While the idea of building your own boat and setting sail in it seems like a fantasy, it is entirely real at the New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM). “It’s true — you can build a high-quality boat and use it on the lake for many years,” said NHBM Executive Director Martha Cummings.
This opportunity is available in NHBM’s Boat Building classes, which are offered separately for youth and adults/families. In Youth Boat Building, August 1 – August 12, girls and boys (ages 12 and up) will be provided with — and taught how to safely use — hand tools and a limited number of power tools. In Adult & Family Boat Building, July 9 – July 17, adults can work by themselves or with younger family members.
Regarding style of boat, participants have choices, which range from a Bevin’s Skiff, Two-person canoe and One-person kayak to Opti sailboat and Paddleboard. According to Cummings, scholarships are still available for classes. “We are so fortunate to have some incredible sponsors who want to share their love of boating with others,” she said. “We don’t want people to not participate due to concerns about finances.”
Boating Building scholarships are made possible by New England Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society, Captain Raymond Thombs Memorial Fund, New England Lyman Group, Tom and Rose McNamara, Edmund and Sara Dinsmore, and Dr. Jim Forbes Scholarship Fund. Click here to register or apply for a scholarship.
About NHBM
Founded in 1992 by antique and classic boating enthusiasts, NHBM is committed to inspire people of all ages with an understanding of, and appreciation for, the boating heritage of New Hampshire’s fresh waterways. NHBM exhibits, events and programming covers everything from boat charters, boat trips and race boats to canoes, wooden boats, outboard motors, sculling, sailing sunfish, and Lyman and Johnson motors. Some of our hands-on programs take place on Lake Winnipesaukee. NHBM is sponsored in part by Goodhue Boat Company, Eastern Propane and Oil, Stark Creative, KW Lakes and Mountains, Meredith Village Savings Bank and FL Putnam.