The Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum has announced the return of its popular Salt Marsh Dory building class following overwhelming interest in the program’s pilot last summer.
During the 10-day immersive course, students will learn the entire process of designing and building their own Salt Marsh Dory, a compact and lightweight style of boat ideal for single-handed rowing. Led by expert boatbuilder Jeff Lane, the class will teach woodworking fundamentals, modern materials, and essential construction techniques in the museum’s historic shipyard, where schooners, dories, and other boats have been meticulously handcrafted for more than 300 years.
“Not only do participants have the chance to build their own boat, but they also become part of a centuries-old tradition of artisanry that connects them to the heart of our community’s history,” says KD Montgomery, executive director of the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum. “There’s nothing quite like the moment when you launch a boat you’ve built with your own hands, knowing that you’ve carried forward a tradition that defines Essex.”
No experience is necessary and children are welcome to join in alongside their parents for a unique family educational experience. At the end, students will have their own boat to take home with them.
The class will run from October 21 to 25, and October 28 to November 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. Registration is per boat, and groups of up to four people can work on one boat, though the instructors find that two people works best.
The inaugural class sold out within two weeks last summer, so interested students should act quickly. For more information or to reserve your spot, visit essexshipbuilding.org/dory.