Craft of the Shipwright

Boothbay Harbor Shipyard gladly said, “Yes!” when the Washington County Community College of Maine and the Mid Coast Community College of Auburn came to us with a curriculum in exchange for our sheltering and teaching an introductory course in boatbuilding. The opportunity dovetailed nicely into the state of Maine apprentice program that we have been running since our reincorporation. The course teaches lofting, shop and tool safety and jig building. The last semester completes the building of a Swampscott dory. Three classes have already enjoyed learning these skills.

Boothbay Harbor is a community with a maritime heritage and the shipyard is committed to ensuring wooden boatbuilding into the future with the on-going renovation of a building on a beautiful parcel of land on Linekin Bay. The goal is to move the school into this new facility. The local community has funded the expenses required and efforts are continuing to bring this wooden boatbuilding training facility to completion.

This fall we commenced our fourth semester and with any luck, they will have to be moved into this new building before the end of their time in class.