STUDENTS launched hand-made vessels into the water as they marked the end of a renowned boat-building course.

Nine pupils at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis took to the water in their new creations following a ceremony at the Slipway last week.

Despite the academy premises being flooded earlier in the week, the launch day was labelled a “fantastic day” by staff after the stormy conditions cleared for the celebration.

Students who completed the internationally recognised 38-week ‘boat building, maintenance and support’ course at the academy enjoyed the first opportunity to try out three brand new boats.

Principal of the Boat Building Academy, Yvonne Green, is pleased that many of the students have already secured jobs. Two graduates have already started employment at the world leading wooden sailing yacht company, Spirit Yachts in Ipswich.

She added: “It was a fantastic day. The boat launch is also the launch of their careers as boat builders.

“We were a bit worried as on Monday, after a dreadful week, the school had flooded. But luckily on the launch day, it cleared and we had blue skies.”

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

The festively named 15ft Christmas Wherry is a glued-clinker boat, based on a design for the Atlantic Salmon fishery in the late 1700s in the United States. Also included in the line-up was a cold-moulded clinker sailing/rowing dinghy design known as a ‘Guillemot’ and a striking 15ft sailing canoe strip planked in Western Red Cedar.

The students have followed an intensive, hands-on nine month programme starting from sharpening chisels and making dovetails to learning modern and traditional boat building and allied marine skills, including oar making, wooden boat restoration, GRP (glass reinforced plastics), and an optional sail making course.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

The two women and seven men graduate with the skills needed to work in the marine industry and have all gained the recognised City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Marine Construction, Systems Engineering and Maintenance.