Launching the Restoration of 'Guide of Dunkirk' - sharing skills and preserving maritime history9/27/2025
ABBEY BOATBUILDER has become the custodian of the Dunkirk Little Ship, 'Guide of Dunkirk' - which we like to call GOD! GOD is now in her yard in Reedham, Norfolk, and will be undergoing a full restoration over the winter. But the exciting part of the project is that we are working together to offer opportunities for local people to get hands on and experience the world of wooden boatbuilding.
Below is announcement about the partnership with WEST SYSTEMS and a link to our crowd-funder. The whole team here at Abbey Boat Builder are super stoked to announce our partnership with WEST SYSTEMS and Women in Boatbuilding. We're so thankful that they recognise the importance of preserving maritime history and have decided to support us as we embark on the restoration of Guide of Dunkirk, not only a historic 38' Watson Class Lifeboat but also one of the heroic "Little Ships" from the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. Guide of Dunkirk will live on for generations to come with the help of WEST SYSTEMS and we can't wait to start her restoration and run workshops to help inspire the next generation of craftspeople. Watch this space for updates and if you'd like to donate toward the restoration or get involved in the workshop then check out our Crowd Funding page.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/saving-guide-of-dunkirk
 For the first time, we will have a stand at the Southampton Boat Show from 19-28th September....please come and find us and say hello! We're sharing the space with Abbey Boatbuilder....she's bringing one of her wonderful Italian hydroplanes. Thanks to Marine Ware for sponsoring us!
Every day there will be amazing women on our stand, there to chat to you about what they do, what its like working in the industry, how you can get started...or how you can progress. Mostly we are there as a community for women who are working hands-on to come and have somewhere to sit on the sofa and share their stories. I've been a bit quiet, because the caveat for WIBB coming to the show - we're on the Wooden Boatbuilders Trade Association area - was for us to also create some fun like we had in Port Townsend last year at the Wooden Boat Festival. I didn't want to spend 10 days standing around in a show full of plastic boats, when we could be doing so much more. SO I've managed to persuade the Boat Building Academy and the WBTA to collaborate on THE WOODEN BOAT STAGE.....yes, to get a platform for the WIBB women to speak this year, we've had to create the whole platform. Which has meant I've been a bit busy focusing on that! The schedule is now finished and its amazing....I think! The WIBB network that we've been growing over the last 4 years has made it a joy to put together, and the stage will demonstrate past, present and future for wooden boatbuilding. For women to have a space, the whole industry needs to be thriving....so this is a stage for everyone. My main focus has been making it accessible.....making wooden boats seem accessible and desirable to the average SIBS punter....making the industry accessible to everyone. Full schedule for the Wooden Boat Stage is on the Southampton International Boat Show website! Come and find us there and say hello. Women in Boatbuilding CIC
Newsletter - April 2025 Some of the WIBB community that missed last week’s social have asked for an update….so here it is! Merch After years of requests, we’ve launched the WIBB merchandise range! There is a link on the website…. Huge thanks to Polly and Obi for helping to make this happen. We’ve used TeeMill – which is used by many environmental charities. Seems to be the best option for this….using organic cotton and only printing when you’ve ordered to reduce waste. Hopefully this means the products are also nice and will last….but of course it also means that they’re not cheap. We hope you agree with the principles we’ve used, and some of you are able to include a link on your Christmas list at least. A small contribution from each product will come to WIBB and help with ongoing running costs – around £6 average. All feedback welcome on the range…and would love to feature images of you modeling it if you buy something! Lots has happened this month….. Women in Boatbuilding got a mention in Westminster! After meeting in February with MP Edward Morello at the Boat Building Academy, we got an email from his office asking for notes so he could speak about WIBB and Traditional Boatbuilding in a Westminter debate about Shipyards and local economic growth…..so we pulled together briefing notes with the help of Woodbridge boatyard – click on link below to see his speech. Edward Morello MP - Westminster Hall, UK 18th March 2025 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-03-18/debates/8440C2FB-A699-4D2E-A364-9BAE92EB3932/details#contribution-8CFCDF4D-A1B4-4B53-AAA1-518CCA9562E4 Yard News Abbey’s moving boatyards! She’s merging with Chris Tuckett and moving to Reedham in Norfolk – exciting times. Abbey has BBA graduate Indie and also WIBB stalwart Shanna in her team at the moment – great to see the number of women working in Norfolk yards increasing. Also moving premises is Enigma powerboats – Debbie Hood’s start-up company is going from strength to strength, which is amazing. WIBB Profiles We’ve interviewed some amazing women and shared their stories on our insta page… Thanks to Claire from All Hands Boatworks in Milwaukee https://www.allhandsboatworks.org/ who runs the Women’s Boatbuilding Workshop – brilliant initiative which has improved gender ratios across the board. Thanks to Ellie Driver, naval architect at SR Structures, UK, who is now racing in mixed double handed race from France to St Barts. https://www.elliedriverracing.com/ - https://www.transatpaprec.com/ Always love growing our bank of women’s stories – these help to empower and inspire others, normalize your careers and raise the profile of women in the industry. Who should we interview next month? Talks Belinda did a talk about Women in Boatbuilding for Ipswich Maritime Trust, which was very well received. About 60 in the room, and lots of old and bold, who were incredibly supportive, which is always nice. She talked about lots of amazing women in our community…..from Paris in NZ to Gail in Scotland…sharing the amazing work you do and some of the challenges women can have in yards. South Devon College celebrated their first ever woman on a welding course last month….and in the article about her, she talks about the challenges of PPE….it shouldn’t STILL be an issue. https://www.southdevon.ac.uk/news/2025/04/01/south-devon-college-student-ebony-burns-through-any-stereotypes-and-galvanises-her-welding-career-into-action BIG GLOVES - https://www.tiktok.com/@south_devon_college/video/7488626585378032898 Great to have a couple of friendly faces in the audience – Thalia from Woodbridge Boatyard and Sarah from Kings at Pin Mill. Thalia was at Spirit with Belinda, many years ago now….and represented boatbuilding recently in a Suffolk Creatives exhibition – photos are amazing - https://www.johnfergusonphoto.com/photojournal/john-fergusons-suffolk-creatives-a-celebration-of-craft-and-community The re-scheduled Yachting Journalist Association talk also happened, with just 6 women from the YJA attending….disappointing from the men of the YJA. Allys are important, especially at this time. EVENTS We had a last-minute invite to the Classic Boat Awards in Knightsbridge at Royal Thames Yacht Club, thanks to Matt at Woodbridge boatyard, which was fascinating. Some amazing boats and craftsmen but not a single woman speaking – there were of course quite a few amazing women there - but it was a very male voice. Jas at TS Rigging was flying the WIBB flag for award-winners – she was involved in Heritage Marine Foundation’s apprentice restoration of Laerling which won the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ award. We would love to see more women represented in the evening next year – hopefully the new Editor will be a WIBB ally. DATES FOR THE DIARY We have some really exciting events and opportunities coming up…. Women and the Wind film screening – Tuesday 13th May - https://www.womenandthewind.com/ A documentary about 3 women that do up a 50-yr-old Wharram and sail it across the Atlantic! Hanneke from https://www.wharram.com/ has been heavily involved with this, and Angie Davies is the producer. The film has just started its worldwide premiere tour – will be in France from end April. In the UK, WIBB has been invited to co-host a Hammersmith (London) screening at the London Corinthian Sailing Club on Tuesday 13th May - info and tickets here…… https://www.lcsc.org.uk/event/women-and-the-wind-screening Kiana from the film will be there for a Q&A, and Obi and Belinda will also be there. Would love to see some other WIBB members/supporters. (Angie is starting her own Wharram build in Normandy in June and will be looking for volunteers. Its going to be a ‘research and story-telling vessel’ - https://www.voyagevirage.com/floating-stories-lab) Sunday 18th May is International Women in Maritime Day. Jane Percival from Classic Restoration Services is offering the WIBB community a tour of all the Dunkirk Little Ships at the Royal Port of Ramsgate before they head off on Wednesday 21st for the 85th anniversary Return. We interviewed Jane last week for an upcoming profile, and she’s been working on Dunkirk Little Ships for nearly 40 years. Abbey will be heading up the tour, so please email if you’d like to go [email protected]. The plan is to meet in Ramsgate at midday – they’re expecting over 50 Little Ships and it will be an amazing opportunity and atmosphere if you’re able to get there. Belinda is speaking at the Yacht and Garden Show https://yachtandgarden.it/it/ alongside fellow WIBB Director Gaia in Genova Italy that weekend. The ‘Italian Boatbuilder’s Tour’ episode has been out nearly 2 months, had nearly 3000 views and is continuing to make an impact. The TRAD – The Thames Traditional Boat Festival – Henley 18th – 20th July Very excited about this one….WIBB have been invited to take 20 young boatbuilders to the Trad this year, to be a part of the festival. We’ve been offered tickets and a camping area (maybe small charge for camping tbc) – and invited to be on the water in the sail-by on Saturday afternoon. There’s music Saturday night, all sorts of stands and things to see…. https://www.tradboatfestival.com/ If you’d like to come and spend the weekend with us, looking at boats and enjoying the festival, please drop an email to [email protected] Southampton International Boat Show - 19-28th September Planning a WIBB stand and would love volunteers to come along and ‘woman’ it – more details at next zoom. Next Zoom Social – THURSDAY 15th MAY – 1900 HRS UK – hope to see you there! Zoom link to follow on separate email. We had a recent experience with zoom which reinforced the need for zoom links to not be in the public domain. In Memory We started our zoom social with remembering Matthew of the Boatbuilding Academy. Many have been taught and inspired by his passion and skill over the years, and he was incredible supportive of WIBB. Will describes him as ‘the heart and soul of BBA’, so we’re all thinking of them and the space he has left behind at the college. Obi will be at his memorial this coming Sunday in Lyme Regis. THANK YOU FOR READING OUR WIBB NEWSLETTER - The WIBB team xxx Huge thanks to Edward Morello, MP of West Dorset for flying the Women in Boatbuilding flag in Westminster yesterday. The debate around 'Shipyards and economic growth' was largely focused on naval and commercial shipyards, but leisure boatbuilding makes up 14% of the industry, and deserves a voice too in these debates. Edward spoke about our work with the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis, which is in his constituency, and where we met him a few weeks ago. Introducing him to some of the current students gave him the chance to see first-hand the impact of our work, and the importance of preserving traditional boatbuilding skills. Edward did an amazing job sharing the need for central funding to preserve traditional skills and craft. Check out the amazing latest episode in our 'Boatbuilders Tour' series on the Women in Boatbuilding Youtube channel!
www.youtube.com/channel/UCUhb6m8BaqpYdmkhQVNWMYA    PRESS RELEASE FROM BBA:
Women outnumber men on the Boat Building Academy’s flagship 40-week course for the first time in its 28-year history. The newest student cohort at the Boat Building Academy (BBA) in Lyme Regis, Dorset comprises eight women and seven men. The most women enrolled previously was four - and for two years there were no female students at all. Diversity in boat building has long been a concern, and the rise in female applicants at the BBA is the result of a far-reaching, new Diversity and Inclusivity mission, launched just over a year ago by the BBA and Belinda Joslin, founder of Women in Boatbuilding (WIBB). The multi-faceted strategy puts diversity at the heart of the Academy’s priorities - from the top down - and includes practical and financial support. A five-day Women’s Workshop course now runs annually for women to try their hand at woodworking, before committing to further study. While a new bursary scheme exclusively for women is making it possible for a growing number of women to meet the cost of the course and access the high-level training and career development opportunities it provides. In addition, WIBB members already working in the industry are also actively mentoring female BBA students. Student Sophia Harding from Portsmouth is just 17. Determined to enter a ‘practical’ career she dropped out of sixth form, taught herself to sail and bought an old boat, which she single-handedly restored last winter. The BBA’s new women’s bursary scheme has now enabled her to join the 40-week course. She said: “I enrolled on the one-week workshop out of curiosity. I enjoyed it, but had to see how feasible it would be to get a place on the 40-week course, which would require funding the course privately and moving away from home. “The interview with the BBA involved them ascertaining my commitment, and the game changer was when they announced that I had won a 50 per cent bursary. “During the summer I worked for Urban Truant, a charter boat company, where I saved every penny towards the outstanding fees. They also sponsored a portion of the fees, and in addition, I gained sponsorship from the William Price Trust. “The hard work paid off and I’m absolutely loving it,” she continued. “It’s incredibly challenging as you would expect. It’s inspiring to be part of a group of men and women of all ages, from all over the world and with varying capabilities, who are each equally passionate about learning to build beautiful wooden boats.” Student Hannah Lovett, 38, and from Calderdale in West Yorkshire, has come to the BBA after leaving her career as a restauranteur. She said: “I knew that working with my hands was the only way I wanted to work, and I was initially thinking joinery. But one day a friend who works with boats sent me a link to Women in Boat Building which I found completely inspiring. A couple of weeks later, I woke up at 3am, sat bolt upright in bed and knew that’s what I should do. “I’m so happy to be on the first course to be predominantly women. I love that the Academy is making a conscious effort to balance gender diversity.” The cohort started the course ‘upstairs’ at the BBA, learning the skills which eventually enables them to move ‘downstairs’ and begin the long and challenging process of building four wooden boats from scratch. These boats will be proudly launched, in line with tradition, into Lyme Regis harbour next June. Belinda Joslin of Women in Boatbuilding said: “The BBA is an amazingly inclusive and welcoming environment for women, so we're delighted to have helped more women to feel that it's a space they belong in and are welcome in. This success story is proof that the DEI strategy worked and we hope the wider industry will learn from the measures that BBA have taken, and put more of a priority on DEI to tackle the skills shortage in boatbuilding nationwide.” BBA Director Will Reed agreed: “It’s deeply encouraging to see so many talented women on the course. “We have an exciting strategy in place to further promote diversity and inclusion in the industry and look forward to seeing these and many more young women go on to exciting careers in boat building.” Ends Picture captions: Sophia Harding and Hannah Lovett are members of the new 40-week course cohort which is predominantly female for the first time in its history. Members of the new cohort outside the BBA in Lyme Regis. www.boatbuildingacademy.com The BBA was founded in 1997 by naval commander Tim Gedge and has trained over 2500 people in boat building and furniture making. Many students have gone on to work at some of the top boatyards in the world. Women in Boatbuilding is a Community Interest Company that supports and celebrates the work of women who work hands-on in boatbuilding and related marine trades round the world. Boatyards, boatbuilding and the maritime industry as a whole continue to be heavily male-dominated. WIBB shares the stories of the women working in the industry to inspire others and offer support to colleges and yards who want to improve their gender diversity. www.womeninboatbuilding.com Boat Building was placed on the Red List of Endangered Crafts in 2023. This status is given when there is believed to be insufficient growth in the number of practitioners to make the craft viable following the present generation.  The second Women in Boatbuilding Christmas Gathering will be held from 10.30am on Saturday 7 December.
A full day of activities and networking are planned, enabling women working hands-on in boatbuilding and related marine trades to meet, support, learn and grow from each other. The day will start with a private viewing of Victory Live: The Big Repair - showcasing the ten year conservation programme currently taking place on Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory. Visitors will also get an exclusive look at the work of the shipwrights onboard HMS Warrior, the largest and most powerful warship of Queen Victoria’s fleet. Events will be led by the shipwrights who are part of the talented team preserving these historic ships. This will be followed by a rope demonstration of practical knots and methods used by the shipwrights in the yard. In the afternoon, the group will tour the Lloyds Register Heritage Foundation SHE-SEES exhibition situated in Boathouse No4, that celebrates the work of women – past and present - in the maritime world. Members of the community will then share some of their own stories and experiences, including Norfolk Boatbuilder Abbey Molyneux and Italian Boatbuilder Gaia Brojano. Both women were recently invited to speak at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival in NW Pacific US, and their stories inspired and amazed festival goers, including internationally-acclaimed technical author Nigel Calder. ‘Abbey’s talk in Port Townsend was the best I have ever watched.’ ‘We’re delighted to be gathering in Portsmouth this Christmas – the combination of the SHE_SEES exhibition, and the diverse workforce on the historic ships means that it’s the perfect environment to gather and celebrate the work that women are involved with in the industry.’ Belinda Joslin, Founder Women in Boatbuilding CIC Limited places are available to book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/womeninboatbuilding We welcome anyone working in boatbuilding or related trades to join us. The Women in Boatbuilding Team had an amazing time at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2024, sharing their stories and skills and having a great time. We were blown away with the whole festival and place - will write a longer highlights blog post when I've recovered from jet lag but just wanted to say THANK YOU PORT TOWNSEND! Team Included: Obi Oji - Blue Tree Boatbuilders - UK Sydney Fassam - Sunseeker International - UK Abbey Molyneux - Abbey Boatbuilder - UK Christine MAcPheat - Canada Gaia Brojanigo - Broja Woodworking - Italy Belinda Joslin - UK Heike Lowenstein - UK  The WIBB team are going stateside in September! We've been asked to create some Women in Boatbuilding events at this amazing festival, and we can't wait to meet all the women there working in marine trades...
Since the festival organisers first asked us to attend to create a WIBB panel, our events and level of involvement have grown and grown. There are now 7 women from different countries, backgrounds and trades coming in to be a part of the festival.... to give talks, demos, presentations, tours, events, meet like-minded people, share stories, make friends and celebrate the craft we all love. We can't wait! Thank you so much Barb, Kaci and Diana for inviting us and we can't wait to meet you in person! So great to report that the BBA have had a huge uplift in the number of women studying boatbuilding there - partly down to our collaboration :) Press release from BBA below...and an amazing image that says it all. So chuffed.  Opportunities for women boat builders growing thanks to the BBA. A year after implementing its new Diversity and Inclusivity mission, the Boat Building Academy and Furniture School (BBA) in Lyme Regis is seeing encouraging results, with female enrolments rising from zero to 25 per cent on some courses. Founded in 1997 by naval commander Tim Gedge, the BBA situated on Monmouth Beach is a professional training institution that teaches both modern and traditional boat-building methods. Will Reed became the Director and Co-Chair of Trustees of the academy in 2019 and made it a priority to increase opportunities for women students, not only at the Boat Building Academy, but also across the wider industry. Alongside a bursary scheme available to all, a bursary scheme exclusively for women gives access to high-level training and career development opportunities and has already been taken up by six students. The BBA’s flagship 40-week boat-building course, which often provides its graduates with a direct route into some of the country’s top boatyards, currently has 25 per cent women and one non-binary person amongst its ranks. Will explained: “Gender does not dictate what people are capable of doing, or not doing – it should be irrelevant. We are determined to make the BBA a welcome place for all and to have a better balance in the workshops. We are thrilled with the positive results and this success has been boosted considerably by our close and ongoing collaboration with Women in Boatbuilding (WIBB).” WIBB works to expand the activity and support for women working hands-on in boatbuilding and related industries by working with organisations like the BBA and providing a mix of mentoring, workshops and social opportunities. Amy Stringfellow, WIBB director, has worked with Will to create the Women’s Workshop, a five-day course which she has designed for women to try their hand at woodworking. Eleven women have taken part in the programme so far with plenty of interest in future courses. Some of the women attending use the course as a taster, and an opportunity to talk to the BBA team about longer courses. Women in Boatbuilding members already working in the boat building industry are also actively mentoring female BBA students. BBA Graduate and WIBB Director Dr Obioma Oji has mentored current BBA student Marie Franklin. Marie said: “It has been a joy for me to be part of the WIBB mentorship scheme. I have been so fortunate as my mentor is a fabulous woman who has taken time to listen to me and had encouraged me in so many ways. It’s super inspiring to see how she has developed her boatbuilding and I always look forward to spending time with her and her infinite wisdom.” Founder of WIBB, Belinda Joslin said: “The first time I met Will in 2022 I asked him how many women he had enrolled on his upcoming 40-week boat building course, and he said: “None – and none in the course before it. “Having worked as a finisher in the industry myself I wasn’t surprised by this. “But I was impressed by Will’s determination to change this and his willingness to ask us for help. It’s very encouraging to see the progress we have already made through our joint strategy, combined with the inclusive environment that is a priority at BBA. “ She continued: “The BBA should now not only continue to proactively welcome and support women at the academy, but also expand to support BBA graduates when they enter the workforce. We have already seen great results through our own mentoring scheme. I would like to see the BBA form its own graduate mentoring programme. “The industry continues to be very male dominated, so continuing the right support for women is crucial to retain them in boatbuilding roles. The BBA is forward-thinking enough to see that - done right - this can benefit the entire industry.” For information on the BBA’s courses and bursaries please visit: www.boatbuildingacademy.com Ends Picture captions: D&i1 - Belinda Joslin (centre) visited the BBA in March to attend the traditional sailmaking course and spoke of her delight at progress so far, and the continuing mission to promote diversity and inclusion in boatbuilding. She is seen here with the BBA’s current female students. D&i2 – BBA student Marie Franklin (left) and BBA graduate and WIBB Director Dr Obiama Oji. Media information on this release from Debbie Granville at: [email protected]  Join us for the next ZOOM social on Thursday 9th May - email for a link [email protected]
EVERYONE welcome! Great chance to catch-up with what's going on in everyone's yard and meet new women in the industry. Join us for an in-person Women in Boatbuilding Social on Saturday 17th March 2024.
From 11.30 at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis - for networking, a tour of the boatbuilding school and fish and chips! This is a chance to meet and chat to other women in the industry - will be very informal - everyone welcome. Tickets - £10 from Eventbrite; https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-in-boatbuilding-social-tickets-837454447797?aff=oddtdtcreator Episode 1 of the 'British Boatbuilders Tour 2023' - released on YouTube Friday 6th October10/6/2023
Subscribe to find the episodes on the Women in Boatbuilding Youtube channel (its free) www.youtube.com/@womeninboatbuilding American Fellowship student and filmmaker, Annie Means, toured yards on the South Coast, Cornwall, and the East Coast over 3 weeks in August. She filmed and interviewed women working hands-on, to capture a snapshot of their experiences. All boatbuilders were asked the same questions, with the focus on their skills and work. However many also talked about their gender in relation to their work, so the interviews are an honest, insightful, inspiring and fun reflection of some incredible women. The series showcases the work of women in a diverse set of roles in yards – from cover-makers to shipwrights, laminators to electricians. Covering the full range of scale in boatyards – from the enormity of Sunseeker International to Abbey Boatbuilder in her one-woman yard in Norfolk, and everything in between. Several yards that were approached have no women working hands-on, some have 1 in 100+, and some are yards owned and run by the women that were interviewed. ‘The one thing all boatbuilders we spoke to have in common is their passion about their jobs and their conviction that there is a place for everyone in the industry.’ Belinda Joslin, founder of WIBB The aim of the tour was to create content that shares the skills and experiences of some of the amazing women and the work they are doing, to inspire others and further grow the community of women who are working hands on in yards. ‘If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.’ Produced by Belinda Joslin and Annie Means - 2023 THANK YOU’S Annie Means has given her time and expertise to Women in Boatbuilding as part of her Fellowship studies into Gender Stereotypes in the Marine World. We are incredibly grateful to Annie for her contribution to WIBB and the content that she has created on our behalf. We think it’s amazing, and will help to further develop conversations about diversity in the boatbuilding world. Without the women who are forging their way in the industry, this would not have happened. We could not have been happier or more impressed with the answers to our questions – thank you for your honesty and wisdom. Many thanks also to some of the brilliant, supportive men in the industry: First Episode: Elizabeth Banks, Peter Collins, Sydney Fassam, Emma Mermaz-Rollet, Clementine Mollier, Otto Marples, Obioma Oji, Betzy Shell, Katie Hammond Second Episode: Katie Allan, Livvy Higman, Rachel Bland, Neil Capper, Tara Clark, Daisy Leach, Holly Latham, Tori Ablett Third Episode: Matt Lis, Jess Wright, Alison Taylor, Alan Staley, Gillen Knight, Ben Felts, Abbey Molyneux, Heike Lowenstein, Faye Thorley, Emily Stokes, Sacha Walker, Neil Capper, Alannah Barton, Helen Porter Annie’s fellowship grant has made this project possible – but without the welcoming hospitality of the boatbuilders, the tour would not have been possible – so we would like to thank Betzy Shell and Holly Latham for hosting Annie on the tour. A final and Huge THANK YOU to all the yards who have embraced and enabled this project: Sunseeker International Oyster Ship to Shore BlueTree Boat Builders Latham Traditional Boatworks SKB Sails Ltd Cockwells Abbey Boatbuilder Woodbridge Boatyard Spirit Yachts Raybel Charters Alan Staley Boatyard The Boatbuilding Academy, Lyme Regis The Elephant Boatyard After months of trying to find data about the boatbuilding workforce, we came to the conclusion that no-one has it! In conversations with the UK Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce team, it seems that they struggled to get meaningful data about who is actually building boats in the UK. The recent Heritage Craft Association and Wooden Boat Trade Association survey threw up some worrying trends - a lack of diversity and an ageing workforce. Anecdotally, this won't surprise anyone. The survey was brilliant, but only concerned with traditional boatbuilding.
We live in an age of data, and money is allocated and decisions are made when you can back up your reasoning with facts. So we've created the British Boatbuilders survey - for all boatyard trades. Its a simple Google form - at https://tinyurl.com/boatbuildersurvey so please complete it and share it with all boatyard friends and colleagues. It will be open for 6 weeks. We hope in that time we will have a decent response....but we're relying on word of mouth in the yards. Email me if you'd like it in an email or whats-app format to share. It went live yesterday, and 30 lovely people have already filled it in, which is amazing. The survey is anonymous and we will share all results openly. Its done for the benefit of all, not just about women. Email if you'd like to know more. [email protected] 
Women in Boatbuilding CIC and US Fellowship recipient combine forces this summer to create ‘British Boatbuilders in 2023’ – A snapshot of Women working hands-on. Women in Boatbuilding was approached by Annie Means to be a part of her research Fellowship this summer. Together they are creating a snap-shot of what boatbuilders are working on in the summer of 2023 – with the focus being on the practical skills being used and the projects they are working on. Annie is a recent US university graduate and a recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship for the 2023-2024 term. The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship presents a year-long opportunity for purposeful and independent exploration outside the United States. For her fellowship project, she will be embarking on a journey to the United Kingdom to delve into gender roles within the maritime industry, particularly by collaborating with women involved in the boatyard scene. Annie will be visiting boatyards across the UK, interviewing boatbuilders and capturing content of their work. This material will then be used to create more awareness of the work that women are already doing, encourage more women to know that boatyards can be inclusive and more boatyards to see the benefit of diversity and offer equity in their employment. By helping to create a narrative of skill and expertise in the boatbuilders we interview, the project’s aim is to take the focus away from gender-difference, and onto normalising the presence of women in the boatyard environment and the tangible benefit that their work and expertise can bring. About Annie: ‘The boatbuilding industry, as well as the maritime sector as a whole, is predominantly male-dominated. My objective is to document and amplify the experiences of women mariners and shipbuilders through my fellowship. Working alongside WIBB, during the months of July and August, I am seeking to meet and gather testimonials from the remarkable women working in the United Kingdom's boatyards. I am enthusiastic and eager to document and learn about the experiences of women in the maritime industry in 2023. Capturing the current state of this industry and its transformative journey toward inclusivity and diversity can provide valuable insights into where the nautical community has been and where it's trending. As an avid boater, my interest in this topic was sparked during my two-month journey through Canada's Inside Passage. Last summer, I had the privilege of captaining a small motor trawler with an all-female crew, tracing the footsteps of a pioneering female sea captain and mother who ventured into the remote inlets of British Columbia in the early 1920s and 1930s. Her story inspired me to pursue boating. Recognizing the existence of remarkable and adventurous women throughout the history of this industry, who have often been overshadowed, motivated me to connect with individuals in 2023.’ So far, Women in Boatbuilding has focused on telling career stories – how did boatbuilders get into it? They’ve launched a mentoring programme – supporting women at the start of their careers. Now they are really excited to be focusing on the skills of British boatbuilders in this snapshot – telling the story of what everyone is making in the yard in the summer of 2023. Annie will be visiting yards from July 24th to August 18th 2023. If you or your boatyard would like to be a part of ‘British Boatbuilders in 2023’, please get in touch. Belinda Joslin – Women in Boatbuilding - [email protected] Annie Means - Thomas J Watson Fellow 2023 – 2024 - [email protected] Instagram @womeninboatbuilding www.womeninboatbuilding.com British Boatyard tour….How will it work? Annie will be travelling round mostly by herself, sometimes with Amy Stringfellow in South West and Belinda Joslin in East, both directors of WIBB. She would love a tour of the yard, because who doesn’t love a yard tour! And she would like to ask ‘How many people working hands-on in the boatyard and gender split today’? The interview, filming and images won’t take long – it’s a snapshot, not a full personal career interview we’re after. All images will be in the workplace, working on whatever it is that’s being done at that particular time – no posing, or pretence. The interview questions will be asked before and after filming – not during boatbuilding. We’ve been interviewed before whilst using tools and it’s really stressful and neither the work, or interview is good. The sort of questions that will be asked of boatbuilders:
All footage and images would be owned by ‘Women in Boatbuilding CIC’ and used at their discretion. Annie will also be blogging during the tour, using images to share her journey and observations. By participating in this project, you will be agreeing to have the answers and footage shared on social media. We commit to using the material in a respectful way to create inspiring and informative content. Please let us know how and where you want to be tagged. The Women in Boatbuilding Mentoring Programme, supported by the Shipwrights, is successfully up and running. Since the launch in March, we have advertised the programme, analysed and paired the mentor/mentee applications and 8 pairings are now underway. All at slightly different stages of their boatbuilding journey’s, but all equally thrilled to be on the mentoring programme. Last week we had the first mentor catch-ups, and these will continue monthly, enabling the mentors to check-in and report on their mentee meetings. The pairings are meeting in a variety of ways. We have – where possible and appropriate – paired locals together, so some are meeting in person and some digitally. The programme is headed-up by Heike Lowenstein and Amy Stringfellow, both Directors of Women in Boatbuilding CIC. Between them, they have extensive boatbuilding and teaching knowledge and experience, so are well-placed to lead the amazing mentoring team. Thanks again to the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, whose support has facilitated this programme. We had our third zoom social last night, and it was great to chat again to old and new faces about boatbuilding and life. We always start the socials with everyone introducing themselves - so if you haven't joined us before, don't be daunted....these really are for everyone to join as and when they can. The link is always the same - next date is 8pm on Thursday 8th June. Email or message if you want to join us. Thanks to Faye from Raybel Charters, who shared with us a little bit about the project - and their efforts to focus on helping women in the community. https://raybelcharters.com/ We are very excited to be launching the WIBB mentoring programme on International Women’s Day, March 8th 2023.
The programme will run for 10 months for 10 mentor and mentee pairings, and aims to support women in their early careers in boatbuilding and related trades. Mentoring is hugely successful in other industries, and we’ve also worked with The Magenta Project on this – whose sailing mentoring scheme has been running successfully for 5 years. The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights have very kindly supported us to make this programme a reality – thank you Shipwrights! To apply to be a mentor or mentee go to the Mentoring Page. BBC South news report from the Boatbuilding Academy in Lyme Regis, during the WIBB visit to launch their women's bursary. Another great day and my head is buzzing again. Every hour I change my mind...we're all mad wanting to restore old wooden boats....there again, why would you want to do anything else? So today we talked about what to look for in an old boat - really useful information before you take the plunge. Mike talked us through the restoration of Barnacle, a 10ft clinker tender, built in 1962 by Lou Walker. And Vindilis, a 27ft sloop built in 1930's and restored with modern materials. A brief chat about surveys and how to 'take the lines' when a boat has gone too far. Ken introduced us to 'Brown Bear' a clinker rowboat over 100 years old and - until recently - a regular in Brixham's pirate re-enactment weekends. 'Brown Bear' deteriorated surprisingly fast when left full of rain water and sadly it was decided that she was a lines and lofting project. Patrick's double-ended clinker day boat had a few interesting design features; water ballast bags and a retractable rudder blade, but no floor and minimal sole boards. We had a good chat about improvements that could be made to structure and comfort, and how to turn it into a wild camping boat. More time on practical work today too. Finished the feather scarf and lipped scarf...and learnt how to fix them together with a rove and nail. Then we had some free-style repair time on practice hulls in the workshop...making holes then fixing them! |
