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Class of
September 2009
Student
Profiles & Boat Diaries
To view the photographic
diaries of the boats being built on this course click on the links
below:
14'
Yachting World Dayboat
16'5"
Islay Skiff
14'3"
Canadian Canoe
12'5"
Mallard Dinghy
16'5"
Beer Beach Boat
14'
Skiff with polyester/ glass hull and wooden fit-out
| Steve
Bramley |
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Steve worked as a tree surgeon
and builder. He joined the course not just because he wants to build boats, but also because the woodworking skills will help him realise his ambition to buy and renovate a property to house him, his wife, three children and two dogs. Steve's family (and dogs) moved from Hampshire to Lyme Regis with him so that he could join the Academy which, Steve says, suits him because he's not among just young students.
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| James Downs |
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| From Ramsbottom in Lancashire, James joined the
BBA straight after studying carpentry and joinery at college.
Enrolling at the BBA was his father's idea (we do wonder whether James's father will join the course one day) but James is
thoroughly enjoying the course and looking forward to
pursuing a career in boat building. |
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| Dom Frankis |
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Like many people Dom fell into jobs with no idea
whether any of them would bring him real satisfaction and, above all, the fun he was looking for. After working for the last five years in London as a Management Consultant in the health sector Dom
decided to take a break from it all and do something he had never
done, or even thought of doing, before - build a boat. Dom's
year of adventure will culminate in him building a 12ft Mallard
sailing dinghy and getting as many friends in as possible...as Dom can't sail those friends could come in very handy at the launch in June next year...
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| Alasdair Grant |
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| Alasdair comes from a fishing family who live
in Aultbea, a village in the North West of Scotland. He
has always enjoyed working with wood and is very interested
in boats, in particular traditionally built wooden boats. Alasdair first contacted the Academy when he was fourteen. Now he is seventeen we felt that Alasdair was an excellent exception to the '18 years and over' rule. After the course Alasdair will continue working on
boats and hopes to one day own his own boat yard at home. |
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| Ben Larcombe |
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| Ben has worked as a snowboarding instructor in California and loves the outdoors. He plays the violin, mandolin and piano. After finishing an apprenticeship in pattern
making, which gave him some experience of working with wood, Ben wanted to learn more and get some excellent practical skills that he can use in boat or furniture making...or both. Ben's dog, Carter, is a regular visitor to the Academy where he is working on the skill of slipping his collar undetected as an art form. |
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| Lachlan McKenzie |
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| Locky is a retired chartered surveyor and
keen dinghy sailor. He chose the course as a retirement
project with the objectives of being able to maintain wooden
boats and also to build a clinker Yachting World Dayboat to race
in Chichester Harbour. |
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| Martin McMahon |
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| Martin has long nurtured the idea of boat building
as a career and after 40 years in sales and
marketing, predominantly spent in the Financial Services and
Banking industries, the last 9 working in the Middle East, has finally committed to realising his dream. Martin has considerable
sailing experience and has competed in many offshore yacht races
including the Fastnet. However, his real interest now is in
traditional boat building techniques and the restoration of
classic craft. Martin will pursue this as a new career
path upon completion of the course. |
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| Jon Palmer |
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| Jon studied product and furniture design at university.
He then spent three and a half years working in the industry
before taking a year out to travel round Asia, Australasia and
North America. He has always enjoyed an active life and took
the year to trek, climb, dive, cycle and paddle in as many places
as possible. During the following year, back at a desk in the
UK, Jon decided to find a course that would allow him to further
develop his skills, learn an alternative trade and work in a
more practical environment. Upon completion of the course, Jon
is looking to work in the marine industry. |
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| Tim Price |
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| Originally from South Africa, Tim joined the
course from Alderney, in the Channel Islands and has a lot of
past experience with boats; he is a MCA Master of Yachts, has
worked as crew, a water taxi, sailing instructor, counsellor
and in yacht delivery. Tim looked at the BBA because he wanted
to build boats, he joined the Academy after seeing the atmosphere
here during his interview visit - it 'sealed the deal'.
When he finishes the course Tim thinks he will probably stay
in the UK for a while, job allowing, but would like to live
somewhere sunny... |
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| Tom Trevessey |
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| Tom studied photography at Art College, and then
travelled around Europe and Australia. He joined the course
because he didn't want to be "just a chippy", and
with a love for outdoor activities, such as sailing, surfing,
skating and mountain biking, and a passion for boats he decided
that this was the course for him. Tom is using this course as
a stepping stone into the marine industry, eventually hoping
to become a skipper. |
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| Jim Walsh |
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| Jim is from the south of Ireland and at the age
of 27, while working in an architectural practice in Cork, he awoke to the fact that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life
working at an office desk. Jim decided that the course would enable him to combine his interest in
woodwork, mechanics and boats. Jim will go back to Ireland with his new skills
and set up a boat building business in Novohal near Kinsale,
Co. Cork. |
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