How many folk can say they have built a boat – a real boat that sails the sea and stands the test of time? It’s a big project that takes courage to even begin, not to mention what it takes to see it through to the end.
But oh the pride and satisfaction of knowing you accomplished such a task and created something with your own hands – something that will live on for years to come. This is something you could never learn from a book, it takes hard work, patience and determination. The value of a project like building a boat is hard to put into words, but it is evident on the smiles of the seven young men that have dedicated many hours a week since January to cutting, sanding, joining, gluing and coaxing graceful lines from stubborn wood.
WEEKender visited their workshop in the Carpentry Department at Milton Peters College (MPC) this week and met with these ambitious and hardworking young men. The boatbuilding coursework has been a part of the curriculum of the school for the past four years. Boat projects have been assigned by teacher Jose Reyes, and supervisor Rens Heestermans; but up until this year, the teachers and students have tackled smaller boatbuilding projects. Two 15-foot skerry boats have been produced, as well as paddle boards. This latest effort is a huge step up. The completed boat will be 26 feet in length; it will sleep four and fly a mainsail and a jib off its mast.
For the last three years, the program has partnered with sailing instructor Garth Steyn of Aquamania to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in water-sports. It’s an avenue that could lead to a profession, but also perhaps a competitive sporting interest or just a hobby. Garth has been instrumental in guiding the Kidz at Sea program in the two directions: boatbuilding and sailing.
So now, they are tackling a 26-foot plywood trailer-sailer purchased as a kit from the Dudley Dix company. The design is known as a Didi 26. It has west system epoxy construction with a keel of purple heart wood. Awlgrip paint will protect the hull. The lead ballast was donated from the St. Maarten Yacht Club, repurposed from the old Lady C yacht. Other sponsors include St. Maarten Sails and FKG Rigging as well as the international brand Experio UV Sunglasses.
The short term goal of the project is to finish this boat and get it ready to sail in the next Heineken Regatta in March.
The boat should be ready to float within the next month, assured the two teachers. After that they hope to sell the boat to someone in the community and use the profits to purchase another Didi 26 kit from the Dudley Dix company.
The long term goal of the Kidz at Sea program is to develop a fleet of nearly identical boats that can be crewed by young sailors in regularly scheduled one-design races. “It’s actually a pretty fast boat,” said Michelle Korteweg, former director of St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. The ultimate dream for all those involved in the program is to see a restoration of many of the lost traditions of sailing and boatbuilding – thus adding to the culture of the island.
Rekwane Constance, 18, worked on flooring and bending the wood to create the curved hull. “I never imagined building a big boat like this. We’ve come a long way; I can’t wait to feel it sailing in the water!” Rekwane hopes to continue in marine carpentry, his uncle does carpentry, but he is the first in his family to build a boat.
Mike Edouard, 17, worked on the stitch & glue process to join wood and form the boat’s hull and roof. “At first, I didn’t know how to start; the blueprints were very confusing. We started by putting the ‘bones’ in place. Then I had to shape the wooden stringers perfectly; if it’s not right, I would have to go back and re-shape it.” Mike wants to be a designer or engineer and hopes to eventually apply what he’s learned this year to designing boats, bikes, cars or anything he can dream up.
Gershwin Busby, 17, worked on the box that will support the mast and in the construction of the cockpit. “It was a lot of work, I didn’t expect that. When you see boats, it looks easy; but doing it is not easy at all. We built all this from scratch, now I can read a blueprint and I know all the seams are strong.” Gershwin wants to study architecture and music. He plays the saxophone and the drums and says he can pick up any tune once he’s listened to it.
Jeantea Jeffrey, 15, worked with the fiberglass which he said can be very itchy if it gets on your skin. Despite that, he has become very good at using the glassing materials and at cutting the stringers and bending the wood. “When we first started, I thought it wasn’t possible. I wasn’t expecting it to be so big, but now I want to continue learning.” Jeantea’s goals include sailing classes and boats, but also playing baseball at a university or professional level.
Miguel Campusano, 16, worked on the housing box for the keel and the edging trim that will serve as protective bumpers; these are made from purple heart which is very dense and hard wood. “I took the rectangles of wood and jack planed them to give them a curved shape. Once the shape was right, I glued it into place. I did one side, and Rene did the other. This whole project has shown me to not be afraid to try new things; now I want to challenge myself more.” Miguel says he has a passion for science, and might go into forensics. He says sailing is better than power boating for him because it feels more like going back in time to another era.
Alexander Carty, 19, worked on the frame and the bending of the wood to make the curve of the hull. “At first, no one knew how to get the wood to bend, that was a lot of stress. We worked in two groups, experimenting until we figured out how to deal with it. Now I know I can do something really big. I have learned how to use the different tools safely, and just the knowledge of how to build a boat, but it’s been a long, long journey.” Alex has worked at Great Bay Watersports for three years renting jet skis and kayaks. He hopes to one day have his own Watersports business and get his Captain’s license.
Rene Mota, 17, and Tyrell York, 17 also worked on the construction of the boat but were not present for the interview.
The boat should launch in about one month and will enter the next Heineken Regatta with an all-student crew. To keep up with the program’s progress or for more information, visit www.kidzatsea.com or the facebook page of St. Maarten Sailing School.
Reporting by Lisa Davis-Burnett
