Voices from the Boat Shop: Student Boat Builders Share Their Experience

By Krissy Navrat, Expeditionary Programs Manager

While things might seem to quiet down at the Museum in the winter months, the boat shop remains alive and busy! Each year, since 1999, we have hosted high school students from regional schools to participate in Champlain Longboats, our boat building and youth rowing program. While students row in the spring and fall, when winter rolls in and rowing takes a pause, a group of students joins us in the boat shop to build a new rowing gig to join our fleet, learn how to do maintenance on wooden boats, and work on restoration projects. We could not have built our Champlain Longboats fleet of 20-plus active boats without our boat building students and, in turn, our program provides them with a space to explore new skills, grow confidence, and work effectively as a team.

Since the start of fall, students from Middlebury Union High School (MUHS) and the Addison Consortium Program (ACP) have been coming to the boat shop here at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to work on this year’s boat: a 25’ rowing boat. What do the students think so far about their experience? We asked some of the MUHS students about their boat building journey so far and we’ve gathered up their thoughts up here.

Boat building at the museum is the ultimate group effort, emphasizing the need for collaboration and communication. When students come to the shop, they are given an opportunity to learn new hands-on skills as well as a chance to work within a community. Each day they are learning new techniques and often rely on each other, and program staff, for guidance. Whether it’s installing new planks or discovering the best approach to clench nailing, they work as a team to make the most of each project.

Even on the coldest of winter days, this group brings a positive, bustling energy to our boat shop. They’ve found ways to navigate unfavorable outcomes with humor and resilience, bringing a fresh perspective to the boat building process. When asked what they’re most looking forward to with this Champlain Longboats project, one MUHS student, Austin, jokingly replied, “I’m excited to see if the boat floats.” This light-hearted attitude serves as a powerful example of how even humor can motivate us to take on challenges.

Although we have our fair share of fun in the shop, safety is our number one priority. There’s always a variety of ongoing projects in the off season, and with the shop full of boats and large groups of people, it’s imperative that we learn to handle tools with care. Learning how to operate a bandsaw, jigsaw, or other power tool requires patience and attention to detail. The students learn to fully immerse themselves in boat building, which requires them to be present with each project every step of the way. Through time and practice, these students gain the experience needed to handle new tools with confidence.

The more time these students spend working in the boat shop, the more they begin to understand the feeling of accomplishment associated with larger community-based projects. When speaking with Dave Richardson, MUHS educator, he outlines how this collaborative learning environment allows students to overcome their fear of trying new things. Students arrive at a workplace setting that is dependent on them for success, and meeting the goal of constructing an entire rowing gig is no small task. This hands-on approach to education fosters a sense of responsibility and accountability, especially when the results have a direct impact on the community.

The Champlain Longboats program offers everyone teachable moments. Every winter since 1999, teachers and students have shown up to participate in the longstanding tradition of boat building in our region and at the Museum.

Students are always finding new ways to have fun with the work they create and express a genuine appreciation for their time spent in the shop. Their silliness, joy, and determination heighten the program, reminding us that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to education. As we continue to make progress on this year’s boat building project, we’re eager to show off the rewards of this process! Family members, teachers, staff, rowers, supporters, friends, and the public are invited to join us for the Boat Launch Day on May 23. Our boat building students will speak about their experience and then we will parade the new boat down to the water for its first launch.

Boat building is supported by a community of donors, educators, staff, and parents. If you would like to learn more about boat building at the Museum, contact Nick Patch, Director of Maritime Programs, at NickP@lcmm.org.