b'A traditional new build - Lady HelenA traditional wooden boat being built is a rare sight today;The Mahogany planking is hollowed and shaped to fit, oneFrom the first concept of a design, to finding the right timber, the elemental process of bending English Oak timbers withby one, starting from the keel and working towards the shear.to applying the last coat of paint and varnish and finally steam into a beautifully shaped launch hull is a process thatAs the planking progresses the ribbands are removed and thelaunching into the Thames demands a dedication from has not changed for centuries. The plank lines picked outplanks are copper-riveted to the Oak timbers. many people. As boatbuilders we are central to the process by the ribbands or battens as they bend around the mouldsAndrew has calculated exactly where the boat will float andbut around us is the electrician, the engineer, the signwriter, explain how the hull shape drawn by our naval architect,devised a hull form that will slip through the water withthe upholsterer, the cover maker, and most important of all, Andrew Wolstenholme, is translated into full sized woodenminimal drag so the power from the silent electric motor canthe client. A good part of the pleasure in building a boat structure. be utilised without waste.like Lady Helen is getting to know the people who have entrusted you with the project.28'