Traditional Wooden Boat Building

Goal

Students will learn about the different types of traditional wooden boats and the various methods employed in their construction. Students will become proficient in the complex lofting procedures and learn to apply them to the construction of larger vessels.

Course Description

Building traditional round bottom boats requires careful planning and a thorough understanding of the complex lofting and construction processes involved. This comprehensive course of study will include advanced lofting and the transfer of lofted information to the molds, backbone, and other structural members. The different methods of constructing both lapstrake and carvel boats will be discussed and explored. A project boat will provide for hands-on training in all stages of boatbuilding. The construction of the backbone and molds, and their set-up on the building stocks is followed by the framing of the boat. This may be either sawn or steam bent frames, or a combination of the two. Laying-out for the planking, and then determining the shape of each plank is a critical phase and will be discussed and demonstrated, with students applying these skills on the project boat. The decking of the boat can be either the traditional laid deck, a canvas covered tongue and groove deck, or the modern plywood equivalent. The construction of the deck framing and the decking that goes over it, will be covered in this quarter.

Boat design is a specialized profession and requires a comprehensive education. But there are aspects of boat design and engineering that the boat builder should be familiar with. These basic design concepts and construction "Rules" will be taught through a series of lectures and exercises.

A typical day at the boat school will include a lecture by GLBBS faculty or a guest speaker. Lectures will cover the construction process and other relevant topics, and may include historical subjects, marine business practices, and local interest. The student will spend the remainder of their time practicing their new skills under the guidance of the school's boatbuilders/instructors. Field trips to local boat building and repair facilities will be arranged throughout the year, providing the student a "real world" look at the opportunities available to them in the marine trades. As always throughout the year, safe, healthy and efficient work habits will be promoted. Student pride along with skill development and a craftsman-like attitude toward the work will be fostered through ongoing evaluations and discussions with instructors and staff.

Outline

Total Clock Hours: 345