The Whitstable Harbour & Boat Show returns this summer for the first time since the Covid pandemic and its newest attraction – The Heritage Boat Building Centre – has already been extended to accommodate demand from boatbuilders and other exhibitors.
The show takes place on 9 August and in addition to hundreds of free, family attractions, on and off the water, the new Heritage Boat Building Centre will showcase the talents of student boatbuilders and shipwrights and master craftsmen and women from across the south and south east.
Gordon Vincent, leader of the event’s planning team, said: “It is wonderful to be back and especially exciting to be unveiling the new Heritage Boat Building Centre, which will feature craftsmen and women sharing their love of working with natural materials and creating beautiful boats using traditional tools. The response to the centre has been extremely encouraging and we have already increased the size of the marquee to try and accommodate everyone who has expressed a wish to attend.”
Amongst the centre’s exhibitors is the UK’s leading college for student boat builders, the Boat Building Academy and Furniture School (BBA) based in Lyme Regis, Dorset. Many graduates from the BBA’s renowned 40-week boat building course go on to work at the UK’s top boatyards.
Director of the BBA Will Reed said: “The BBA was created to preserve and protect the future of boat building, so it is therefore great to be able to showcase what we do alongside other heritage crafters in this unique environment. Visitors will be able to see a 14’ Paul Gartside designed clinker lugger built from English larch and oak, which has been commissioned and built by one of our latest students Ariana Cottam. The boat will also be for sale with all proceeds of the sale going to the BBA’s bursary fund.”
Exhibitor Colin Henwood is a boatbuilder with 40 years’ experience of building, restoring, and caring for wooden boats on the Thames. Also, a BBA tutor, he will be representing the Wooden Boatbuilders Trade Association which supports wooden boatbuilders in the UK.
He said: “This will be a great opportunity to show that wood is good – good for boats, good for people and good for the planet.”
The Heritage Boat Building Centre will host a range of boats and a busy programme of presentations and demonstrations from exhibitors including timber specialists, sailmakers and marine equipment.
Master Ropemakers from Chatham Historic Dockyard will be demonstrating their skills and creating new rope for sale.
Gordon Vincent added: “Many boatbuilding crafts are now officially classed as ‘at risk’, so, it is vital we give heritage crafts and boatbuilding a stage on which to shine and attract new interest.”
Faversham-based shipwright Morgan Lewis will be demonstrating skills inside the Centre, some of which he and others are using on the restoration of the 1906, 44ft Oyster Yawl, Gamecock, which will also be on display at the show.
He said: “I am very much looking forward to showing visitors some of the skills which are often hidden away in boatyards.”
The Whitstable Harbour & Boat Show includes a regatta, workshops and dozens of other maritime exhibits and attractions for all the family, as well as live music and street foods.
For more details visit: www.whitstableboatshow.org.uk
