The Fine Art of Wooden Boat Building Posted by The Landing School on May 14, 2014 · Leave a Comment

For centuries we’ve taken to the water to explore, discover and survive. For most of that time, we took to the water in wooden boats. Although to some the process may seem outdated or time consuming, at The Landing School we see it as a highly regarded skill, career path and art form.

There are fewer wooden boat builders these days but the skills our students acquire will serve them well in joinery, cabinetry, interior design, repair and a host of other positions that are in high demand even in the most high tech manufacturing facilities. Case and point, when was the last time you saw a really great boat and admired the plastic cabinets? Probably never. Fine woodwork always stands out.

On their path to future endeavors, our Wooden Boat Building Class (Small Boats Option) has built Acorn Skiffs and is in the process of building Joel White Peapods. Similar boats to the novice, these boats require very different construction skills. One construction project is usually an epoxy-glued lapstrake boat and the other is a boat utilizing steam-bent frame, carvel construction.

While boat models vary from year to year, the building materials typically include white pine, Western red cedar, white oak, mahogany, Sitka spruce, ash and marine plywood complemented with bronze fasteners and hardware. And each part of the boat – from the hull to the mast – is steamed, sanded and shaped by hand.

This week students are cleaning up the seams on their Joel White Peapods. As soon as this is complete the hulls will be painted and the boat will be flipped so the interior can be stained. It’s a highly detailed process that takes patience, an eye for detail and a true love of working with wood. The end result is a work of art.