Boat Building Academy Opens Its Doors Free to the Public in April

The Boat Building Academy is throwing open its workshop doors on Saturday 25 April 2026, inviting anyone curious about traditional and modern boatbuilding to walk in free of charge between 11am and 4pm. The venue is Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3JN, sitting right alongside the town's historic cobb.

The centrepiece of the day is five boats currently under construction, all of them set to launch in June. The build list alone is worth the trip down to Dorset: a 16-foot Ebihen glued clinker cutter-rigged sailing boat, a 16-foot composite foam core and glued clinker dinghy, an 18-foot traditional clinker Grimsby workboat (a double-ender fitted with an inboard diesel), a 17-foot strip-planked Gartside #221 outboard runabout, and the renovated 18-foot 6-inch carvel cruising sloop Decibel. That range of construction methods alone, from glued clinker to strip-planking to carvel, makes the workshop floor a practical education in hull-building techniques. Previously built boats and gigs will also be on display alongside student-designed furniture produced through the Academy's furniture-making courses.

The BBA, which describes itself as the first port of call for trainee professional boatbuilders, furniture makers, and woodworking enthusiasts across the UK, offers courses ranging from two days to 40 weeks. The open day gives prospective students a direct line to tutors who will be on hand throughout the afternoon to discuss both boatbuilding and furniture-making programmes. A range of bursaries is available, and course and bursary information will be accessible throughout the day. A prize raffle will also run to raise funds for the Academy's student bursary programme.

Beyond the workshop floor, the Academy has put together a full afternoon: children's activities, food and drinks, and live music from the Lyme Bay Moonrakers. For anyone considering a longer commitment, the BBA's calendar shows a 40-week boatbuilding course launch day on 24 June 2026 at 14:00, and the Academy will also be exhibiting at the Thames Traditional Boat Show from 17 to 19 July.

Full details and contact information are available at boatbuildingacademy.com.