APPRENTICESHOP CATALOG 2021 - BOATS BUILDING PEOPLE Photo Credit: Erin Tokarz - The Apprenticeshop
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APPRENTICESHOP CATALOG 2021
BOATS BUILDING PEOPLE
Photo Credit: Erin Tokarz
Table of Contents
Mission, Vision and Values 3
Leadership and Faculty 4
Board of Directors…………………………………………………………………. 4
Staff…………………………………………………………………………………. 6
Facility 9
Boatbuilding Programs 12
12-Week Traditional Boatbuilding……….……………………………………….. 12
9-Month Apprenticeship Program………………………………………………... 17
2-Year Apprenticeship Program..…………………………………………………. 29
Standards of Progress 42
Assessing Progress………………………………………………………............... 43
Addendum A: Program Application 27
Addendum B: Evaluations 48
Progress Review……..………………………………..…………………………… 48
Exit Interview……………………………………………………………………… 50
2 CATALOG 2021
Mission, Vision and Values Our Mission To inspire personal growth through craftsmanship, community, and traditions of the sea. Our Vision Anchored in Maine’s maritime heritage, we envision a world enriched by creative, collaborative, self- reliant, and thoughtful makers who explore and engage with the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary culture. Our Values HUMAN POTENTIAL We are all capable of building and sailing boats. By navigating challenges within a supportive community, we come to understand what we are capable of, and build resilience, self-confidence, and resourcefulness in the process. LEARNING BY DOING Through repeated, hands-on practice, we accumulate knowledge, develop skills, inform our judgment, and expand our creativity. As we encounter problems, we innovate toward solutions. This way of learning demands patience and requires us to take an active role in our own education. COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE Our community is inclusive, non-judgmental and welcomes people of all races, genders, ethnicities, religious affiliations, socioeconomic circumstances, sexual orientations, ages, and past experiences. We build and sail together. Shared work fosters trust, cultivates accountability, and pushes us to develop a personal stake in the execution of communal goals. CULTURAL EXCHANGE Boats have been powerful vehicles for connection and exchange throughout history. We continue to use boats as platforms for exchanging ideas, advancing knowledge, and encouraging all people to find common ground. STEWARDSHIP We celebrate, preserve, and strive to engage diverse people with maritime culture so traditions can be reinvigorated with new perspectives. The techniques we teach provide foundational skills that can then be applied to contemporary practices. SUSTAINABILITY We take a mindful approach to our use of materials and environmental resources. We care for our tools, the building we occupy, and our boats so they will last. This attitude of care extends to the land and waterfront we inhabit as we strive to preserve it for future generations. 3 CATALOG 2021
Leadership and Faculty Board of Directors DAVID COCKEY Chair David’s interest in traditional boats and boatbuilding began as a teenager in Maryland. Influences include books by Howard Chapelle, the columns in National Fisherman by John Gardner, and later the writings of Lance Lee. David has degrees in mechanical engineering, naval architecture, and aerospace engineering. Following a career in automotive research and engineering, David and his wife moved to Rockport several years ago. His current activities focus around boat design and documenting historic boats. Other interests include boating on Penobscot Bay, woodworking, photography, travel and history. RACHEL DAVIS Vice Chair Rachel moved to the Midcoast area 2011 to attend the Apprenticeshop, inspired by her time sailing on tall ships, a search for beauty and function, and years exploring intentional and un- intentional community. With a professional background in bread baking and social pedagogy, as well as extensive travels, she continues to explore aesthetics, craft and relationship. She studied at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship and is currently a carpenter for PHI Builders and Architects. Rachel lives with her husband Jim in Rockland. WHITNEY FILES Treasurer Whitney is the Chief Operating Officer of Knox County Homeless Coalition (KCHC), the only nonprofit serving homeless families, individuals, and at-risk youth in Knox, Waldo, and parts of Lincoln counties. Prior to KCHC, Whitney served as COO of Harlem Grown, a youth development organization in New York City focused on urban farming. A new resident of Rockland, Whitney spent her childhood visiting her grandfather in Thomaston and Tenants Harbor, and sailing with her father throughout the Midcoast. Whitney holds an MBA from Bard College, earned her B.A. from New York University, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali. ROBERT JOHNSTON Secretary Robert made his first sailing cruise to the Mid-Coast from New York in 1981, where he discovered beautiful “Good Wooden Boats” on the Camden docks. He returned every year after, cruising the Maine Coast from York Harbor to the St. John River, admiring Maine wooden boats wherever he found them, then retired from the United Nations in 2005 and bought a house in 4 CATALOG 2021
Rockland and a racing sailboat, so he could try his hand at racing. He now divides his time with his partner between Rockland and Long Island City, NY. FRANK BLAIR Frank served in the U.S. Navy for five years as a fighter pilot flying single-seat fighters off of carriers in the Mediterranean and the Western Pacific, receiving five Air Medals for low-level reconnaissance over North Vietnam. Flying skills honed sailing skills: radio, navigation, meteorology and appreciation for Bernoulli's Principle. His love of sailing began in childhood and he worked Hurricane Island Outward Bound School for 20 years teaching seamanship. He became a Shellback en route to Australia from Vietnam and has served as a stand-in for Neptune twice since. Frank is the author of The Schooner Maggie B: A Southern Ocean Circumnavigation. He lives in Maine and on his new schooner, Farfarer. TIM CLARK Tim is a professional shipwright who co-owns and operates Clark & Eisele Traditional Boatbuilding, LLC. He has been building and restoring wooden boats in boat shops, shipyards, and museums across New England for nearly two decades, and has also spent significant periods of time working aboard large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessels of many types, both as ship's carpenter and deck crew. Tim is particularly interested in historic vessels and working craft, and has dedicated much of his career to the stewardship of maritime traditions through his work with several educational institutions, as well as commercial vessels that provide authentic traditional sailing experiences. Tim lives in Midcoast Maine and offers his skills wherever they are needed, whether locally or on the other side of the globe. TATIANA FISCHER Tanya has been associated with the Apprenticeshop – in one form or another - since 1993 when she was enlisted by Lance Lee to help him with the books of his newly re-vamped Apprenticeshop as it moved from Nobelboro to Rockland. She works for several Portland-based businesses as accountant/bookkeeper. JAN ULRIK LETH Jan lives in Spruce Head with his partner Ariel Hall and their daughter. Prior to relocating full time to Maine, Jan was a Vice Chairman and the Global Creative Director for digital for Ogilvy & Mather. Jan still does special assignments for Ogilvy, along with running a design store in Rockland with Ariel. Jan’s interest in boats and the sea probably dates to his childhood, and many passages across the Atlantic on the tail end of the ocean liner era. (Yes, he's that old!) That led to doing open ocean yacht deliveries, and some time living on and sailing the wooden 33-ft Colin Archer his brother Peter built in Denmark. MOLLY MULHERN Molly brings to the board thirty years corporate experience gained while working for a NYC nautical book publisher. A philosophy graduate of Smith College, Molly also has a Masters degree in American Studies. Molly has served on several non-profit boards, including New Hope for 5 CATALOG 2021
Women and Camden’s Parks and Recreation Committee overseeing the revitalization of the
Camden Snow Bowl. Molly writes frequently on maritime matters for Points East, Windcheck, and
other publications. Molly currently works as a mentor in a local restorative justice program and is
a hotline volunteer for a local domestic violence agency.
LESLIE PAUL
Leslie’s relationship with the Apprenticeshop started with a deep dive as interim Executive
Director during the first half of 2019. Her nearly 40-year career in experiential and community-
based education linked strongly to the mission and programs of the ‘Shop. Her business and
administrative skills then enabled Leslie to tackle office duties as it became necessary. Having
recently retired to Rockland from New Hampshire, where she and her husband Dan Paul raised
their blended bunch of 6, Leslie was already at home with the harbor. When not cruising the
coast and islands down east, Leslie’s Valiant 40 cutter is moored close to the ‘Shop off of North
End shipyard.
WARREN SEELIG
Warren lives with his wife, Sherrie Gibson in Hope, Maine and has his studio practice located in
Rockland. He holds the rank of distinguished visiting professor in the Craft & Material Studies
program at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he teaches, curates and writes on
various subjects related to material thinking. Seelig has been awarded fellowships from the
National Endowment for the Arts, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and in 2018 a Barr
Foundation/ United States Artist Fellowship.
Staff
ISABELLA FERACCI
Executive Director
Bella grew up in Vermont, lived in New York City where she studied and
worked in urban planning, and then found her way to the Apprenticeshop
because of a deep craving to learn to work with her hands and build
things. On the advice that “if you learn to build a boat, you can build
anything,” she took a leap into the unknown and enrolled in the two-year
apprenticeship. She quickly became captivated by the process of
coordinating her physical effort with complex visualized intentions to
manifest beautiful and functional objects. After a decade of building and
teaching how to build, Bella was honored to be entrusted with leadership
of the organization that taught her how risk and perseverance can
transform.
6 CATALOG 2021
NINA NOAH
Director of Student Affairs and Outreach
Originally from New York, Nina received her B.A. in biology from the
University of Chicago. After working for several years as the lab manager
in a plant genetics lab at the University of Chicago and then teaching
middle school science in New York City, she ended up moving to Maine
to become an apprentice, drawn by her love of the ocean and her desire to
work with her hands. After five years at The Apprenticeshop, she still
hasn’t left.
LIZ SULLIVAN
Administrative Associate
Liz grew up in Connecticut and moved to New York City after studying
art history in college. While in New York, she worked for Sotheby’s
Auction House until she started to tire of the bustle of the city. Having
spent vacation time in the summers on Lake St. George, Maine seemed to
be calling her. First landing in Portland, Liz worked in retail and fell in
love with the quality of life Maine had to offer. After meeting her husband
Brian, they decided to move to the Midcoast area. Having lived and
worked in this area for many years, Liz is excited to be a part of The
Apprenticeshop, where she gets to participate in a close-knit community
and continue learning. She is in her “happy place.”
KEVIN CARNEY
Shop Director
Kevin first discovered boats during college by spending summer
weekends racing log canoes on the Chesapeake Bay. After graduating
from Virginia Tech with a degree in design, he decided to do an internship
at the Shop in Bath. Taken by the experiential teaching style, the
craftsmanship, and the sense of community at the Shop, Kevin remained
there for the next year and a half as an apprentice. In between his
apprenticeship and his return to the shop in 1989 as an instructor, Kevin
spent time oystering on Skipjacks in the Chesapeake and working as a
professional boatbuilder in Boothbay. Over the last 30 years, he has seen
more than 200 boats launched and has shepherded countless apprentices,
intensive students, and volunteers through the process of building a boat.
7 CATALOG 2021
DANIEL CREISHER
Boatbuilding Instructor
Daniel Creisher was born in southeastern Massachusetts but moved to
Maine in his teens. After high school, he started working for the
University of Maine teaching young people how to engage with the
outdoors, playing in the mountains, and working in construction to
support his teaching and skiing habits. After getting an Associates
Degree in architecture, he realized he wanted to learn how to build
boats. In 2012, he came to Rockland to join the Shop as an apprentice.
He then spent several years working in classic yacht restoration until his
recent return to the ‘Shop as an instructor.
NATE HATHAWAY
Sailing Director
Nate came to sailing after finishing college, when he worked as an
environmental educator onboard tall ships in the Chesapeake Bay in his
home state of Maryland. His passion for sailing and teaching opened up
opportunities to sail along both US coastlines, the Great Lakes, Canadian
Maritimes and the Caribbean. Nate’s passion is the maritime history of
Maine and the traditional sailing culture that still exists in Penobscot Bay.
If there is any breeze, you are likely to find him in a boat on weekends
and after work. If there’s no breeze, check the nearby fly-fishing streams.
8 CATALOG 2021
Facility The Apprenticeshop is located in the north end of Rockland, Maine, a city of just under 10,000 year-round residents that has a long, rich history of shipbuilding and commercial fishing. The Apprenticeshop campus consists of several buildings and onsite storage for lumber and boats, situated on over 2 ½ acres of waterfront property. The Shop building offers more than 11,000 square feet of boatbuilding space spread between three floors. Stationary and hand-held power tools are located on the middle and bottom floors of the ‘Shop with office, library, kitchen, and finishing space on the top floor. Boatbuilding projects are typically housed on the middle and bottom floors, which together can accommodate six to eight boats up to 28’ long. Each apprentice is assigned a workbench near the project they are working on. 9 CATALOG 2021
Middle floor stationary tool and supply areas Examples of project and bench space on the middle floor (left) and bottom floor (right) Milling area, paint area and indoor lumber storage on the bottom floor (left) and finishing space on the top floor (right) 10 CATALOG 2021
Apprenticeshop students and staff, as well as our local community, gain access to the waterfront via our 400-foot fixed pier and over 400 feet of seasonal floats. Our launch ramp gives The Apprenticeshop and the greater community the ability to haul and launch vessels up to 60-feet. Our float system allows easy and accessible vessel tie-up. The Apprenticeshop also owns and manages a number of moorings to accommodate larger vessels during the summer season. Our waterfront allows us to offer diverse boating experiences and promote and preserve the maritime traditions of Rockland and coastal Maine. 11 CATALOG 2021
Boatbuilding Programs
The Apprenticeshop offers several programs in traditional wooden boatbuilding, covering a range
of timeframes and skills. This allows our students to choose the program best suited to their
goals and interests.
Our programs include:
- 12-Week Traditional Boatbuilding Program
A shorter program designed to give participants a basic understanding of the skills
involved in traditional boatbuilding. This course is focused on the construction of an 11’
3” Susan skiff.
- 9-Month Apprenticeship Program
A full-time, nine-month long program in which participants work on two builds. They
start by learning the fundamentals through the construction of a Susan skiff, building on
those skills by working on a second, more complex project.
- 2-Year Apprenticeship Program
A full-time, two-year, comprehensive program in which participants gain in-depth
experience in wooden boat construction and fully immerse themselves in the community.
12-Week Traditional Boatbuilding
2021 Sessions
January 11th – April 2nd
March 29th – June 18th
July 12th – October 1st
September 27th – December 17th
Our 12-week traditional boatbuilding course introduces students to the fundamentals of
boatbuilding through the construction of a 11’ 3”, flat-bottomed lapstrake rowboat, the Susan
Skiff. The Susan Skiff provides an excellent platform for learning the skills needed to build
almost any wooden boat.
The 12 weeks spent on this boat are dedicated to the beginner’s learning process, with more
direct instruction and guidance to get new builders started and familiarize participants with the
tools of the trade. Instructors work alongside apprentices, answering questions, providing
feedback, assisting with problem solving, and demonstrating techniques as needed.
Each week, there are scheduled demonstrations, group discussions, optional extracurricular
opportunities, as well as an abundance of hands-on practice.
12 CATALOG 2021The 12-week program allows for the completion of the Susan skiff at a comfortable pace for
most students, regardless of prior experience. Participants may take the boat home upon
completion or donate it to the Apprenticeshop to be sold to benefit ‘Shop programs. All tools,
materials, and supplies are provided, though participants are encouraged to bring whatever tools
they may already have.
Program Outline
Week Content Demos Seamanship Assessment
Lessons Periods
1 Orientation, safety and
backbone construction The demos each Participating in
2 Backbone construction week will depend seamanship is
3 Lining off and planking on which 12- optional for 12-
4 Planking week session an week apprentices.
5 Planking apprentice They may choose
6 Planking attends. The to participate Individual
demos follow a depending on check ins
7 Bottom planking year-long arc, as interest and how
8 Longitudinal structure specified in the quickly they are
9 Interior 9-month and 2- proceeding
10 Interior year program through the
11 Prep and prime outlines building process.
12 Paint, oil, hardware, rub rails Exit
interviews;
completed
skiffs
Learning Outcomes
General Skills:
Safety
- Select and use the appropriate safety gear for a task
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of hand tools, such as a chisel, plane, saw, or hammer as
modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of handheld power tools, such as a circular saw, handheld
router, or electric hand plane as modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of stationary tools, such as the bandsaw, table saw, thickness
planer, jointer, or bench grinder as modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Locate first aid and eyewash stations throughout the ‘Shop
- Locate MSDS sheets within the ‘Shop and apply the information listed
- Locate fire suppressant devices on each floor of the ‘Shop and demonstrate how they are used
13 CATALOG 2021Selection and Use of Tools
- Select and use appropriate hand and/or power tool(s) to complete a task
- Sharpen and maintain personal and shared tools
Woods and Laminates
- Identify different kinds of wood used in traditional wooden boatbuilding, such as white oak, red
oak, cedar, pine, locust, and mahogany
- Select the appropriate type of wood to use for a specific component of a boat based on its
properties (rot resistance, strength to weight ratio, grain structure, aesthetic traits, etc.)
Metals, Fasteners, Adhesives, Polysulfides, and Bedding Compounds
- Select the appropriate glue for a task (lamination, plugging, fairing, sealing) and demonstrate
proper application technique using clamps, jigs, etc.
- Select the appropriate type and size fastener to join two components
Joints and Assembly
- After roughing out joint components, fit the mating surfaces to create a tight joint
- Prepare and fasten joints using the correct sealing and/or bedding compound, the appropriate
type and size of fastener, drill bit, and countersink
Boatbuilding Process:
Backbone – 90 hours
- Identify the various components of the backbone, including the stem, keel, keelson, transom,
stern post, dead wood, floor timbers, horn timber, shaft log, and knees, and explain how the
pieces fit together
- Accurately transfer lines from patterns to stock
- Shape and fit backbone pieces to create tight seams when assembled
- Drill, bed, and assemble components, using appropriate fasteners to ensure a tight fit
- Cut the rabbet to receive planking
Setup and Lining Off – 5 hours
- Use battens to check plank dimensions and fair plank lines
Framing – 20 hours
- Explain the differences in process for framing a lapstrake vs. carvel planked boat
- Select appropriate stock for framing and prepare framing stock
- Install frames
Planking – 150 hours
- Compare lapstrake and carvel planking in terms of process and properties (strength, weight,
durability, repair, plank thickness, maintenance, etc.)
14 CATALOG 2021- Evaluate the quality of planking stock to determine whether knots, rot, sap wood, worm holes
or other blemishes need to be bunged, repaired or filled for use.
- Accurately spile planks and transfer marks from spiling onto planking stock
- Cut, fit, and bevel planks, adding in caulking bevels and gains where needed
- Caulk seams
- Determine and mark the waterline of a boat
Interior Joinery – 70 hours
- Identify various components of the interior, including the breasthook, quarter knees, thwarts,
inwales, thwart risers, thwarts, bilge stringers, sole, etc. and explain how the pieces fit together
- Create patterns for interior components and accurately transfer them onto milled stock
- Fit components so the resulting joints are tight and aesthetically pleasing
Surface Preparation – 40 hours
- Explain how surface preparation varies depending on the type of finish that will be used
- Use appropriate surface preparation techniques, including planing, sanding, sealing, puttying,
filling, etc. to prepare different components of the boat for finishes such as paint, varnish, and
oil
- Apply the appropriate type of base coat to the hull and/or interior depending on the type of
finish the boat will receive
Finishing – 40 hours
- Select a brush appropriate to the type of finish and task at hand
- Clean and care for brushes
- Apply various types of finish - topside paint, bottom paint, varnish, oil - using proper technique
so that the finish is high quality (without runs, sags, holidays, etc.)
Hardware Application – 5 hours
- Bed and fasten hardware on the deck, interior, topsides, and below the waterline to maintain
water tightness and rot resistance
- Lay out and fasten in appropriate blocking to provide structural support for hardware
Community:
Participating in the Larger Community – 60 hours
Living in a community entails learning how to share responsibility. Apprentices are asked to take
part in the discussion of community issues, provide feedback, and contribute to decision-making.
Because our community is small and the relationships are personal, this feedback can be
discussed and sometimes quickly incorporated into the program, empowering apprentices to
improve the group experience.
Apprentices are also asked to participate in cleaning and maintaining the spaces we work in.
Once a week, apprentices and staff take time to clean the yard and facility. Sometimes,
15 CATALOG 2021apprentices may be asked to help with moving lumber, launching a boat, changing a vise, manning a show booth, or setting up for an event. While being respectful of each other’s commitments and time, we aim want to encourage a culture of asking for and receiving help when it is needed, especially when it goes toward making the organization better as a whole. We want to encourage an environment in which all apprentices contribute to the learning and positive engagement of the group as a whole. During Friday Walk Around, each boat crew shares what they have worked on over the course of the week, describing both their challenges and successes. It can be a fruitful time to ask questions of each other and provide feedback. Through Walk Around, everyone has a chance to teach something they have learned through their own experience. Admission Requirements Apprentices come to us from all walks of life and from all over the world. The most important qualities we look for in our students are a willingness to learn, an ability to work hard, the desire to be part of a community, and an enthusiasm for boats and the sea. Since our programs are small, there is a lot of opportunity for one-on-one teaching, allowing participants with a wide range of experiences to enjoy and benefit from the same program. Previous experience in woodworking or boating is not required, however we do review any relevant experience listed in the application and award credit as possible. Participants must be 18 years or older. We accept applications on a rolling basis. However, we ask applicants to submit their application at least 60 days in advance of their desired program start. They can fill out an application on our website at https://www.apprenticeshop.org/boatbuildingapplication (the application is shown in Addendum A). Once they submit an application, we get in touch to discuss enrollment. A $500 deposit is required to hold their spot in the program. Maximum enrollment per session: 2 participants Total clock hours: 480 Tuition*: $4,500 + $500 deposit Skiff Materials: $1,000 Graduates receive a certificate of completion upon finishing the program. *Tuition includes instruction, reference materials, tools, consumable supplies, and student activities. It does not include room and board, personal tools, or transportation. 16 CATALOG 2021
9-Month Apprenticeship Program
Upcoming Session
September 1st – June 24th, 2021
Our 9-month apprenticeship program offers the chance to learn traditional wooden boatbuilding
and seamanship in a hands-on, community-minded environment. As with the 12-week program,
9-month apprentices start off by building an 11’ 3” Susan skiff. These flat-bottomed skiffs
provide an excellent platform for learning the basics of boatbuilding and tool use, teaching the
foundational skills apprentices will need throughout the rest of their apprenticeship. However,
unlike the 12-week program, in which apprentices begin the construction process with the
backbone, 9-month apprentices start with lofting out their Susan skiffs, creating molds, making
patterns, and constructing the jig they will use to build their boat. They also construct their skiff
with a partner rather than on their own.
The weeks spent on the Susan skiff are dedicated to the beginner’s learning process, with more
direct instruction and guidance to get new builders started and help familiarize new apprentices
with the workspace, tools, safety guidelines, and operating systems specific to the
Apprenticeshop. Instructors work alongside apprentices, answering questions, providing
feedback, assisting with problem solving, and demonstrating techniques as needed. Each week,
there are scheduled demonstrations, group discussions, classes in seamanship to complement
work on the shop floor, optional extracurricular opportunities, as well as an abundance of hands-
on practice.
After completing the Susan skiff, 9-month apprentices work on a more complex project
commissioned by an actual client as part of a small crew. During this second project, they have a
chance to build on the basic skills they learned in their first three months, developing a deeper
understanding of the techniques while also learning new skills. We endeavor to have apprentices
begin a project as a crew and finish together as a crew. However, there may be times when
apprentices will join a crew in the middle of a project or rotate off a crew before completion as
commissions necessitate.
Commissions are chosen on the basis of their educational benefit. Projects range from 8-foot
tenders and 24-foot lobster boats to 30-foot class boats. Most projects are new builds, but
sometimes we will take on a major restoration. The boats we build are typically traditional plank-
on-frame or clinker designs. Since we rely on customers to commission boats, at any given time,
there are a variety of projects being constructed side-by-side in the shop. This exposes
apprentices to many different techniques and building traditions, and provides opportunities for
apprentice crews to learn a great deal from each other.
Program Outline
Week Content Demo Seamanship Lesson Assessment
periods
1 Orientation Safety walk On the water safety and
capsize recovery
17 CATALOG 20212 Susan skiff build: Lofting basics Expedition prep
lofting
3 Expedition - -
4 Susan skiff build: Expedition POB pickup and
backbone construction debrief anchoring
5 Susan skiff build: Sharpening single Powerboat basics
backbone construction bevel tools
6 Susan skiff build: Fasteners Towing and radio
lining off and planking etiquette
7 Susan skiff build: Spiling Last sail/down rigging
planking
8 Fleet maintenance Covering, repair Floats out Individual
week techniques, check ins
blocking
9 Susan skiff build: Riveting Marlinespike seamanship
planking
10 Susan skiff build: Epoxy basics Marlinespike seamanship
bottom planking
11 Susan skiff build: keel, Caulking Marlinespike seamanship
skeg, rub strips
12 Susan skiff build: Making patterns Marlinespike seamanship
interior
13 Susan skiff build: Wood selection Intro to weather and
interior and use weather observations
14 Susan skiff build: prep Sanding and -
and prime finishing
15 Susan skiff build: Splicing -
paint, oil, hardware,
rub rails
16 Susan skiff build: - - Progress
Finish and launching evaluations;
completed
skiffs
Winter Break
17 Project #2 - Field trip 1
18 Project #2 Sharpening 2.0 Field trip 2
19 Project #2 Hand planes Filed trip 3
20 Project #2 Chisels Field trip 4
21 Project #2 Hand saws Field trip 5
22 Project #2 Drilling and drill Field trip 6
bits
23 Project #2 Sharpening drill Field trip 7
bits
24 Project #2 Clamping Field trip 8
25 Project #2 Routers Weather observation Individual
wrap up check ins
18 CATALOG 202126 Project #2 Boat design basics Knots 2.0
27 Project #2 Rigs Floats In, round 1
28 Project #2 Synthetic goo Outboard
troubleshooting
29 Project #2 Natural goo Navigation
30 Project #2 Bunging Navigation
31 Project #2 Varnish Navigation
32 Project #2 Brush care Navigation
33 Project #2 Paint additives Navigation
34 Fleet maintenance Finish work Floats in, round 2 Progress
week evaluations
35 Project #2 Requested topic Rigging
36 Project #2 Requested topic Mechanical advantage
37 Project #2 Requested topic Expedition prep
38 Expedition - -
39 Project #2 Expedition Last sail Exit
debrief interviews
40 Finish, launching, - -
graduation
Learning Outcomes
By the end of their course, 9-month apprentices are expected to have developed basic competence in
the skills outlined below. The order in which skills are learned and the exact number of clock hours
spent on each subject is somewhat dependent on the type of projects each individual apprentice works
on and their work pace. Some apprentices may be exposed to additional skills as projects demand.
General Skills:
Safety
- Select and use the appropriate safety gear for a task
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of hand tools, such as a chisel, plane, saw, or hammer as
modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of handheld power tools, such as a circular saw, handheld
router, or electric hand plane as modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of stationary tools, such as the bandsaw, table saw, thickness
planer, jointer, or bench grinder as modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Locate first aid and eyewash stations throughout the ‘Shop
- Locate MSDS sheets within the ‘Shop and apply the information listed
- Locate fire suppressant devices on each floor of the ‘Shop and demonstrate how they are used
Selection and Use of Tools
- Select and use appropriate hand and/or power tool(s) to complete a task
19 CATALOG 2021- Sharpen and maintain personal and shared tools
- Make, adapt or modify existing tools to perform a new or altered function
Woods and Laminates
- Identify different kinds of wood used in traditional wooden boatbuilding, such as white oak, red
oak, cedar, pine, locust, and mahogany
- Select the appropriate type of wood to use for a specific component of a boat based on its
properties (rot resistance, strength to weight ratio, grain structure, aesthetic traits, etc.)
- Incorporate lamination and steam bending techniques when appropriate to create specific
components of a boat (frames, knees, etc.)
Metals, Fasteners, Adhesives, Polysulfides, and Bedding Compounds
- Describe the properties and bonding characteristics of different kinds of adhesives used in
traditional wooden boatbuilding (including wood glue, two-part epoxy, and polysulfide
compounds)
- Select the appropriate glue for a task (lamination, plugging, fairing, sealing) and demonstrate
proper application technique using clamps, jigs, etc.
- Describe the properties and characteristics of different metals used in traditional boatbuilding
and evaluate which material would be most appropriate to use in a given situation
- Select the appropriate type and size fastener to join two components
- Cut, bend, and thread metal rod to create custom bolts
- Identify when to use polysulfide and natural bedding compounds
Joints and Assembly
- After roughing out joint components, fit the mating surfaces to create a tight joint
- Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different types of joints
- Use the appropriate joint, including a scarf joint, step scarf, spline, or mortise and tenon to join
two pieces of wood together
- Prepare and fasten joints using the correct sealing and/or bedding compound, the appropriate
type and size of fastener, drill bit, and countersink
Boatbuilding Process:
Design and Lofting
- Explain the purpose of lofting
- Identify and locate the information given in a set of plans
- Accurately transfer measurements given by a plan onto the lofting surface, making necessary
adjustments for design changes or fairing purposes
- Draw out construction details, such as the transom, knees, rabbet, floor timbers, etc.
- Develop patterns and molds from the lofting
20 CATALOG 2021Backbone
- Identify the various components of the backbone, including the stem, keel, keelson, transom,
stern post, dead wood, floor timbers, horn timber, shaft log, and knees, and explain how the
pieces fit together
- Select material appropriate for each backbone component using lofting, patterns, and available
stock to guide decision-making
- Accurately transfer lines from patterns to stock
- Shape and fit backbone pieces to create tight seams when assembled
- Drill, bed, and assemble components, using appropriate fasteners to ensure a tight fit and
installing stopwaters at crucial junctions
- Cut the rabbet to receive planking
Setup and Lining Off
- Set molds up on the strongback or backbone structure at appropriate station positions so that
the setup is level and well-braced
- Establish an accurate centerline
- Fair molds so they create a fair hull shape
- Determine the number of planks per side by evaluating the shape of the hull and areas of
curvature; use this to lay out plank widths at each station
- Use battens to check plank dimensions and fair plank lines
Framing
- Compare the advantages and disadvantages of using laminated, steamed, or sawn frames to
construct a boat
- Explain the differences in process for framing a lapstrake vs. carvel planked boat
- Select appropriate stock for framing and prepare framing stock according to whether frames
will be steamed/boiled or laminated
- Install frames
Planking
- Compare lapstrake and carvel planking in terms of process and properties (strength, weight,
durability, repair, plank thickness, maintenance, etc.)
- Select the appropriate material for planks considering things like thickness, grain and sweep
- Evaluate the quality of the stock to determine whether knots, rot, sap wood, worm holes or
other blemishes need to be bunged, repaired or filled for use.
- Scarf stock to create longer planks
- Accurately spile planks and transfer marks from spiling onto planking stock
- Cut, fit, and bevel planks, adding in caulking bevels and gains where needed
- Caulk seams
- Determine and mark the waterline of a boat
Interior Joinery
- Identify various components of the interior, including the breasthook, quarter knees, thwarts,
inwales, thwart risers, thwarts, bilge stringers, sole, etc. and explain how the pieces fit together
- Select the appropriate material for the interior components based on grain, scantlings, structural
21 CATALOG 2021and aesthetic characteristics of the wood
- Create patterns for interior components and accurately transfer them onto milled stock
- Fit components so the resulting joints are tight and aesthetically pleasing
Surface Preparation
- Explain how surface preparation varies depending on the type of finish that will be used
- Use appropriate surface preparation techniques, including planing, sanding, sealing, puttying,
filling, etc. to prepare different components of the boat for finishes such as paint, varnish, and
oil
- Apply the appropriate type of base coat to the hull and/or interior depending on the type of
finish the boat will receive
Finishing
- Select a brush appropriate to the type of finish and task at hand
- Clean and care for brushes
- Compare and contrast different kinds of finishes in terms of application, aesthetic value,
protective qualities, durability, maintenance, etc.
- Describe the characteristics of common additives/thinners and when to use each
- Apply various types of finish - topside paint, bottom paint, varnish, oil - using proper technique
so that the finish is high quality (without runs, sags, holidays, etc.)
Hardware Application
- Bed and fasten hardware on the deck, interior, topsides, and below the waterline to maintain
water tightness and rot resistance
- Lay out and fasten in appropriate blocking to provide structural support for hardware
Specialized Skills (project-dependent):
Research and Documentation
- Take lines off of an existing boat and produce a table of offsets
- Take offsets and create a set of lines and plans
- Use research on a design or construction technique to inform the building process
Spars and Rigging
- Compare and contrast different spar construction techniques
- Select and mill material for spars
- Lay out spar dimensions
- Design and/or install standing and running rigging
- Construct and install centerboard, daggerboard, or leeboards
- Make patterns for hardware as needed
- Cast or machine bronze hardware
22 CATALOG 2021Large Boat Joinery
- Read and interpret plans to determine interior components and dimensions
- Compare and contrast different deck construction techniques
- Fit and install deck, house, and interior elements such as the sheer clamp, bilge stringers, ceiling,
bulkheads, sole, carlines, deck beams, decking, coamings, cockpit, hatches, lights, cabin sides,
and house top
- Install blocking for and apply interior fixtures as necessary, creating structure for rigging, wiring,
plumbing, etc.
Seamanship:
Safety
- Identify standard safety equipment that should be aboard before getting under way
- Identify standard radio channels and communicate over a vhf
- Successfully complete a POB drill
- Recover from a capsize
Navigation
- Identify various characteristics of a nautical chart, such as soundings, contour lines, compass
roses, aids to navigation, and shoreline characteristics
- Identify upcoming marks from a known position
- Take and plot a bearing
- Keep a dead reckoning plot
- Plot a three LOP fix
- Determine boat speed
- Plot latitude and longitude/determine the latitude and longitude of a position on the chart
- Explain the impact of tides and currents on a plotted course
- Describe the rule of twelfths
- Explain how ranges work
- Describe rules of the road and use them to navigate and avoid collision
- Use observations of cloud cover, wind conditions, pressure, temperature, and precipitation to
make short term predictions about changes in weather and judge how they may affect safety
underway
Marlinespike
- Tie the following 8 basic knots: clove hitch, figure eight, square/reef, bowline, round turn and
two half hitches, rolling hitch, overhand, sheet bend
- Cleat a line properly
23 CATALOG 2021- Coil and gasket a line
- Make a ditty bag using basic sail repair and sewing techniques
- Work an eye splice and short splice
- Whip a line
- Seize a line
- Lash two objects together
- Demonstrate how to use mechanical advantage to lift heavy objects
Boat Handling
- Identify the parts of a boat; differentiate between port and starboard
- Properly secure a boat to the dock
- Safely depart from and return to the dock under power or sail
- Identify different types of anchors and when they are used
- Identify a safe anchorage based on wind direction and sea conditions
- Take a depth sounding with a lead line
- Securely anchor a boat
- Identify points of sail
- Identify different types of sailing rigs
- Identify different lines on a boat such as halyards, downhauls, sheets, outhauls, etc.
- Set, strike, and furl sails
- Trim sails properly for each point of sail
- Execute a tack
- Execute a jibe
- Steer an accurate course, adjusting for sea conditions and wind
- Demonstrate how to scandalize and tuck/shake out a reef; identify when each is appropriate
- Demonstrate how to heave to
- Use basic rowing commands and techniques to maneuver underway, dock, and undock a boat
under oar
- Start an outboard and troubleshoot basic engine issues
Boat Maintenance
- Identify rot or damage and come up with a plan for repairing it
- Properly prepare a boat to be stored (clean, cover, block and support, etc.)
- Maintain the finish of a boat by prepping and reapplying paint, varnish, and/or oil
- Rig and derig a sailboat
24 CATALOG 2021Community: Working as a Team Apprentices are arranged into crews for each project. Crew sizes range from two on small boats to four or five on larger projects. Crews must learn how to work together and rely on each other to be able to build each component of the boat and complete their project for launch. For some apprentices, learning how to work with others in this kind of intimate context can be challenging. Through working as a crew, apprentices are asked to think not only about their individual needs, but about how they contribute to the larger group, through their work on a project and their behavior and attitude. It can take time for crew members to figure out how to communicate with each other; when they are frustrated, when they need help, when they don’t understand something, when they want a chance to try a particular technique, when they make a mistake, or when aspects of their personal life may be interfering with their ability to concentrate. Working together can be motivating and it can also create friction if crew members don’t all share the same standards or have the same level of skill. All of these interpersonal dynamics play out in the building process. Apprentices learn how to navigate these complex dynamics with staff support and by sticking with and developing relationships with their crewmates over time. Participating in the Larger Community Living in a community entails learning how to share responsibility. Apprentices are asked to take part in the discussion of community issues, provide feedback, and contribute to decision-making. Because our community is small and the relationships are personal, this feedback can be discussed and sometimes quickly incorporated into the program, empowering apprentices to improve the group experience. Apprentices are also asked to participate in cleaning and maintaining the spaces we work in. Once a week, apprentices and staff take time to clean the yard and facility. In the fall and spring, we spend time as a community working on our fleet and our floats. Sometimes, apprentices may be asked to step away from their own projects to help a launching crew meet their deadline. Other times, apprentices may be asked to help with moving lumber, launching a boat, changing a vise, manning a show booth, or setting up for an event. While being respectful of each other’s commitments and time, we aim want to encourage a culture of asking for and receiving help when it is needed, especially when it goes toward making the organization better as a whole. We want to encourage an environment in which all apprentices contribute to the learning and positive engagement of the group as a whole. During Friday Walk Around, each boat crew shares what they have worked on over the course of the week, describing both their challenges and successes. It can be a fruitful time to ask questions of each other and provide feedback. Through Walk Around, everyone has a chance to teach something they have learned through their own experience. 25 CATALOG 2021
Sample Apprentice Experiences
Apprentice 1
Project 1: 11’ 3” Susan Skiff (with a partner)
Project Duration: 16 weeks
Project Description: flat-bottom open rowboat, lapstrake planked, with no power or sailing rig
Project 2 - 16' Whitehall Pulling Boat (with a partner)
Project Duration: 23 weeks
Project Description: round-bottom open rowboat, carvel planked, with no power or sailing rig
BOATBUILDING HOURS
Lofting 120
Backbone 140
Setup and Lining Off 50
Framing 60
Planking 350
Interior 160
Assembly 40
Surface Preparation 80
Finishing 80
Hardware Application 20
Total Boatbuilding Hours 1100
SEAMANSHIP
Navigation 50
Marlinespike 50
Boat Handling 100
Maintenance 80
Total Seamanship Hours 280
COMMUNITY
Morning Meeting 35
Walk Around 35
All Hands 80
Field Trips 30
Total Community Hours 180
TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS 1560
Apprentice 2
Project 1: 11’ 3” Susan Skiff (with a partner)
Project Duration: 16 weeks
Project Description: flat-bottom open rowboat, lapstrake planked, with no power or sailing rig
26 CATALOG 2021Project 2 – 13’ 6” Melonseed Skiff (with a partner)
Project Duration: 23 weeks
Project Description: small, round-bottom daysailer, lapstrake planked, with a full sailing rig
BOATBUILDING HOURS
Lofting 110
Backbone 140
Setup and Lining Off 50
Framing 60
Planking 320
Interior 130
Assembly 40
Surface Preparation 70
Finishing 80
Hardware Application 20
Sailing Rig 80
Total Boatbuilding Hours 1100
SEAMANSHIP
Navigation 50
Marlinespike 50
Boat Handling 100
Maintenance 80
Total Seamanship Hours 280
COMMUNITY
Morning Meeting 35
Walk Around 35
All Hands 80
Field Trips 30
Total Community Hours 180
TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS 1560
Admission Requirements
Apprentices come to us from all walks of life and from all over the world. The most important
qualities we look for in our students are a willingness to learn, an ability to work hard, the desire
to be part of a community, and an enthusiasm for boats and the sea. Since our programs are
small, there is a lot of opportunity for one-on-one teaching, allowing participants with a wide
range of experiences to enjoy and benefit from the same program. Previous experience in
woodworking or boating is not required, however we do review any relevant experience listed in
the application and award credit as possible. Participants must be 18 years or older.
We accept applications on a rolling basis. However, students must submit their application by
June 30th to be considered for enrollment in September of the same year. They can fill out an
application on our website at https://www.apprenticeshop.org/boatbuildingapplication (the
application is shown in Addendum A). In addition to the application, applicants must submit two
27 CATALOG 2021letters of recommendation from employers, teachers, mentors, professional contacts, or other non-relatives who can speak to their character and work ethic. Once they submit an application and recommendations, we work with them to schedule a volunteer week. They must come and spend a week working at the ‘Shop to be considered eligible for entrance. The volunteer week is a chance for everyone to meet the applicant and get to know them better before deciding whether to admit them to the program. It is also an opportunity for the applicant to assess whether The Apprenticeshop is a good fit and whether they are truly interested in and committed to the program. After the volunteer week is over, we discuss their candidacy as a shop community and decide whether to admit them to the program. A $500 deposit is required to hold their spot in the program. Maximum enrollment per session: 6 participants Total clock hours: 1560 Tuition*: $8,500 + $500 deposit Graduates receive a certificate of completion upon finishing the program. *Tuition includes instruction, reference materials, tools, project materials, consumable supplies, and student activities. It does not include room and board, personal tools, or transportation. 28 CATALOG 2021
2-year Apprentice Program
Upcoming Session
September 1st 2021 – August 25th, 2023
The 2-year apprenticeship is similar to the 9-month program in content and character but
involves a longer time commitment and a deeper engagement with the crafts of boatbuilding and
sailing. The first year of the 2-year apprenticeship follows the same schedule and format as the 9-
month apprenticeship from September through the end of June. While 9-month apprentices
graduate at the end of June, 2-year apprentices have a three week break before returning to
continue their apprenticeships in mid-July. In the second year, apprentices continue working on
commissions, gaining more skill and experience with each new project.
As second year students, apprentices take on more responsibility within the ‘Shop community.
They play a vital role in mentoring new apprentices and modeling standards of craftsmanship,
work ethic, and participation in the community. They continue to take part in the fall and
summer expeditions, helping to prepare for the trips beforehand and, during Expedition,
teaching newer apprentices the seamanship skills they have already learned. While first years are
working on their Susan Skiffs, they offer support and guidance since they have already completed
and launched their own skiffs. In January, project crews may change so that first year apprentices
are teamed up with second years. Second year apprentices act as project leaders, helping to
establish a positive work environment, managing tasks to keep the crew on schedule, and offering
assistance or advice when needed. They also take on contributing to and leading some of the
demonstrations, testing their understanding of a topic as they learn to present material to others.
Graduates of the 2-year program can expect to have a solid working knowledge of wooden boat
construction, experience using a variety of hand and power tools, and seamanship skills that will
allow them to confidently walk aboard a boat and set sail. During the course of the 2-year
program apprentices work on anywhere from 2 to 4 boats depending on the size and scope of
each project.
Program Outline
Week Content Demo Seamanship Lesson Assessment
periods
Weeks 1-40 follow the same outline as weeks 1-40 of the 9-month program
Summer Break (3 wks)
41 Project #3 Turning basics Trailering basics
42 Project #3 Sharpening Capsize recovery practice
gouges
43 Project #3 Metal shop basics Reefing and scandalizing
practice
44 Project #3 Requested topic Taking a running fix
45 Project #3 Requested topic Docking and mooring
practice
29 CATALOG 202146 Project #3 Requested topic Anchoring, heaving to,
and POB pickup practice
47 Project #3 - Group sail to Monroe
Island
Year 2 Clean up and prep for - -
begins new apprentices
2 Assist new apprentice Lofting basics Expedition prep
groups with lofting
3 Expedition - -
4 Project #3 Expedition POB pickup and
debrief anchoring
5 Project #3 Sharpening single Powerboat basics
bevel tools
6 Project #3 Fasteners Towing and radio
etiquette
7 Project #3 Spiling Last sail/down rigging
8 Fleet maintenance Covering, repair Floats out Individual
week techniques, check ins
blocking
9 Project #3 Riveting Marlinespike seamanship
10 Project #3 Epoxy basics Marlinespike seamanship
11 Project #3 Caulking Marlinespike seamanship
12 Project #3 Making patterns Marlinespike seamanship
13 Project #3 Wood selection Intro to weather and
and use weather observations
14 Project #3 Sanding and -
finishing
15 Project #3 Splicing -
16 Project #3: Finish - - Progress
and launching evaluations;
completed
boats
Winter
Break
17 Project #4 - Field trip 1
18 Project #4 Sharpening 2.0 Field trip 2
19 Project #4 Hand planes Filed trip 3
20 Project #4 Chisels Field trip 4
21 Project #4 Hand saws Field trip 5
22 Project #4 Drilling and drill Field trip 6
bits
23 Project #4 Sharpening drill Field trip 7
bits
24 Project #4 Clamping Field trip 8
25 Project #4 Routers Weather observation Individual
wrap up check ins
30 CATALOG 202126 Project #4 Boat design Knots 2.0
basics
27 Project #4 Rigs Floats In, round 1
28 Project #4 Synthetic goo Outboard
troubleshooting
29 Project #4 Natural goo Navigation
30 Project #4 Bunging Navigation
31 Project #4 Varnish Navigation
32 Project #4 Brush care Navigation
33 Project #4 Paint additives Navigation
34 Fleet maintenance Finish work Floats in, round 2 Progress
week evaluations
35 Project #4 Requested topic Rigging
36 Project #4 Requested topic Mechanical advantage
37 Project #4 Requested topic Expedition prep
38 Expedition - -
39 Project #4 - Last sail before break
40 Project #4 - -
Summer Break (3 wks)
41 Project #4 Turning basics Trailering basics
42 Project #4 Sharpening Capsize recovery practice
gouges
43 Project #4 Metal shop basics Reefing and scandalizing
practice
44 Project #4 Requested topic Taking a running fix
45 Project #4 Requested topic Docking and mooring
practice
46 Project #4 Requested topic Anchoring, heaving to, Exit
and POB pickup practice Interviews
47 Project #4: Finish, - Group sail to Monroe
launching, graduation Island
Learning Outcomes
By the end of their course, 2-year apprentices are expected to have developed competence in the skills
outlined below. The order in which skills are learned and the exact number of clock hours spent on
each subject is somewhat dependent on the type of projects each individual apprentice works on and
their work pace. Some apprentices may be exposed to additional skills as projects demand.
General Skills:
Safety
- Select and use the appropriate safety gear for a task
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of hand tools, such as a chisel, plane, saw, or hammer as
31 CATALOG 2021modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of handheld power tools, such as a circular saw, handheld
router, or electric hand plane as modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of stationary tools, such as the bandsaw, table saw, thickness
planer, jointer, or bench grinder as modeled by instructional staff or 2nd-year apprentices
- Locate first aid and eyewash stations throughout the ‘Shop
- Locate MSDS sheets within the ‘Shop and apply the information listed
- Locate fire suppressant devices on each floor of the ‘Shop and demonstrate how they are used
Selection and Use of Tools
- Select and use appropriate hand and/or power tool(s) to complete a task
- Sharpen and maintain personal and shared tools
- Make, adapt or modify existing tools to perform a new or altered function
Woods and Laminates
- Identify different kinds of wood used in traditional wooden boatbuilding, such as white oak, red
oak, cedar, pine, locust, and mahogany
- Select the appropriate type of wood to use for a specific component of a boat based on its
properties (rot resistance, strength to weight ratio, grain structure, aesthetic traits, etc.)
- Incorporate lamination and steam bending techniques when appropriate to create specific
components of a boat (frames, knees, etc.)
Metals, Fasteners, Adhesives, Polysulfides, and Bedding Compounds
- Describe the properties and bonding characteristics of different kinds of adhesives used in
traditional wooden boatbuilding (including wood glue, two-part epoxy, and polysulfide
compounds)
- Select the appropriate glue for a task (lamination, plugging, fairing, sealing) and demonstrate
proper application technique using clamps, jigs, etc.
- Describe the properties and characteristics of different metals used in traditional boatbuilding
and evaluate which material would be most appropriate to use in a given situation
- Select the appropriate type and size fastener to join two components
- Cut, bend, and thread metal rod to create custom bolts
- Identify when to use polysulfide and natural bedding compounds
Joints and Assembly
- After roughing out joint components, fit the mating surfaces to create a tight joint
- Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different types of joints
- Use the appropriate joint, including a scarf joint, step scarf, spline, or mortise and tenon to join
two pieces of wood together
- Prepare and fasten joints using the correct sealing and/or bedding compound, the appropriate
type and size of fastener, drill bit, and countersink
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