With Bill Cave Materials: $915
MAY 6-11 BUILD YOUR OWN NORTHEASTER DORY
Northeaster Dory
With David Fawley Materials: $1425 (rowing) $2524 (sailing)
SEPTMEBER 9-14 BUILD YOUR OWN SASSAFRAS CANOE
Sassafras Canoe
With David Fawley Materials: 12’ - $974 16’ - $1129
SEPTEMBER 23-38 BUILD YOUR OWN SHEARWATER SPORT KAYAK With Eric Schade Materials: $1055
Shearwater Sport Kayak
OCTOBER 14-19 BUILD YOUR OWN PETREL OR PETREL PLAY With Nick Schade Materials: $1380 (PETREL or PETREL PLAY)
OCTOBER 21-26 BUILD YOUR OWN SKERRY DAYSAILER
Petrel & Petrel Play
With Geoff Kerr Materials: $1329 (rowing) $2304 (sailing) Skerry Daysailer 40
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Faculty 2013 The sailing bug caught JANE AHLFELD while vacationing on one of the Maine windjammer schooners. She decided to take a leave from elementary school teaching…and has yet to return. She shipped out on the MARY HARRIGAN, a 50' schooner, as mate to teach Cruising Boat Seamanship for WoodenBoat School in the Caribbean and Maine. In ’93 and ’94 she taught a course in Small Boat Sailing on the local boats of Bequia. Since 1989 she has returned to Brooklin each summer to teach and work on our waterfront. When not on boats, Jane is a computer consultant. She has a masters in Education and holds a U.S. Coast Guard License. Students often comment on Jane’s patience, knowledge, sense of humor, and attention to both the group and individual needs. She teaches the skills and gives all the support needed to gain confidence on the water.
WALTER ANSEL grew up in a boatbuilding and sailing family from Mystic, Connecticut. He has made his livelihood either on or around wooden boats for the last 35 years. Other than a brie f stint as a managing instructor at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, Rhode Island, Walt has worked as a shipwright and project leader at Mystic Seaport for the past 10 years, where he is now Senior Shipwright.
Notable projects include the Eastern-rigged dragger ROANN, the sandbagger ANNIE, the steamship SABINO, the schooner AMISTAD, a Beetle whaleboat, and Banks dories. During sailing season, Walt’s patient wife Carol ignores piles of books all over the house and an unattended lawn while he is off on his beloved Billy Atkin cutter WINDROSE. Walt and Carol have two kids in college with artistic leanings, following the family non-profit heritage. After graduating from the Marine Science Department at Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute in 1972, JON BARDO was employed on the schooner yacht AMERICA as an engineer. Having survived 14 months of bluewater cruising, Jon came ashore and spent the next seven years repairing diesel engines in everything from commercial fishing vessels to logging equipment. Eventually drawn back to the sea, Jon worked on commercial tugboats for four years and then started his own business working on diesel engines, which he enjoys to this day.
WARREN BARKER built his first boat, a Culler skiff, in 1976 after earning his B.A. at Williams College. He then studied at Hoosuck Design and Woodworking School before joining Murray Peterson Associates in Maine, where he helped
to build a number of prams and spars, as well as the 42' ketch NIA. For the next four years he worked as a project foreman at Eric Goetz Custom Sailboat Company, mostly building high-tech, one-off, cold-molded racing boats. Along the way, Warren has built or rebuilt a variety of small craft on his own. A two-anda-half-year stint restoring the yawl COTTON BLOSSOM ended with his first commission in his new shop, a Haven 12½'. A Bridges Point 24 kept the doors open, followed by CURLEW, a reproduction of the Herreshoff Alerion. Immersed in the Herreshoff technique, he used their methods to produce a 26' gig for Portsmouth Abbey School and a Columbia dinghy. Having completed the 30'6" William Garden–designed “Camilla” and the Herreshoff 12½' “Crow Dancer” in his Westport, Massachusetts, shop, he took the position of senior instructor at IYRS mentoring the construction of Herreshoff designs from 12' to 35' and a smattering of other designers’ work. Trying to stay ahead of the students, he is learning the ins and outs of GarWood and Chris-Craft boats.
DAVID BILL sailed aboard Lasers, Lightnings, and Atlantic Class sailboats during his boyhood years on Long Island Sound. In 1981, Dave left
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2013 Faculty Southeastern Connecticut and went to sea as a third assistant engineer aboard freight ships, tank ships, and container ships. In1987 he earned his USCG 50-ton Master auxiliary sail license and continued his seafaring career on sailing charter yachts in the Caribbean and New England waters. Dave signed aboard Tabor Academy’s nautical science program in 1989 and has served in the last 22 years in the roles of waterfront director, mate on SSV TABOR BOY, chairman and instructor in the Nautical Science department, dorm parent, and sailing instructor. In 1996 Dave returned to the University of Rhode Island to complete his Masters of Marine Affairs degree. His greatest joy is messing around in boats with people of all ages, including his daughter Tayler Bill. You can read Dave’s nautical reflections and sea stories in his blog www.boatsandlife.com.
to take a job at Brooklin Boat Yard. He valiantly tries to spend as much of his free time out on the water. When he’s not sailing, he can usually be found chasing their son, Cy, around the garden at their home in Blue Hill.
ANN BRAYTON has lived here in Brooklin for
ERIC BLAKE was born into a long line of dairy
years raising kids, animals, and vegetable gardens, as well as guiding kayak trips for a local lodge. At a young age she realized the rewards of making useful things with her own hands, and after several years working in a local sail loft over 20 years ago, she began her own canvas business in her barn, allowing her to work more easily around her family’s schedule. Initially, Ann focused mostly on yacht interiors (cushions and curtains) for boats being built or rebuilt by local boatyards or individual boat owners, but has since expanded into doing a wide range of exterior canvas projects as well.
farmers and wood cutters in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. He started building canoes in his father’s shop as soon as he was old enough to run the tablesaw. After graduating from high school he enrolled in the two-year smallboat design program at The Landing School in Kennebunk, Maine. Upon completing this program Eric headed overseas and spent a year at the International Boatbuilding School in England studying for their City and Guilds exam in traditional yacht construction. Boats and the many people in the marine industry he has met have led Eric to jobs at numerous boatyards, many of them pioneers in wood composite construction. He and his wife Molly came to Brooklin in 2004
At 15, JOHN BROOKS joined his grandparents and other family members on a two-year sailing trip from the Pacific Northwest to South Africa. In college he studied engineering and journalism, then he went to work building boats, took a boat design course, and built a Chesapeake Bay skipjack for himself. In the 1980s, John moved to Maine with boat in tow, and worked for a number of Mount Desert Island boatyards plus a keyboard maker, a cabinetmaker, and a custom furniture builder; he also designed and built his first glued-lapstrake boat, a 15' fast pulling boat. In 1992 he and his wife, Ruth Ann Hill, started their own business designing and building
glued-lapstrake boats, and together they wrote How to Build Glued-Lapstrake Wooden Boats, published by WoodenBoat Books in 2004. After moving to Brooklin in 2003, John continued designing boats and developing plans while also taking advantage of an opportunity to work at Doug Hylan’s shop and Brooklin Boat Yard as a master carpenter. Since 2009, he and Ruth have worked together as Brooks Boats Designs fulltime, developing plans for boats they built on MDI and for new designs. They live in Brooklin with their four children, a flock of chickens, and assorted boats. This season marks 20 years that John has taught classes at WoodenBoat School.
HARRY BRYAN built his first boat at age 10, his first boat that floated at age 12, and his first boat with almost no leaks at age 15. After successfully resisting attempts to be formally educated at the University of Vermont, he worked on fishing boats at Fairhaven Marine in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and on yachts at Concordia Company in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, before moving to New Brunswick, Canada, in 1972. Since that time he has repaired commercial craft and built dories, skiffs, and sailboats form 7' to 36'. His shop, which relies on a small diesel engine and solar panels for its power, emphasizes a growing commitment to pedal power and hand tools (see WoodenBoat No. 132).
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2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
Faculty 2013 Massachusetts, Janet has been working with wood for over 15 years. These days, Janet is on the North Bennet Street School’s faculty teaching a number of workshops in furniture design and construction. She is a member of the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers and was voted 2006 Woodworker of the Year in Vermont by the Vermont Wood Manufacturing Association. Janet is also a published woodworking author
GERALD (Jerry) CUMBO has been a wood-
Ever since GEOFF BURKE went on his first canoe trip in the Adirondack Mountains in second grade, canoes and small boats have been an important part of his life. In the early 1970s a love of the wilderness took him to Alaska where a job with summers off let him take a series of canoe trips varying in length from 200 to 1,000 miles. He came to realize that small boats could be capable of more than puddin’ around the pond—they could make voyages of epic length. Upon returning to New England long on watercraft skills but short on marketable ones, a chance encounter with an article in WoodenBoat magazine written by Robert Baker changed his life. Baker’s piece was on building PICCOLO, a 13' lapstrake sailing canoe.Geoff’s many seemingly disparate skills suddenly became a good foundation to becoming a boatbuilder. He attended courses taught by Walt Simmons and John Gardner. Henry Rushton and Pete Culler became the focus of much research. Today, Geoff owns a very successful business building traditional wooden small craft, and enjoys teaching boatbuilding classes at WoodenBoat School and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Growing up in Michigan, SUE CANFIELD spent her summers messing about in small boats. She joined the Navy after attending college in Japan and earning a degree in education from the University of Michigan. During her subsequent military career, Sue bought and renovated a number of older boats and lived onboard a 37' cutter for 10 years. Never found far from the water, she has worked on both coasts, in Hawaii, the Bahamas, the West Indies, and Italy. She served as a deck officer on ships operating in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, and taught navigation and seamanship at the U.S. Naval Academy. Sue has worked as an independent marine surveyor since 1993 and taught marine surveying since 1999. She has
also been a featured speaker at marine industry and recreational boating seminars offered by International Boatbuilders Exposition (IBEX), Boat/US, West Marine, and the National Women’s Sailing Association. Her articles on marine surveying and related technical topics have appeared in Professional BoatBuilder, DIY Boat Owner, Offshore, Chesapeake Bay, and Sea magazines.
BILL CAVE spent 28 years as a firefighter in Washington, D.C. An avid sailor and small boat enthusiast, he’s also worked as a mate on a schooner. Bill built his first boat in a WoodenBoat School class. The Chesapeake Light Craft staff recognized his talent and hired him, along with his son, Matt, for good measure. As Chesapeake Light Craft’s primary staff boatbuilder, Bill has built dozens of boats of all sizes and taught many boatbuilding classes on his own. He lives in Bryantown, Maryland and when not building boats for a living, he builds them as a hobby.
JANET COLLINS is a traditional furniture maker who specializes in building custom pieces that require turning, carving, and inlay. A graduate of the Cabinet and Furniture Making program at North Bennet Street School in Boston,
worker for more than 35 years. He began his career as an apprentice under Thomas Stender, a fine cabinet maker. Jerry moved into home restoration, specializing in Victorian homes. Boatbuilding eventually became a passion, and he spent five years in Puerto Rico restoring a William Hand motorsailer. After buying a Bud McIntosh sailboat in need of some loving care, Jerry moved to Maine to devote his time to boatbuilding and constructing his own home in Blue Hill. In 1995 he became the Shop Manager at WoodenBoat School and held this position for 11 years. Following his retirement, Jerry became interested in bird carving and for the last four years has been studying at the Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor, Maine. Jerry carves realistic detailed and painted birds, decorative decoy style, and shallow reliefs. He has exhibited his bird carvings in numerous local and international bird carving shows and has them for sale in many local galleries. When he’s not busy carving, he spends time maintaining his gardens at home and feeding the birds.
ARCH DAVIS grew up with boats in his family, in New Zealand during the 1950s. His first boatbuilding job was with Jim Young, starting in 1964, where he learned the basics of coldmolded construction, in addition to working in the design office. Arch’s passion was cruising on the northeast coast of New Zealand’s North Island in a variety of wooden boats. He moved to Maine in 1988 where he continued to work as a boatbuilder in local yards. He also started to design small boats for the backyard boatbuilder. With the success of his Penobscot 14 design, Arch was able to work full-time on design and producing kits. Since then, he has assembled a small collection of boat designs, documenting the process of building several of them on video.
“Among my many years of professional and recreational development courses, Janet Collins now occupies the ‘top instructor’ slot. A full week of varying skills, personal tips, etc. would prove challenging for anyone other than a seasoned, skillful, and aware instructor. It is rare that you find an artisan who can also teach the craft……..and teach well.” M.N., New York, New York Celebrating 33 Years of WoodenBoat School
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2013 Faculty From racing sailboats on Long Island Sound as a teenager to racing and cruising various sailboats over the past 40 years, AL FLETCHER has always been on or around boats. During the winter he enjoys retirement, racing dinghies and sailing his Sea Pearl and Caledonia yawl in Florida, and in the summer ROZINANTE on the coast of Maine. For many years, Al enjoyed managing, working, and teaching on WoodenBoat’s waterfront.
QUEENE HOOPER FOSTER taught her-
Remembering well his own fumblings during his early career, Arch goes to great lengths to make his plans as clear and detailed as possible, in addition to making himself available for advice to builders of all his designs. Nothing gives him more satisfaction than to hear from a builder who may have started out feeling a bit intimidated by the arena of boatbuilding terms and techniques, but who has graduated as the proud owner of a beautiful boat he or she has built. Arch lives in Belfast, Maine, with his wife, Amy and their daughter, Grace, a keen sailor, who is putting many hours into the building of their own 30’ cruising sloop, GRACE EILEEN. From a very young age, PATRICK DOLE has been intrigued by how things work. He grew up working for his father in his bicycle shop and tinkering with all sorts of things. He remembers at around the age of six that he had his mind set on building a light bulb. Patrick cut off an electrical cord from some discarded piece of junk, grabbed a mason jar, put two nails through the lid, wrapped wire between the points, hooked up the cord, plugged it in, and presto, the basement went dark! Boats entered his life during summer camp when he learned to sail small boats, mostly Sunfish and Lasers. Patrick’s career in boats began when he was hired by Ocean Classroom during a refit of the educational schooner HARVEY GAMAGE. After reframing and replanking, he helped sail the schooner from Maine to Venezuela, and he was hooked. After returning home, Patrick enrolled in The Landing School in Kennebunkport, Maine, and after graduating has worked in various boatyards around the state. In 2008, Patrick co-founded O’Donovan and Dole Wooden Boatworks in Searsport, Maine, with John O’Donovan and has kept busy with a variety of interesting projects in their shop.
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ERIC DOW was brought up a Maine fisherman, but pursued boatbuilding “as a means of being able to sleep later in the morning.” He graduated from the marine department at Washington County Vocational Technical Institute, and for over 38 years he has been building boats in Brooklin, Maine. He built many of the WoodenBoat half models for display, has been intimately involved with the development of the Nutshell Pram kits, and, these days specializes in the construction of the Haven 12½. A summer job on a salmon boat in Alaska is where DAVID FAWLEY first fell in love with boats and the sea. Working as a storyteller in the San Francisco Bay area then led him to a stint on a tall ship, which sealed his fate. As the next logical step in a growing obsession, David attended The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design in Kennebunk, Maine. As a newly minted prof essional boatbuilder, he built mahogany runabout replicas for Stone Boat Yard in Alameda, California, before moving East to work at Cutts and Case, Inc. in Oxford, Maryland. Now marrying his love of boatbuilding with extensive kayaking experience, David is the production manager at Chesapeake Light Craft in Annapolis, Maryland.
self how to sail by reading books and studying the photographs of Morris and Stanley Rosenfeld. Right out of college she purchased a boat and learned to sail the hard way. She continued her education by sailing annually to Maine from the Chesapeake Bay, participating in the early classic yacht events in Newport, Rhode Island and in Maine. She has sailed in numerous Newport to Bermuda Races, always in classic wooden boats, and was the first woman to skipper her own boat in the that famous ocean race. Sailing for the New York Yacht Club in her Aage Nielsen Ketch SAPHAEDRA, Queene sailed across the Atlantic to Cowes, England and was the only woman skipper to race in the America’s Cup Jubilee. She and her international crew received a Third Place Trophy from Princess Anne for the week of competition. Her career has been in publishing in New York City, specializing in marine titles, including Chapman’s Guide to Boating Etiquette, a detailed guide to boating traditions. Queene is an experienced sailing instructor and these days enjoys being out under sail on her Concordia yawl MISTY.
JEREMY GAGE grew up in Vermont, learning to sail boats on Lake Champlain. When he was in high school, Jeremy’s parents decided to sell everything, bought a 44’ sailboat, and moved the family on board. Over the next two years, they explored the Atlantic Ocean, making their way through the Caribbean, across to Europe, and, eventually, back to the Bahamas. Returning to the States, the family sold their boat and Jeremy moved on to art school at Alfred University in New York. His focus was on painting and
“Geoff Burke was amazing and knowledgeable beyond expectation. He was also generous with his tools, kind, and very patient; an excellent teacher and craftsman. I haven’t had such a fulfilling time in years. Thanks!”
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
J.M., San Francisco, California
Faculty 2013 graphic design, but he gradually found himself intrigued with woodworking. By the time he graduated, he began to think seriously about combining his interest in woodworking with his love of boats. He enrolled in The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design in Kennebunkport, Maine, and after completing their cruising boats program, was hired by French and Webb in Belfast, Maine. Over the past 12 years at French and Webb, Jeremy has built numerous cold-molded and traditional plank-on-frame sailboats, and has been involved in the complete restorations of several classic wooden boats.
MARTIN GARDNER, born on the Chesapeake Bay, and with two grandfathers who were professional seamen, should have had a life in boats. It started well enough, with numerous fishing trips out on the bay and various model boats. Then something went wrong, and for a few decades, Martin pursued a career that included more time in airports than in anchorages. In the 1980s he came to his senses and began sailing seriously, eventually leaving his day job to cruise for four years aboard a 28' Lyle Hess cutter. He has sailed over 25,000 miles on a variety of bluewater boats. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard Master’s license and an assortment of U.S. sailing and ASA instructor qualifications. He now teaches sailing year round and keeps a cruising catboat back on the Chesapeake Bay.
DAVE GENTRY has been dreaming about boats since his parents were posting his nautical drawings on the refrigerator door. In the late 1980’s Dave built his first boat without any plans and with only a hazy idea of what was required and then taught himself to sail in it. He’s been hooked on boatbuilding and sailing ever since. While in grad school at the University of North
Texas, he coached the university sailing team and also raced on his own, winning both state and national one-design regattas. Since then, he’s embraced whitewater and sea kayaking, surfing, rowing and cruising, even living aboard his own boat while cruising the waters of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. In 2006, Dave opened his own boatbuilding shop and started building and designing skin-on-frame kayaks, canoes and unique conversions of historic boats. Using non-traditional SOF construction, Dave has proven that many different types of boats not just kayaks - can be built lighter, more easily, and more affordably than with any other method. Dave currently lives in New Market, Virginia.
JOHN C. HARRIS owns Chesapeake Light Craft, the Annapolis-based purveyor of wooden boat kits and plans. His long tenure at CLC was preceded by a passion for boatbuilding and small craft that stretches back to earliest childhood. His first successful design was launched at age 14. More paddling, rowing, and sailing craft followed quickly, though he paused to get a degree in music—his second passion. After college he was determined to make a career as a boatbuilder and designer in the esoteric world of wooden boats. Eighteen years later, he’s shipped 24,000 boat kits and seen his designs built in more than 70 countries. His work as a designer and builder ranges from dinghies to large multihulls and from kayaks to powerboats. He lives on the shores of Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis with his wife, daughter, and an always-changing fleet of curious small boats.
HAVILAH HAWKINS , a second-generation captain, was raised in the windjammer business on the schooners STEPHEN TABER, ALICE WENTWORTH, and MARY DAY, which was
designed by his father, Capt. Havilah Hawkins, Sr. Havilah, also a fourth-generation boatbuilder on his mother’s side, designed and built his 50’ gaff-headed sloop VELA, with help from the Wooden Boat Co. in Rockport, Maine. He has been running a day-sailing business out of Martha’s Vineyard for the past 11 years. He presently runs, in conjunction with Windward Passage, a program dedicated to giving kids a chance to experience the Maine coast under sail. Havilah has had a 100-ton auxiliary sail license for carrying passengers for 30 years.
REED HAYDEN was introduced to boats at the age of 12 when he got his first summer job on the Hyannis, Massachusetts, waterfront. He earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from the University of Massachusetts and settled in the seaside town of Sandwich where he was a leading woodcarver. In 2000 Reed started his own successful sign-carving business while he was working part-time at Ballentine’s Boat Shop in Cataumet. It was at this boatyard where he became interested in boatbuilding. In 2003 he and his family headed up to Maine where he joined the crew at The Hinckley Company. These days Reed keeps busy working as a carpenter at Brooklin Boat Yard and doing custom commercial and residential signwork at his own shop in Surry.
RUTH HILL grew up in southern Maine, essentially on the beach and in the ocean, then took to inland exploring in canoes as a Junior Maine Guide. After spending a college year high and dry in Colorado, she returned to salt water at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. After graduation Ruth moved to Washington, D.C. to continue her research on estuarine systems with the Conservation Foundation. She eventually
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2013 Faculty owning and maintaining wooden boats all his life, he decided to pursue that career full time and sold his successful lobstering business. John now keeps busy building boat and doing boat repairs in southeastern Massachusetts, mostly of the lobsterboat style/design.
MARK KAUFMAN has been fascinated with
returned to Maine and put together a living as a writer, naturalist, illustrator, and graphic artist for local newspapers and for nearly every conservation organization in the state. After meeting boatbuilder John Brooks and falling in love, they got married and started building their first boatshop and house. Since then, Ruth and John have run their own business, www. brooksboatsdesigns.com, and Ruth has continued her work as naturalist and writer, writing for Maine Boats, Homes, and Harbors and WoodenBoat , among others. Together, she and John wrote How to Build Glued-Lapstrake Boats, published by WoodenBoat Books in 2003. Ruth continues to have a passionate love for all things connected to the coast of Maine. She and John live in Brooklin with their four children, many animals, and several boats…all of which float.
AMY HOSA is an illustrator and graphic designer who hails from San Francisco. The maritime world of boats and waterscapes began appearing in Amy’s artwork back in the early ’90s, when she volunteered to do preservation work in the Small Boat Shop on San Francisco’s historic Hyde Street Pier and became a regular on their annual rowing and sailing expeditions into the sloughs and rivers of The Delta. She is currently an exhibit designer at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and shows her watercolors at local galleries.
SAM JOHNSON has been messing about in boats for most of his life. While in college he learned how to repair traditional fishing boats in Monterey, California. Later, while teaching biology in Massachusetts, he took courses from John Gardner and Barry Thomas at Mystic Seaport. Back on the West Coast he has built a number of small craft including a Rogue River dory, a crabbing skiff, a sliding-seat rowing dory, a small English lapstrake pram, a 16'
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Whitehall, and a Providence River boat. For the 1992 Columbia River Bicentennial he set up a boat shop at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, and oversaw the construction of three 18th century ship’s boats, all now part of the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s collection. Most recently he has been restoring a number of small boats in Seattle, including a 22' Peter Culler Chebacco and a 1932 bridgedeck cruiser. Bronze casting came as a result of needing traditional parts for his boat projects. After taking a foundry course at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, Sam has learned by doing. Now more than 12 years later he does one-off castings for traditional boats around the world and teaches casting courses throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition to his boatbuilding and foundry work, Sam is also the Executive Director of the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon.
JOHN KARBOTT spent most of his childhood along the beaches and waterfront of Plymouth, Massachusetts, watching commercial lobsterboats and occasionally catching a ride on one. He dreamt that someday he would have his own. During high school he purchased an old wooden skiff and a few traps, and joined the crowd. While in school, he lobstered and raked sea moss during the summer season and worked odd jobs throughout the winter. He graduated from Boston’s Wentworth Institute with an Associate Degree in Architectural Engineering, but boats and the water were his first loves. John spent the next 30 or so years, lobstering commercially in the Plymouth/Cape Cod area. After
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boats and boatbuilding since his childhood days of growing up boating with his family on Pennsylvania’s Allegheny River. As a teenager, he built his firsts boats, a wood-and-canvas Trailcraft canoe and a Minimost hydroplane. Later, he acquired a passion for flying and homebuilt-aircraft, and built a two-seat, high performance composite aircraft. After college, Mark became interested in aircraft restoration and restored an award-winning “tube and fabric” 1948 Piper Vagabond aircraft. He holds instrument, commercial, and flight instructor ratings. During the last ten years he has become an avid bicyclist and kayaker, and builds his own cu stom fillet-brazed bicycle frames and skin-on-frame kayaks. Mark also has a passion for randonneuring (timed, long distance endurance cycling). Mark is a technology educator at Garden Spot High School in New Holland, Pennsylvania teaching beginner and advanced woodworking as well as computer-aided drafting. Many of his advanced woodworking students have built skinon-frame canoes, stitch-and-glue kayaks, wood strip canoes, and skin-on-frame Aleutian and Greenland-style kayaks in addition to their regular course work. He also teaches a number of adult education classes on skin-on-frame kayak construction. Mark always looks forward to the classes he teaches at the WoodenBoat School.
Faculty 2013 GEOFF KERR does business as Two Daughters Boatworks in Westford, Vermont, on New England’s “west coast.” A boater since taking a Hurricane Island Outward Bound School course at age16, and later a Coast Guard officer, Geoff learned the trade at the Alexandria Seaport Foundation with Joe Youcha. He served as shop foreman and instructor in that dynamic environment. In his one-man, full-service Vermont shop, Geoff does small-craft repairs and restorations, as well as new construction, specializing in Iain Oughtred’s Caledonia Yawl. He has been affiliated with Chesapeake Light Craft since the company’s infancy, and is a licensed builder of their many designs, as well as an authorized and experienced instructor.
BARRY KING has been sailing all his life. Along with his wife Jennifer Martin and their children, this family has been sharing their schooner MARY DAY with guests since 1998. In addition, to being a USCG licensed master, Barry has an M.S. in Experiential education and is a Wilderness EMT. “I love seeing the strong teamwork and sense of self that can be gained by the endless variety of skills that make up the world of traditional sailing vessels.”
PHILLIP LaFRANCE was first introduced to boats at the age of 16 when a 43' Alden schooner paid a visit to his hometown of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, on its way to Maine. He and a friend talked their way aboard, fell in love with what they saw, and got hooked on sailing. After a short stint at college, Phillip decided to try life in New Zealand and while there he got a job as a crew member on an 85’ schooner bound for Chile. En route the schooner broke its rudder and they ended up in Tahiti. At the young age of 21 Phillip became Captain of that boat and delivered the vessel safely to New York. He's been sailing and working on the water ever since and has owned and/or skippered numerous traditional wooden sailing craft. For the last decade Phillip has gotten to know the local waters very well aboard his 46’ ex-Coast Guard buoy tender VULCAN, the workhorse for his business Brooklin Marine LLC that services over 300 moorings from Blue Hill to Brooksville,
Deer Isle to Isle au Haut. He, his wife and two sons feel very fortunate to call Brooklin, Maine, their home. A passionate sailor, SUSAN LaVOIE has extensive cruising experience in coastal as well as offshore waters, in addition to many years of dinghy and one-design racing. As past Commodore of the Blue Water Sailing Club in Boston, Massachusetts, she was responsible for organizing cruise activities, developing seminars based on safety, navigation, and electronics and racing techniques. A member of the National Women’s Sailing Association, Susan instructs yearly seminars directed toward women. She is the author and illustrator of Sailing Safely and How to Get Home, a sailing book for beginners and intermediates. Holding a U.S. Coast Guard license, Susan enthusiastically shares her passion for sailing, teaching the skills needed for enjoyment and confidence on the water, and just messing around on boats with others.
also taught sailing seminars, organized races, and helped establish summer sailing programs for children and adults at yacht clubs and summer camps. She sailed to Europe aboard the schooner WESTWARD and cruised the west coasts of the U.S., Mexico, and Central America aboard a 38-foot cutter. Over the years, Robin’s sailing experiences have taken her up and down both coasts of the U.S. from Canada to Florida, Mexico, and the Carribean. She was a partner in a sail loft in Costa Rica for four years, where she had the opportunity to examine sails and rigging while sailing on different boats from all over the world. For over 20 years she owned and operated Center Harbor Sails in Brooklin, Maine. Robin’s life both in the loft and on the water gives her an intimate and well-rounded knowledge of boats and sailing. She has enjoyed teaching at the WoodenBoat School for almost every year since its inception. She continues to spend every spare minute she can sailing the beautiful coast of Maine.
ROBIN LINCOLN grew up sailing on Cape Cod.
GARY LOWELL was born and raised in a small
She says the greatest gift her family ever gave her was exposure to water and boats at an early age. Sailing has been a constant thread throughout her life. Racing as a young girl in wooden Mercurys, Beetle Cats, Lightnings, and Wianno Seniors, she won many championships. Robin
town in Maine. After living in Wisconsin for six years, he moved with his first wooden boat to Greensboro, North Carolina. While studying broadcasting in college, Gary worked at the local TV station as a director and lighting director. While the job paid the bills, boatbuilding fed his soul. He began rescuing and repairing old, classic sailboats and sailing them along the North Carolina coast. A descendant of the wellknown New England boatbuilding Lowell family, Gary couldn’t ignore his heritage any longer. In 1993, Gary left television to open his own boatbuilding shop. Starting in his backyard, the business has since grown to one of the largest wooden boatbuilding shops in the country. Lowell Boats Inc. is an award-winning boatshop specializing in classic runabout restoration. To
“Mark Kaufman’s Greenland kayak course exceeded my expectations and was both enjoyable and productive. Mark is a gifted teacher and wonderful and kind individual. My boatbuilding skills were once again enhanced by my attendance at WoodenBoat School. Thanks to all of you and Mark.” L.H., Charleston, South Carolina
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2013 Faculty lions a rudimentary language, and the creation of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Before becoming a year-round Brooklin, Maine, resident in 2007, Judy worked in the deadline-driven hurly-burly of Bloomberg News’ Washington, D.C. bureau. She spent eight years there, daydreaming all the while about sailing on Eggemoggin Reach. These days, Judy teaches writing at the Eastern Maine Community College and high school English at the Blue Hill Harbor School. She lives in Brooklin with her son, and they both enjoy sailing HERON, their Haven 12½, exploring Great Cove, Babson Island, and the waters beyond.
supplement his painting and varnishing course at WoodenBoat School, Gary has produced a high-quality DVD on Finishing Techniques for Wooden Boats. Gary often takes summers off to travel back to Maine with his family and enjoys sailing the coastal waters.
JUDY MATHEWSON spent her childhood summers picnicking on Babson Island across from the WoodenBoat campus and cruising with her family aboard their 26 ' Amphibi-con sloop FELICITY. She also made trips with her parents’ close friends, author Charles McLane and his wife Carol, in their 37 ' Maine coast wooden yawl SULIKO as the couple researched their four-volume history of the Maine islands. Judy’s first love is science writing, which she studied at the University of California, Santa Cruz in a program that New Scientist magazine called “the best academic training ground in the U.S.” for science writers. Her subsequent work for the San Jose Mercury News, Cape Cod Times, and other newspapers included stories about environmental threats to marine life, teaching sea
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Landlocked in the Midwest, THOM McLAUGHLIN grew up working on farms and having the cycles of nature deeply rooted under his skin. After finishing a graduate degree in visual arts (sculpture), he found himself surrounded by water as an art professor at the University of South Florida. In 1993, while searching for an art form that could more directly inspire an awe of nature, he stumbled onto pond yachts. Since then he has written articles on, investigated the history of, and made many vintage pond yachts. He is currently the Southeast regional vice-president of the Vintage Model Yacht Group. In the last seven Vintage Marblehead National Regattas boats of Thom’s design, and their construction initiated in courses at WoodenBoat School, had third or better placing in final standings. In the 2011 National Regatta he placed First Overall in class and also received the Craftsmanship Award.
DAVE MERRIFIELD has been a studio furniture maker for the past 19 years. His pieces can be found in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum, located in Washington, D.C., the Hechinger Collection, and many private homes. His background as an environmental engineer, combined with his involvement in furniture and home design, has enabled Dave to pursue interests in architecture as well with a small design firm in his h ometown
of Asheville, North Carolina. While the mountains of North Carolina are beautiful, Dave finds himself spending longer and longer summers on the coast of Maine quenching his thirst for salt water and boats. WoodenBoat School was very fortunate to have Dave serve as Assistant Shop Manager during our 2011 season.
ERICA MOODY was born in land-locked upstate New York, and schooled in western Massachusetts, but finally made it to the coast in 1991 for a summer working on Martha’s Vineyard. Since then she has not been able to be far away from the sea. Upon moving to Boston in 1992, she was fortunate enough to sail on a friend’s 1940’s Alden Sloop for a few years, getting to know the Massachusetts coast first from the sea rather than from the road. Her passion for sailing and the beautiful craftsmanship and design of the wooden sailboat has never left. She was inspired to find a career in the building trades, and found an apprenticeship with a custom metalworker in Boston. She has now been working professionally as a metal craftsman in and around Boston for 19 years with the last 11 years running her business Magma Metalworks, Inc., in Beverly, Ma. She specializes in custom work of all kinds and all metals, including the marine favorites, silicon bronze, stainless steel, and aluminum. Erica works with award winning architects for both commercial and residential projects such as custom hardware, railings, signs, and decorative detailing. Along with teaching assistants and offering private lessons in metal craft, she is also an adjunct professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology teaching model making in the Industrial Design program. She lives on a Shannon ketch in Boston Harbor, with her husband Paul and pup Stella.
RON NEWTON’s interest in art started as a young man. Classes and experimentation in various art forms have included oil painting, printmaking, blacksmithing, woodworking, metalworking, and others. Twenty-eight years ago, Ron discovered scrimshaw while attending a custom knife show. After marveling at the beauty of this art form, he decided to try his hand at it. Since then, Ron has become quite proficient in scrimshanding and has sold his work at various galleries and art shows around the country. He also teaches scrimshaw classes at the J.C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. Ron is the author of the popular book Learning How to Scrimshaw.
“Dave Merrifield was absolutely superior. His course on BOAT CABINETRY challenged me and enabled me to learn much more than I could have hoped for. A very enjoyable week!”
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
B.E., Oxford, Mississippi
Faculty 2013 Monhegan Island in the days of hand lead and compass. Andy discovered PATIENCE on a coffee break at a midwinter boat show; the child’s model had come alive. Andy and his family recently completed a wondrous, year-and-a-half voyage on their ketch that took them across the North Atlantic to France, down to South America, over to the Galápagos Islands, and many points in between. Meanwhile, Andy is dedicated to sharing the knowledge of wooden boats and sailing that he is so fortunate to have acquired from a beloved cadre of old-time sailors, friends, and adventurers.
ANNIE NIXON fell in love with the ocean and sailing right after college when she went to work for Thompson Island Outward Bound in Boston, Massachusetts. She learned to sail and teach aboard their traditional 30’ open rowing and sailing vessels. Annie then spent four years at the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, Maine, leading 21-day sailing wilderness trips for high school and college-age students. On these expeditions Annie captained both a 26’ Crotch Island Pinky and a 28’ Mackinaw Lake design. She taught elements of seamanship, wilderness “leave no trace” ethics, and marine ecology as part of these expeditions. For five summers Annie worked on two larger traditional vessels in Maine, the schooners MARY DAY and AMERICAN EAGLE. In 2006 and ’07 she was mate and educator for WoodenBoat School’s course on the MARY DAY. Annie currently holds a USCG 100-ton license.
the magazine. He also writes and publishes Boat Design Quarterly. Mike takes much of his waterborne pleasure aboard sea kayaks. He is a registered Maine Guide.
ANDY OLDMAN has had a passion for boats since age five. By seventh grade, he had read nearly every seagoing book in the school library and was soon pre-occupied with building a working gaffrigged model remarkably like PATIENCE. Three memorable summers ensued near Castine, Maine, where teenagers sailed on a 45' schooner as far as
From an early age, JANE PETERSON has been interested in photography. After years of using 35mm film, she has gone digital SLR and has not looked back. Her interests are nature and macro photography, but she has been venturing into documentary work as well. Growing up in Maine, Jane has a strong affinity for the coast and a love of the soul of Maine and her people. Photography is a way of capturing moments of wonder for her. She has studied photography with Neal Parent, Rick Sammon, Jon Strout, and others. Her work has been exhibited locally as well as in WoodenBoat magazine.
JERRY ROSE believes that great paintings are a product of love and respect for the subject. Drawn to coastal communities where people make their living from the sea and land, Jerry divides his painting time between coastal Maine and the Bahamas. He paints on site, which strengthens his understanding of the landscapes and people in these locations. His paintings cover a variety of techniques, which are done
At the age of three, MIKE O’BRIEN first climbed aboard a skiff, and at seven he taught himself how to sail by reading instructions found in the family encyclopedia. As a college student he rowed in “eights” and went undefeated during three years of surfboat rowing competition along the New Jersey shore. After earning a degree in physics, Mike pursued graduate work in oceanography. Later, while serving as Chairman of Marine Sciences at a small college, he filled his vacations by designing and building boats in his one-man shop. Mike has been Associate Editor for Sailor and Technical Editor for Soundings. He was Senior Editor here at WoodenBoat for more than 20 years. Now in semi-retirement, he works as Boat Design Editor for
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2013 Faculty in watercolor, oil, acrylic, and egg tempera. Jerry received his formal training in Fine Arts from Ohio University and Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati, but his interest in realism came together 30 years ago when he felt it was important to paint a way of life that was quickly disappearing in the outlying islands of the Bahamas. That need created the search for methods of painting that would best describe the vanishing life before him and has helped him understand some of the old-world techniques to which he subscribes. Jerry is a member of the International Society of Marine Painters and a signature member of the Florida Watercolor Society. His work has been published in The Best of Watercolor by Rockport Publishers, Coast to Coast: The Contemporary Landscape in Florida, A Gallery of Maritime Art, Painting Light and Shadow, and numerous other art publications and magazines including Maritime Life and Traditions, published in Great Britain. He has received numerous awards and has had many one-man gallery, museum, and private exhibitions. His work is in public and private collections in the U.S., Europe, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. Jerry maintains a studio and home in Sedgwick, Maine, with extended trips to the Bahamas on his sailboat. www.jerryrosepaintings.com
GREG RÖSSEL grew up cruising on the waters of New York Harbor and spending time in the boat yards on the south shore of Staten Island where economics (more than anything else) made wooden boats the craft of choice. He makes his home in Maine where he specializes in the construction and repair of small wooden boats. Since graduating at the top of his class in boatbuilding technology from Washington County Vocational Technical Institute, Greg has had a multifaceted career. For several years, he was an assistance restorer for a major private collection of antique runabouts and airplanes. Then he spent another couple of years as an instructor and assistant director at Maine Maritime Museum’s Apprenticeshop program. All the while, he was building his own shop at home in Troy, Maine, and tackling a wide variety of small-boat construction and restoration projects. For over 25 years, Greg has been able to work for himself fulltime, aside from a few odd jobs like setting up a wooden Whitehall factory in Mexico, custom
lines taking and documentation for museums and other customers, and writing over 200 articles for WoodenBoat, and other publications. He has also written and illustrated Building Small Boats, a book on carvel and traditional lapstrake boatbuilding, published by WoodenBoat Publications and The Boatbuilder’s Apprentice, which explores other styles of construction and techniques. Since 1987, Greg has been an instructor at WoodenBoat School in Brooklin, Maine, teaching lofting, skiff building and the “Fundamentals of Boatbuilding”. Also, for the past 21 years he has been producing a weekly two-hour radio program about world music (which mercifully) has nothing to do with boats. Captain JOEL ROWLAND has been sailing since 1994. First as a student on a Hurricane Island Outward Bound expedition aboard a 30' open Pulling Boat, and then as deckhand and mate to his uncle Mike Rowland, for two transatlantic voyages aboard the 40' sloop TAMMY NOIRE. Joel has since returned to Outward Bound to instruct courses in Maine, Florida, and Puerto Rico. He is now the owner of TAMMY NOIRE, living aboard, sailing and chartering her from the island of North Haven in Penobscot Bay. Having learned as an adult from the most patient instructors and having taught sailing to many people of all ages and backgrounds, Joel is very comfortable sharing his knowledge and sailing skills, and enjoys helping others to find the beauty and simplicity in what can be a complex learning process.
ERIC SCHADE was trained as a mechanical engineer, and has practiced that profession for 20 years. In 1983 he built his first boat, a small strip-built canoe. Since then he has built more than 50 small boats, including kayaks, canoes,
“In my two weeks at WoodenBoat School I never remember hearing the word ‘no’ or ‘we can’t/don’t do that’. Whatever the need, there was always an eagerness by your staff to meet that need. That is a remarkable attribute for any organization. Thank you.” D.E., Ontario, Canada 50
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
rowing boats, and small sailboats. In 1996 he founded Shearwater Boats to offer custom stripbuilt canoes and kayaks. Gradually Shearwater has developed to the point where it offers an extensive line of stitch-and-glue watercraft kayaks, canoes, rowing boats, and sailboats. In 2005 Eric started designing boats for Chesapeake Light Craft. These new boats include Shearwater, Wood Duck, and Shearwater Tandem, which have all proven quite popular. Eric has taught boatbuilding at a number of shops and has mentored the construction of nearly 200 boats. This experience, and the feedback he gets from supervising the construction of his designs, not only has improved his skills as a builder, but has honed his skills as a designer. Eric’s greatest area of expertise is the computer-generated engineering of complicated and precise plywood boat kits that, when cut by computer-controlled machinery, can be assembled by amateurs.
NICK SCHADE grew up around canoes and kayaks. After beginning a career as an electrical engineer for the U.S. Navy specializing in low-frequency electro-magnetics, he realized he wanted to get back on the water himself. Not
Faculty 2013 able to afford the kind of boat he wanted, Nick decided to design and build a “stripbuilt” kayak. While this type of construction was popular with canoes, it was not commonly adapted for kayaks. Nick worked together with his brother to develop the process, and over the years has branched out and developed innovative kayak designs using the plywood stitch-and-glue method. As his skill as a kayak paddler and boatbuilder evolved, Nick’s designs evolved to match his changing aims. The driving goal has been to maximize on-the-water performance while respecting the natural materials used to create the boat. Out of these efforts, Nick has created Guillemot Kayaks, centered on designing high-performance sea kayaks for other craftsmen interested in building their own boats. He wrote The Strip-Built Sea Kayak, an instruction book describing the strip-built method, which has helped foster a revival in the construction of wooden kayaks. Nick’s shop is currently located in Glastonbury, Connecticut, where he builds prototypes of new designs and makes a select number of custombuilt kayaks. He has taught kayak construction at Mystic Seaport and the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking. His work has been exhibited at the American Craft Museum, and one of his boa ts is in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
GENE SHAW moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
WADE SMITH is from Vermont—born on Lake
in 1972 after receiving a Fine Arts degree from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Philadelphia College of Art. While at PAFA, he received numerous awards, prizes, and grants. In Lancaster, Gene combined his fine art/design training and his love of woodworking, a skill he learned from his father, to establish The Wooden Plane, a custom cabinetry and home restoration business. He and his wife Tanis built a new home in town, featured in Fine Homebuilding magazine in 2006. The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County twice awarded him the C. Emlen Urban Award, for preservation leadership and new-home construction in an historic district. Since 2005 he has traveled to Brooklin, Maine, to attend boatbuilding courses at WoodenBoat School. While here, Gene has made numerous sketches that are the basis for the woodcuts he creates upon his return to Lancaster. He has exhibited his work at the following Pennsylvania galleries: the Benjamin Mangel Gallery in Bala Cynwyd, the Gallery Doshi in Harrisburg, the Chestnut Gallery in Lancaster, the Lancaster County Day School, and the Lancaster Art Walk. He is also represented by The Turtle Gallery in Deer Isle, Maine.
Champlain, grew up on the Connecticut River, and matured on the not-quite-canoeable streams around Brattleboro and the glacial lakes too cold for swimming in the Northeast Kingdom—so he grew to like boats of all kinds. After college and a few years at a job making circuit boards, he had an epiphany upon reading WoodenBoat No.114 about Lance Lee: Maybe what you like and what is your job should be one and the same! Wade attended the Apprenticeshop and built many great boats, including MADIGAN, the Great South Bay catboat on the cover of WoodenBoat No.209. For 13 years, Wade worked in the Boat Shop at Mystic Seaport; for his first two years under Barry Thomas, who had been tapped by John Gardner to run the shop shortly after Gardner came to Mystic Seaport. Gardner developed his famous boatbuilding class over 20 years, and Barry took it over after John Gardner’s retirement. Wade, in turn, learned from Barry, and became the third and final Boat Shop Supervisor and Keeper of John Gardner’s original class. In 2006, Wade started working at Taylor & Snediker Woodworking in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, and was quickly drawn in by the challenges and rewards of working in one of the top boatbuilding shops in the country. Wade lives in North Franklin, Connecticut, with his beautiful wife
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2013 Faculty love of the sea and the people whose lives are affected by it. He’s a world traveler and has taught watercolor workshops in Italy, France, Scotland, England, and on Mediterranean cruises. Philip is an artist, an architect, and an active preservationist. He has gained world recognition as an artist and his work is found in many corporate and private collections throughout North America. Philip has held a number of one-man shows in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maine, and Florida, and is listed in Who’s Who in American Art. Philip and his wife live in Ft. Pierce, Florida in the winter and Southwest Harbor, Maine during the summer and fall. He invites you to visit his website www. philipssteel.com to see his artwork and learn more about his life as an artist.
JON STROUT grew up on the
Elizabeth, two charming dogs, two or three precocious cats, 10 or 12 lovely Land Rovers, and an uncountable number of enticing boat-like objects. The love of sailing has kept GRETCHEN SNYDER on or near the water for most of her life. For over 20 years Gretchen has delivered boats up and down the East Coast, across the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean, and throughout the Caribbean islands where she spent three years in the charter business. Her enthusiasm for sailing and boats is not only confined to the sea, but has also led to her own land-based business. Gretchen has owned and operated “The Loft” in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, a sail loft specializing in gaff-rigged working sails, as well as the canvas needs of the entire boat. She sold The Loft in July 2005 and decided to cruise new horizons, the sea of educaton. She is now a licensed elementary school teacher presently enjoying her Kindergarten/First-graders on Martha’s Vineyard.
PHILIP S. STEEL ’s painting career began as a teenager in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He studied drawing and painting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Chester County Art Association. After college and a tour with the Navy, he completed a Master of Architecture Degree from the University of California at Berkeley where he continued his painting studies. Much of Philip’s subject matter reflects his 52
coast of Maine, specifically Casco Bay. He has always been impressed by the natural beauty of Maine, but the beauty of the coast is most special, as it is constantly changing. For Jon, photography is an avenue to try to capture what he feels and to reflect the beauty and emotions of this pristine environment. Whether it is the power of a coastal storm or the simple beauty of barnacles captured in the light of a sunset, there is always something to be seen. Preferring to work in black and white, Jon is able to reduce an image to its basics of patterns, shapes, lines, and textures. By using these basics and their interplay with light, he searches for the extraordinary in the ordinary scene. Jon enjoys this challenge; it’s a passion. He has studied with well-known photographers Neal Parent, John Sexton, Brenda Tharp, and George DeWolfe among others. His photography has been exhibited throughout Maine, including Bowdoin College.
MARK SUTHERLAND has been building and repairing ship models and fine marine antiques as a full-time professional for over 30 years. Born in Monrovia, Liberia, to American parents involved in the shipping industry, Mark realized at an early age that ships and the sea were the major interests of his life. He grew up in New York and began to build ship models at age 11. While living in Maine in his 20s, he worked in several boatbuilding yards and engaged in yacht deliveries to the Caribbean. His professional modelbuilding career began on Nantucket in 1979 with the commission of several bone models and the restoration of scrimshaw artifacts. Since then, bone models and marine decorative arts based
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
on 19th-century design sensibility have been a major focus of his work. He also specializes in half-hull models based on an extensive study of the subject. He has designed and built several small craft, up to 22’, and restored many others, mostly for personal use. Since 1988 he has maintained a studio at the Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord, Massachusetts. In 1997 he was awarded the Arts Fellowship in Crafts from the New England Foundation for the Arts.
BILL THOMAS grew up paddling the rivers and coast of North and South Carolina, playing in the mountains and trying find meaningful work while avoiding a real job. He has been a selfemployed woodworker, cabinetmaker, furniture builder and boatbuilder for nearly 35 years. Being an avid sea kayaker and boater, Bill also designs sea kayaks, canoes, and other small boats. Bill teaches woodworking and boatbuilding in his own shop, at the WoodenBoat School and in other venues across the United States. Bill is a Registered Maine Guide, and holds a Wilderness First Responder certification. In addition to his shop classes Bill also leads on water kayaking and sailing classes. The variety of work Bill does: building, designing and teaching both in the shop and on the water, when coupled with his passion for the outdoors, helps to keep his skills rooted in real world experiences. And, it keeps him from getting bored. Bill lives, works, and plays in Maine.
MYLES THURLOW was raised on the island of Martha’s Vineyard off the south coast of Massachusetts. He began his boatbuilding career at the age of 12, serving as an apprentice at the Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway in Vineyard Haven. Through his experience with Gannon & Benjamin, as well as his time sailing on vessels such as WHEN AND IF, ALABAMA, and the PRIDE OF BALTIMORE, Myles developed his
ALUMNI WORK WEEKS
MAY 19–25 and MAY 26–June 1
Each year we traditionally mark the opening of our summer season with two weeks in the spring in which a number of our alumni come to Brooklin to help us open our doors. Alumni give us a week or two of their time and talent, and we return the favor with a week’s room and board, plenty of appreciation, and a few surprises thrown in to boot. There’s plenty to
do on our waterfront, in our shops, and at our dorms. It is also a wonderful week of camaraderie with folks getting back together in this beautiful setting to relax, talk boats, and share stories. Call after January 3 rd if you’d like to be added to the lottery list. We’ll pull names in March for these two popular weeks.
N I K D A Y H T A C
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2013 Faculty focus on the arts of traditional rigging. Opening his own shop in 2003, Myles led the riggi ng of the schooner JUNO and has continued to expand his rigging shop to include spars and hardware, as well as the occasional restoration project. Patching Boy Scout canoes on Maine’s Allagash River in the mid-1960s was ROLLIN THURLOW’s first successful canoe-building experience--successful, but not very graceful! After graduating from Maine Maritime Academy and a tour in the Navy, Rollin attended the wooden boat building program at Maine’s Washington County Vocational Technical Institute. His interest lead him to collaborate with Jerry Stelmok to start their own wooden canoe building company. While wooden canoes have had a long history, Rollin and Jerry discovered that there was precious little written about the actual how-to construction of the canoes. The canoe company became a real reinventing-the-wheel type of project--long on desire but short on capital and business skills, leading to the demise of the original company. But it was not long before with renewed interest and skills, Rollin started his own company, the Northwoods Canoe Company. Co-authoring with Jerry the book The Wood and Canvas Canoe ensured that the how-to and historic information they had collected would become available to the public at large. Since its publication in 1987, it has become the bible for wood-and-canvas canoe building. Rollin has taught canoe building and restoration at a variety of locations throughout the U.S.
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and at WoodenBoat School since the late 1980s. Building a variety of his own designs plus historic reproductions, Rollin’s shop in the small town of Atkinson, Maine, the Northwoods Canoe Company, has become known as one of the premier wooden canoe shops for both restoration and new wooden canoes. Descended from grandparents who logged over 100,000 nautical miles, HANS VIERTHALER has spent over 20 years sailing the coast of Maine. His love affair with boats started when he spent six years working for a sailboat rental company in Deer Isle, where he took care of a small fleet and taught sailing to vacationing summer residents. He then became interested in larger vessels and crewed on the schooners NATHANIEL BOWDITCH, AMERICAN EAGLE, BILL OF RIGHTS, and NEW WAY, as well as other, smaller boats. Ten years ago he joined the crew at Brooklin Boat Yard as a rigger and carpenter, and in 1992 he earned his 100-Ton U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s license. In 1994 Hans fulfilled a longheld dream and purchased the John Alden ketch ABIGAIL, and he looks forward to sharing his love of sailing with all those who step aboard.
STAN WASS has been pushing canoes and kayaks around with paddles since childhood. Indoctrination started early with several summers spent learning how to paddle canoes from a Micmac Native American. Stan’s early ocean adventures were always in search of bigger and
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
bigger waves to surf, sometimes requiring miles of flatwater paddling in whitewater kayaks. New designs and sea kayaks from England eventually made getting to the final destination as much fun as the waves. Sam has worked for Necky Kayak Company for many years, guided in Canada for the past 10 years, and is a certified sea kayak and canoe instructor, as well as a registered Maine Guide. He has taught kayaking clinics and classes from Maine to Texas and takes particular pleasure in teaching slightly apprehensive, novice paddlers. During the off season, Stan lives in northern Maine, and manages a vaction spa for dogs (boarding kennel). He and his wife Susan raise and show champion Bullmastiff dogs.
TIM WHITTEN was inspired by maritime life and traditions at an early age, having grown up near Mystic, Connecticut, but it wasn’t until after completing a doctorate in engineering that he fully realized his artistic potential. At that time, Tim found an old, but not forgotten, volume of fancy work on his bookshelves and realized that after 20 years and three engineering degrees, the descriptions of knots and fancy work were much easier to follow. Paradoxically, with the advent of the Internet, traditional materials were also much easier to acquire. Tim began mastering his skills through self-instruction, put together a website called www.Marlinespike.com, and soon found himself sending out more bell ropes than résumés. Tim’s work is known around the
Sta 2013 world, and he now runs a year-round shop and gallery in Stonington, Maine, called the Marlinespike Chandlery.
DOUGLAS E. WILSON has been a practicing metalsmith since 1973. He has commissioned work in forged steel from his shop on Little Deer Isle, Maine, since his move there in 1981. Doug’s work is included in numerous national exhibitions and publications including The Contemporary Blacksmith, Fireplace Accessories, Anvil’s Ring, and Metalsmith Magazine. He has demonstrated his craft at many national blacksmithing conferences and has taught over 100 workshops about design and forge practice for blacksmithing organizations, school, colleges, and universities throughout the United States.
JOHN WILSON grew up in upstate New York’s Finger Lakes district where life with sail, oar, and paddle and the boats so powered was an important part of his childhood. At the age of nine, he and his older sister bought their first sailboat, a used 12’ Moth; and at 14 he had a Snipe built by Emmons Boats which he raced for six years. College led to a 10-year career in teaching anthropology, then another decade as a residential contractor and woodworker. He renewed his life with boats by participating in Tom Hill’s Wee Lassie course at WoodenBoat School in 1986. Since then he has combined teaching, woodworking, and a love for boats and spends more time building boats and teaching others than on the water. In 1988, he founded The Home Shop in Charlotte, Michigan, where John offers quality wood instruction to the home craftsman. For the past 23 years, John has also taught boatbuilding at Lansing Community College in Michigan. John is best known for being at the forefront of the revival in Shaker oval box making, both as a teacher and supplier of a full range of materials for the craft www.ShakerOvalBox.com.
DAVID WYMAN’s first boat was a 7' scow with a bed sheet for a sail, which he built at the age of 10 with his grandfather. His life has revolved around boats ever since. In addition to the numerous small craft he’s built for his own use, David has designed and surveyed hundreds of vessels of all shapes and sizes. His professional boating career began after he graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and joined the Coast Guard where he served as a marine inspector. After obtaining a master’s degree in Ocean Engineering, he taught at the Maine Maritime Academy. After nine years of teaching, David moved to Panama City, Florida, to go boating year round and to work at the Naval Research Laboratory. There he developed tools for divers for inspecting and maintaining ships, and designed specialized craft for the Navy SEALS. David currently operates his own business in Castine, Maine, designing and surveying all types of small power and sail vessels, both commercial and pleasure, including Coast Guard–approved passenger vessels. His professional credentials include marine surveyor accreditation from SAMS, licensure as a professional engineer in Maine, and USCG-licensed master of power and auxiliary sail vessels.
WOODENBOAT SCHOOL STAFF Our staff members generally hail from all over the country and from many walks of life. Many of them are seasoned veterans of the joys and travails of boats, boating, and boatbuilding, while others are warm, friendly faces doing their very best to make your stay with us a pleasant, comfo rtable one. From the School Director t o our energetic kitchen, waterfront, shop, and office staff, each member possesses a strong commitment to a first-class program and the creation of a positive, safe environment for students and visitors alike. Above all, they enjoy sharing this “little piece of paradise” with all who stop by.
ADMINISTRATION The folks who administer WoodenBoat School believe that each student’s experience is of the utmost importance. From your very first communication with the School office to the completion of your course(s), they will work hard at meeting your needs and expectations.
RICH HILSINGER first arrived at WoodenBoat School as a student back in 1983, and he’s been in Brooklin ever since. Rich managed the School shop for seven years, working under former directors Peter Anderheggen and Ben Ellison. He also taught courses in kayak and pram construction, experiences that he cherishes to this day. Woodworking became a part of his life after attending college in Pennsylvania, and he’s dabbled in everything from house carpentry to restaurant and bar renovation, barn restoration, and cabinetry. The “boat bug” bit while Rich wintered in the Caribbean in the 1970s, and, obviously, he’s still hooked! After sailing for two years with the four-masted bark SEA CLOUD as ship’s carpenter, he assisted on yacht deliveries; did boat repair; worked at two of Maine’s premier boatyards, North End Shipyard in Rockland and Brooklin Boat Yard; and purchased his own Crocker pocket cruiser, MARTHA. Rich stepped into the position of School Director in 1990 and has enjoyed bringing insight, energy, and full-time dedication to WoodenBoat School. When he is not involved with work at the School, he enjoys hanging out with family, friends, gardening, sailing, skiing, and cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies.
KIM PATTEN continues as Business Manager for her eleventh year. Prior to joining WoodenBoat School, Kim spent five years as part of the WoodenBoat Store “team.” Originally from New York, she has spent every summer of her life in Maine, before making the move permanently after college. While summering in Maine, she spent her days sailing on Penobscot Bay. Kim and her husband Marvin keep busy working on their home and raising their daughter Riley. She enjoys the outdoors, sailing, skiing, and spending time with family and friends. A longtime interest in woodworking led MIKE MOROS to open his own successful cabinet shop not far from where he grew up in Pine Brook, New Jersey. Over time, he found himself attracted to wooden boats and this eventually brought Mike to WoodenBoat School as a student in 2001. After a few courses in successive years and joining in on Alumni Work Weeks, the boat bug bit hard and Mike signed on as the school’s Assistant Shop Manager in 2006. In ’08 Mike took over the reins as Shop Manager. During the off-season Mike has worked on the carpentry crew at Brooklin Boat Yard. In 2009 Mike opened his own business, Michael Moros Woodworking, providing wooden boat work, custom woodworking and general contracting. When not working, Mike enjoys being outdoors, especially boating and fishing. He recently completed a handsome GlennL Marine 16' center console skiff for himself and is now restoring a 1952 Chris Craft. Born and raised in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, GREG BAUER came to boatbuilding as a third career later in life. Before the boatbuilding bug bit hard, he worked for six years as a design draftsman for a metal fabrication shop and for ten years as an accounting manager of an auto parts manufacturer. A couple of sailing experiences on the Maine windjammer ROSEWAY led Greg to the world of wooden boats, and he soon enrolled at The Landing School in Kennebunkport, Maine. After graduating from their boatbuilding program, Greg joined the school’s staff as a graduate teaching assistant. He then spent three years as a joiner with Bruckmann Yachts in Mississauga, Ontario. Greg moved to mid-coast Maine in the spring of 2002 and spent nine years with the boatbuilding crew at French & Webb in Belfast, Maine. In the spring of 2011 he joined the staff at WoodenBoat School as Waterfront Manager. In the fall of 2011 he started his own business, NB Woodworking, specializing in yacht joinery, custom cabinetry and fine woodworking.
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2013 Registration/Information STUDENT QUALIFICATIONS The main requirement for participation in WoodenBoat School courses is the desire to learn. Our students range from novices to seasoned professionals. Our classes are small, and there is a lot of opportunity for one-on-one teaching, so that usually a wide range of students can enjoy and profit from the same class. However, there are a few courses for which we expect a certain minimum skill level, and that is stated in the individual course descriptions. Also, we encourage students, particularly novices, to do a little prep work for their courses. We will send tool lists and reading lists along with your course confirmation. The more familiar you are with the subject and the tools, and the more questions you have, the more you’ll get out of the course. If you have any questions about the suitability of a course for you, please call Rich Hilsinger. Finally, it is a real help to the instructor to know something about his/her students ahead of time. Please enclose with your application a description of your relevant experience and expectations.
REGISTRATION Registration is complete upon receipt by WoodenBoat School of an application form and the necessary deposit(s), and our confirmation of same. If a course is already full, you will be put on a waiting list and immediately notified when there is an opening. You may wish to call WoodenBoat first to make sure that there is room in the course you want. Call 207–359–4651 Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 5:00; ask for Rich Hilsinger or Kim Patten. If we have an opening, we can reserve it for you while you get your application in. This is an especially good idea in late spring and summer. Note: WoodenBoat School is GI Bill approved.
TUITION, DEPOSITS, REFUNDS, WITHDRAWALS, and CANCELLATIONS Tuitions vary according to our costs and the length of the course. You will find the tuition amount(s) printed below each course description. We ask you to deposit one-half of your total costs along with your application. The balance due must be paid one month before class begins. Your deposit, less a $100 fee per course, will be refunded in the event that you must cancel and do so at least one month prior to the beginning of the course. Deposits will be refunded in full to students who cancel three business days after registering for a course. If your notice of cancellation is received between 15 and 30 days prior to the course, your tuition is not refundable, but can be credited toward future courses later in the season. If you must cancel less than 15 days before the course, we cannot refund or credit your money. In case of emergency or insufficient number of registrations, WoodenBoat School reserves the right to cancel a course and return all deposit money. 56
Because of this policy, we strongly urge you to buy refundable airline tickets or flight insurance. WoodenBoat School will not be responsible for any loss on nonrefundable airline tickets. There is a 10% discount on tuition for all alumni.
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The school has a one-third tuition scholarship available for all courses in Brooklin. These are awarded to people who could not otherwise afford to participate in our courses, with preference given to people who are working in the marine trades and to students contemplating a career in the marine industry. Scholarship recipients will be assigned periodic tasks in the shop, in the kitchen, and on the waterfront.
TRANSPORTATION WoodenBoat School is approximately 250 miles from Boston by car, and 150 miles down east by boat. Airline service is available to Bangor, and WoodenBoat can provide transportation from there for an additional fee. Please notify us two weeks in advance if you need to be picked up at the airport. Details of this will be sent to you with your course confirmation.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND COSTS Staying at the WoodenBoat accommodations is recommended by us and by former students. Evening socializing and boating become, in effect, an extension of the courses, and add immeasurably to the School experience. We have a number of rooms in both the Farmhouse (next to the Shop) and in the Student House on Naskeag Road. The rooms are doubles, not fancy, but clean and airy. Bathrooms are shared by several rooms, and students bring their own sheets, soap, and towels. Family members are welcome as space permits, but pets are not. Guests may take room and board with us depending on space availability. We also have campsites available on the WoodenBoat property. Again, these are quite basic, with no electrical outlets or tent platforms, but in a pleasant location. Campers have their own toilets and shower facilities. Pets are not allowed in the campground. Our kitchen and dining hall are located in the Student House (originally the Mountain Ash Inn). The cuisine is American with some gourmet treats. Ingredients are fresh, portions are hearty, and service is buffet style.
For students taking a single week course, room and board extends from Sunday dinner through the following Saturday’s breakfast. For students in longer courses, room and board runs from the Sunday on which the course commences until the Saturday morning following the last day of the course. Weekend meals are light and continental. Maine can be on the chilly side during late spring and early fall. We recommend that you pack warm clothing and throw an extra blanket or sleeping bag in the car. Bring a bike if you have one—it’s a great way to get around Brooklin.
COURSE MATERIALS AND TOOLS Any materials that go home with a student will be charged at our cost. In the several classes where every student works on his/her own project, we have noted the usual material costs in the course description. Material prices include 5% tax where applicable. You will be sent a list of the hand tools you will need for your course as specified by the instructor, as well as suggested preparatory reading. Winners of boat raffles will be responsible for paying material costs before leaving Brooklin .
ARRIVAL TIME AT WOODENBOAT Your course begins with dinner at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, followed by a general meeting and an introductory session with your instructor. The Sunday dinner is for all students, whether or not they are taking board with the School. You may arrive at the School anytime you wish on Sunday. You will find room assignments and other information posted in the entryway of the Student House. The School Director will be at the Student House at 5:00 p.m. to meet you. Most classes end on Friday afternoon. Students are asked to depart on Saturday morning. If your course ends on Saturday, you have your room/campsite for Saturday night.
First day of registration is January 2, 2013 at 8 a.m. EST. Phone lines and faxes will be very busy—we ask for your patience. When calling, please be ready with info regarding course selection, accomodations, and a credit card for your deposit.
Room: $294.25/week Board: $187.25/week Camping: $107/week (limit 4 people) Mooring: $100/week
We recommend that you think of
Note: If you reserve a room with us and decide to cancel this reservation, you must notify us two weeks prior to the start of the course to receive a full refund. Lodging/meal prices include 7% tax where applicable.
not available.
2013 WOODENBOAT SCHOOL | www.woodenboat.com | (207) 359-4651
alternative weeks/courses in the event your first chice is