Saturday (Small Boat) Classes

This is an ongoing class that teaches the fundamentals of proper handtool usage, traditional woodworking and wooden boatbuilding. THIS CLASS IS ALSO A PREREQUISITE FOR APPLICANTS TO THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, even if applicants have previous woodworking experience. Apprenticeship applicants with good woodworking experience qualify for the apprenticeship program by spending a couple of months in this class to assess their level of tool mastery and work habits. Students may join the class any time there is space.

The Saturday Class is currently building Loon, a 20ft lapstrake sailboat designed in the School's Tuesday Design Class.

The class focuses on the proper use of hand tools and bench exercises of joinery, at which point students are invited to participate in boatbuilding projects.

Level

This is a multi-level class for beginning and advanced students of woodworking, offering a proper understanding of hand-tool use, boat design, construction methods and applications.

Dates

This is an ongoing class with no particular starting date. We accept new students any time there are openings: The class takes place every saturday from 9am to 4pm.

Number of students

This class is limited to 14 students.

Tuition:

$550 (U.S.) per student for six months. One half to be paid when registering, with balance payable on the first day of class. bi-monthly payments can also be arranged. Students who wish to repeat the class may do so.

Tool needs

Students need basic hand tools such as planes, chisels, saws, hammer etc.

Instructor: Bob Darr

Darr is a boatbuilder, designer, and teacher with over twenty years experience. He has pioneered the use of native Californian woods in boatbuilding. He is assisted by graduate apprentices from the Arques School's apprenticeship program.

STUDENT ENDORSEMENTS

March 23, 2008----- About three years ago I became interested in wooden boatbuilding. Wanting a boat for fishing but having little money, I decided to build one myself. After picking up John Garnder’s Building Classic Small Craft, I set out to build a little plywood pram. Having almost no skills with hand tools outside of basic house carpentry it was many hours later that little pram was launched. From that time I have been hooked. Wooden boats seem to be all I can think about most of the time. I decided that building wooden boats would be a very enjoyable career and that being so I would need some formal education if at all possible. At the time I was living in North Carolina with no such education available but I held onto my dream. I continued to mess around with small craft building two other small boats of plywood and epoxy construction. Over two years after my interest was sparked and through several events landing my wife and I in Monterey California, I was introduced to Bob Darr of The Arques School. I became one of Bob’s Saturday students in July 2007. I had very little knowledge of traditional wooden boatbuilding but instantly loved everything about it. No epoxy and fiberglass tape? No spending all day with a respirator to avoid toxic dusts? Just wood and rivets? That is the way I want to build! The beginning is slow however. First you have to learn how to sharpen and use hand tools. Then how to cut basic joints. Soon though, your learning curve increases. Each new concept is easier to learn, each idea easier to visualize. After eight months as a Saturday student, I have lofted two traditional designs and am prepared to build my first traditional boat. Taking into account that I knew almost nothing of lofting and building eight months ago I attribute my development of skills to Bob Darr. Behind his modesty Bob would tell you that he was only ever an average student or builder, I disagree. Or perhaps he was only an average student or builder but Bob is a tremendous teacher. His patience and methods with his students are among the best I’ve ever seen. I personally can think of few other individuals who have influenced or taught me as much. Unfortunately I will no longer be able to attend The Arques School as we are moving back to the east coast. My dream of wooden boatbuilding is more refined and stronger now than ever. I feel more equipped to accomplish it now thanks to Bob Darr and The Arques School. In all honesty the only thing I wish I would have received at The Arques School was more time in it. Many Thanks! Richard Machina

March 25, 2008----- Dear Richard, It was a great pleasure to have you as a student at the Arques School. I am glad that you got so much out of the program. What each person finds in our program is proportionate to what that person brings to it: interest, attention, respect, and hard work. You brought all of those and so it is you who made the program worthwhile because of what you brought to it. As a teacher of traditional boatbuilding, I teach everyone who joins, but I cherish the time spent with those students who feel as passionate about traditional wooden boatbuilding as I do. I long for students who really care about what we're doing. It is students like you who make my work truly worthwhile. I will miss you in the class but I know that you will go far on your own from this point forward. I am always available for questions and conversation, so please feel free to contact me anytime. Best wishes, Bob