Aberdeenshire students make waves as they build and launch own boat in Portsoy project

A group of Aberdeenshire students have been making waves in the Portsoy Boatshed, as part of a project aimed at teaching traditional wooden boat building.

The students, who are all home educated, have been meeting weekly for the last seven months to design and build a variety of items, culminating in the launch of their own boat in Portsoy’s 17th century Harbour a few weeks ago.

Bodhi Hellyer, Max Hellyer, Nuada Paton, Quinlan Whitby and Andrew Ferguson were taught by experienced local boat builders James Crombie and Doug Mathieson. Their first task was to create a wooden toolbox. This provided James and Doug with an insight into the capabilities of each student, and how quick they could learn the basic skills of marking out, measuring, cutting, drilling, assembling and plaining.

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The Boatshed, located on the Old Harbour in Portsoy, is a fully equipped workshop with a mix of traditional tools and machinery for woodworking. James Crombie has delivered several boat building and woodworking projects for youngsters over the years.

He said: “When the students first start out on this course, it can be their first time doing any kind of wood working or using tools, so it is all completely new to them.

“We begin with the basics and ask them to create a simple wooden box. As they measure and cut out their shapes, they are using geometry and working as part of a team, going through each step to complete their design. “

The next phase of the course puts the students’ abilities to the test, by creating a medieval catapult, the trebuchet.

James continued: “The trebuchet is a good way to see what the students have learned. We encourage them to work together to design and create their own version, this involves calculating the energy forces, and the strength of the materials to ensure it could successfully throw an object and hit a target, at speed. They did a brilliant job and they enjoyed testing it out.”

Their most recent and biggest challenge has been to build their own dinghy. Working over a series of six-week blocks, they created a 3.5metre Norwegian design pram dinghy, capable of going on open water and carrying four people. This project involved precision marking out and cutting, plaining, steaming and bending, careful construction and finally painting.

James continued: “The whole process from building to painting the boat took eighteen weeks, and the students used all the knowledge and techniques they have learned over the course of the project to successfully build their first boat. It was great to see them having fun and working as a team to bring it all together.

" They have not only gained traditional wood working and boat building skills, which will be useful for them throughout life, but they’ve made friends and developed their social skills. It’s been great to see them develop and get a sense of satisfaction from the whole process.”

The dinghy, now named ‘Tom Soy’, is in memory of Tom Burnett-Stuart who lived in Portsoy and owned and restored many of the buildings around the Old Harbour. There was a brief naming ceremony courtesy of Max, with a bottle of ceremonial ‘Nosecco’ and Tom Soy was launched in Portsoy’s Old Harbour. James, as teacher of the group took to the oars, and made the first official test row. This followed by the others.

James commented: “Although it was a bit blustery, this didn’t put off the students, Bodhi, Max, Nuada and Andrew all had on their life jackets, ready to set sail.

“Every student took a turn on the oars, and after an initial period of rowing round in small circles, everyone was able to enjoy and test the stability of the boat. All the students stayed largely dry and went home beaming with pride after what was a very successful, fulfilling and happy day.”

In 2004, the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival Trust started a policy of working with children to teach and revive the basic principles of boat building. Working with primary school children, 60 dinghies were successfully built and launched, and several small boats including curraghs, a North Sea faering and a St Ayles skiff were created by local secondary school pupils.

Following the success of the programme, the Portsoy Maritime Heritage gifted the derelict buildings by the Old Harbour, to Portsoy Community Enterprise. These were transformed into the Boatshed, one of the leading Scottish boat building schools.

Richard Thorne, development manager of PCE said: “Portsoy was a thriving boat building community in the late 1800s and continues to be home to many skilled and experienced boat builders. Keeping these traditional skills alive is essential, so that the next generation can continue Portsoy’s rich maritime heritage into the future, and delivery of these programmes are a key part of this.

“We are very grateful to James and Doug for giving their time to share their boat building expertise, the students involved have learned so much over the last seven months. Through James and Doug’s leadership have developed lots of useful practical techniques, whilst forging friendships and teamworking skills. The Boatshed is a space for the whole community to use, if you have a project you would like to discuss or are interested in getting involved, pop down and see our team of volunteers to find out more.”