The course started with an introduction to tools and basic skill with wood. I have to confess that it was the first time I ever held a saw, so you can imagine how elaborate my work was with the chisel and the plane. Here is the boat that we set to work on. We covered in a greater or lesser detail different techniques like jointing woods, fairing, fastening and glueing, riveting, steaming and fitting timbers, machining, spiling, caulking, and spar making.
The hands on experience on that boat came from:
- Replacing timber frames by steaming-fitting-riveting. You have photographs taken before and after in the table below.
- Partially replacing the shoulder of a frame which added the complexity of scarfing with precision to a feather the timber (see photo below).
- Replacing the top starboard plank, from selecting the plank, choosing the cut, machining it, and then making the joints, fairing and spiling it to achieve the desired shape.
- Replace a triangular bow piece from an oak timber, that required finer spiling and had some devilish bevels.
Here are some photographs, the first one shows the second floor were the course was imparted, with my handy first work, a feather edge scarf.
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Finally, here is a photograph of the short course students and the teacher, bearded and highly knowledgeable, Matthew Law.
In retrospect I have to underline that working with wooden boats is a rewarding experience. Working the timber with your hands engages your brain in a flow of its own, where the necessary concentration does not interfere with how you feel and sense the wood. Working with boats is a pleasure in itself that complements the rhythm of the physical effort, as the fairness of lines and the beauty of the underlying design gives proud-full meaning to a job well done. Summarizing, the Wooden Boat Restoration course was an experience that I highly recommend to anybody interested in the trade, or just curious and willing to learn about classic boats and the people who take care of them.
