The grant awarded to Britannia Sailing Trust by The Radcliffe Trust was spent on putting together a traditional toolkit of hand tools necessary in the craft of wooden boatbuilding. This toolkit always stays with Britannia and is for the sole use of the volunteers, trainees and crew who do not have traditional tools of their own.
Over the last year The Britannia Sailing Trust have been supporting five young people who are learning traditional skills, how to look after tools, sharpen and keep them clean and in good order. As well as the young people, volunteers of all ages have benefitted from using the tools.
Hull planking and the deck have been caulked by volunteers using caulking mallets and sets of caulking irons, allowing several people to be doing the job at the same time, thus speeding up the task. This is just one example of a traditional skill that is being passed on to young and old alike, ensuring that the skills are not lost but preserved.
