Traditional Boat Building

[john sefton]

It is not really surprising when you consider their Caribbean situation, that the art of boat building is one of the traditional skills extant in the British Virgin Islands. Many locally built boats range the waters, from rowing boats to seventy foot cargo boats.
Local methods of boat building has not changed for hundreds of years and records of locally built boats go back as far as 1855.
The traditional method is first to decide on keel length then erecting stem and stern posts, with the transome attached to the stern post and moulds on thirds of the keel.
Once the boat is framed, it is then planked in traditional fashion with garboard and sheer strakes first. The planks are planed to make them fit when bent round the frames. Each plank is tapered the whole length of its edge to provide room for caulking.
The keel is made from tropical hardwood and generally the frames are made from locally grown white Cedar, which is a very tough wood often grows forming bends
that can be used in the frame building. Pitch Pine, used for the planking is imported.
Nails, Oakum, Tar and paint are all obtained commercially from the U.S.A.
Boat launching day is an occasion (highly publicized) for great celebration with lots of food and drink. When the crowd arrives, the boat is let down on rollers on its side. A special prayer is then said before the actual launching begins. A bottle of Rum or Champagne is broken over the bow in the time honoured way.
'Pushing Down' is one of the major highlights: men with trousers rolled up go down into the water while others remain on dry land. The latters job is to provide muscle power to move the boats while those in the sea move rollers and help to keep it erect.
When at last the boat is in the water, there is great rejoicing, the major task is now done. Celebrations last for a whole day then the boat is rigged out.
This involves assembling the mast, bending of sails and hanging of the rudder. Next is a trial run, alongside an older vessel, to determine potential speed. After all these
preliminaries the boat is then ready for her maiden trip.
Log Book May 1990
British Virgin Islands SG508/511