AK Ilen Workshops

The A K Ilen Company offer a series of workshops around the craft of wooden boatbuilding. These courses are delivered subject to demand and are an enjoyable and unique initiation into the wonderful craft of wooden boat building. Prior wood working experience is not required - workshops are open to everyone they are simply all about learning.

Take this opportunity to carry forward this mysterious and ancient craft.

Enquiries to - gary@ilen.ie or tel. 00353 86 2640479

Workshops for the General Public

REPLACING A CLINKER PLANK - 1 DAY

Remove existing plank, spile new plank (lift off plank shape), cut and fit new plank.

STEAM BENDING A REPLACEMENT TIMBER FRAME - 1 DAY

Replacing a broken timber frame in a 19¹ clinker boat, remove existing timber, steam oak frame, fix timber to hull with copper boat nails (roves).

MAKING A 6 FT SPOON OAR - 2 DAY

Using a template and spar gauge, shaping the spoon, shaping the spar (handle).

BOAT TECHNOLOGY (NOMENCLATURE) - 1 DAY

Introduction, what are the basic elements that make up a boat? What are the differences between clinker and carvel hull construction? What woods are used in boat building?

USE OF HAND TOOLS - 1 DAY

How to sharpen your tools using grinding wheel and oil stone, what is required for a basic woodworking tool kit?

PREPARATION OF TIMER - USING HAND TOOLS - 1 DAY

For a number of woodworking jobs we require the timber to be prepared for use in either joinery or boat building. How do we produce a satisfactory job if the timber is in its rough state or rough sawn? How do we remove 'twist', 'clipped', 'bent' and uneven thickness from a piece of timber? What is the 'face side', 'face edge', 'straight edge' or 'square'?

MORTICE AND TENONS - 1 DAY

How to produce mortise and tenon joints using hand tools, setting out a mortise, chopping out a mortise using a chisel, cutting a tenon using a hand saw.