The yard opened its gates to the public today to give an insight into what we as a project have been doing, and are preparing to do. We had a large number of stalls and activities for people of all ages to enjoy, and learn from.

Bob Stewart, a retired sailor of the merchant navy and now a valued volunteer at the Project, held a small display of knots and different rope types. This gave the majority of the public a chance to learn about the kind of rope tying and splicing that sailors worldwide have been using for hundreds of years, and some more knowledgeable seamen and women a chance to show they skills to their family and friends. Bob did a great job informing our visitors in a very enjoyable fashion.

Petra Potasse, our training manager at the Project, and also a shipwright herself, built and did a display on a caulking board. Caulking is the process of filling gaps between planks of a ship with caulking cotton or oaken of old, to create a water tight seam. It is an age old boatbuilding technique that is still used on traditionally build wooden vessels to this day. People of all ages had a go at caulking, including some budding young shipwrights-in-the-making.

Apprentices Jack Murray and Connor Boyle, who recently completed their level 2 City & Guilds in Boatbuilding, ran a stall demonstrating laminating in the form of tillers, and also informed our visitors on the benefits of apprenticeships, and how important they are to keeping skills such as boatbuilding alive. Apprenticeships have been used for hundreds of years in all vocational professions, not just boatbuilding, to pass on knowledge and experience from generation to generation. In 2011, only 68 Marine apprentices in England completed an apprenticeship last year; 12 of those completing under the Harwich Mayflower Project in conjunction with Propects College. Compared with the thousands of Construction, Hair & Beauty, Engineering, and Business apprentices that pass courses every year, that is a shocking number; even more so to the fact that we live on an island with a thriving Marine industry.

Simon Stegall, of Barkin’ Mad Woodturners came down and did a display of his works in the shed. These included bowls, pens, clocks, lampshades and the like. His work was very well received by the crowds, who enjoyed watching and learning about lathe work. He gave multiple demonstrations of roughing up, bowl gouging and finishing, which the crowds thoroughly enjoyed.

Jeff Webber, our Business Development Manager, set up a block and tackle exercise inside the railway shed itself. The basis of a block and tackle system for those who do not know, is to create mechanical advantage, therefore amplifying the force used on the rope. Meaning it makes it easier to lift. This was demonstrated by the lifting of water cannisters of equal weight being lifted using different configurations of block and tackle: a one to one, a two to one, three to one and a four to one. The four to one being the easiest to lift. This amazed many of our visitors, as it is something that unless you work with in the industry, you do not come across. Such systems have been used for hundreds of years, because they are so effective, and are often still used today.

Some of our volunteers took a walk down to the sea festival itself on the promenade, along with Project Chairman Tom Daly and Managing Director Andrew March. On display on the front was a artistic model of the Mayflower Vessel, along with information about the Project and a membership sign up stand.

Back at the Yard, Alan Williams performed the first cuts to some English Oak that will go on to be used as frames for the ship herself. He used an adze, an old fashioned cross between an axe and a pickaxe, used for cutting up green timber. These days, a chain saw is the better alternative, which Alan used to make the majority of the cuts to the timber. These frames have now been oiled and are in storage for till the build begins.

Once the crowds quietened down and the Sea Festival ended, friends and members of the Project got together in the yard for a small BBQ to relax and enjoy the lovely seaside weather. All in all, the day was a great success, and we hope the public enjoyed gaining an insight into what we are doing here at Harwich. Thank you to all the volunteers and members who came down and helped out with the setting up and running, and the public for popping down and having a look around.