East Anglia’s thriving wooden boatbuilding industry will take centre stage at this year’s Southampton International Boat Show, with an impressive line-up of the region’s boatyards, craftspeople and marine organisations showcasing their skills on the Wooden Boat Stage.
Running throughout the show from 18-27 September, the Wooden Boat Stage returns for its second year, providing a platform to celebrate the people, craft, boatyards and stories behind the UK’s wooden boat industry, while encouraging a new generation to discover the skills and opportunities it offers.
Belinda Joslin, creator of the Wooden Boat Stage, said: “One of the stand-out results of creating the Wooden Boat Stage schedule is the strength of the yards and craftspeople on the East Coast, and I’m delighted that so many of them are travelling to Southampton to showcase their skills and stories. We have outstanding yards and skilled people, from Spirit Yachts building new wooden works of art, to the amazing restoration work taking place at yards including Kings, Woodbridge, Fox’s and Abbey Boatbuilder. If you want to work in the wooden boat industry, then the East Coast is the place to be.”
The Wooden Boat Stage is supported by Suffolk-based Fox’s Marina & Boatyard, which will help champion the collaborative approach behind the event.
Will Taylor-Jones, Managing Director at Fox’s Marina & Boatyard said: “We’re delighted to support the Wooden Boat Stage and, with nearly 100 years of boatbuilding heritage at Fox’s, help shine a light on the extraordinary depth of skill we have here on the East Coast. As an industry, collaboration gives us a stronger voice, not only to celebrate the craftsmanship and expertise that exists today, but to inspire the next generation to see the opportunities a career in boatbuilding can offer.”
That next-generation focus runs throughout the programme, with demonstrations of traditional skills, discussions about careers and apprenticeships, school engagement and opportunities for young visitors to experience boatbuilding for themselves.
East Anglia at the Wooden Boat Stage
Spirit Yachts, Ipswich, Suffolk
Spirit Yachts’ Lead Designer Thomas Smith and Yard Manager Adrian Gooderham will take visitors behind the scenes of the new Spirit P50 motor yacht on Sunday 20 September. The team will also demonstrate its modern wooden yacht construction techniques, including the laminating of a Sipo Mahogany ring frame.
Pioneer Sailing Trust, Brightlingsea, Essex
Pioneer Sailing Trust will showcase traditional boatbuilding skills alongside career opportunities, with practical demonstrations and a talk about its Level 3 Heritage Engineering Marine Technician apprenticeship, the only programme of its kind in the UK. Boatbuilder Alan Fuller will also share his experiences of a life in boatbuilding.
Woodbridge and Waldringfield Boatyard, Suffolk
The traditional art of steam bending timber will be demonstrated daily, while Woodbridge and Waldringfield Boatyards Yard Manager Matt Lis will join the ‘Maintaining a Wooden Boat’ panel on Saturday 19 September.
Abbey Boatbuilder, Norfolk
Abbey Molyneux will also join the ‘Maintaining a Wooden Boat’ panel, while Guide of Dunkirk will feature in the first Wooden Boat Stage Afloat in the Southampton Boat Show Marina.
Harry Kings Boatyard, Pin Mill, Suffolk
Sarah Curtis from Harry Kings Boatyard will share the story of this 176-year-old River Orwell boatyard and explore the continuing importance of small yards to Britain’s maritime heritage on Wednesday 23 September.
East Coast Sailmakers, Essex
Established in 2026, East Coast Sailmakers has handmade the sails for the Wooden Boat Stage’s Model Boat Workshop, where children can build their first boat.
Coastal Exploration Company and Hunters Boatyard, Norfolk
Both will take part in the Adventure Holidays discussion, exploring opportunities to experience traditional wooden boats without owning one. Hunter’s Boatyard will also host a panel looking at how UK yards and organisations are working with schools to inspire the next generation.
Woodbridge Riverside Trust, Suffolk
The Trust will join the Schools Panel to share its work introducing Year 6 pupils to boatbuilding through its seven-week model boat programme.
The Wooden Boat Stage takes place throughout the Southampton International Boat Show, 18–27 September. For further information visit www.southamptonboatshow.com/the-wooden-boat-stage
