Courses

15th – 19th June 2026:
Make wooden ships Capstans course

The Buckler’s Hard Shipyard Trust welcomes historic wood master craftsmen Henry and John Russell back to the village to run a 5 day ‘Make 2 shipyard Capstans and a Sheerlegs’ carpentry course. They are leading experts in historic timber structures, fellows of the Carpenters Fellowship and passionate to keep endangered craft skills alive.

Capstans and winches were vital maritime dockland machines before the age of steam, diesel and petrol. Prior to the widespread use of cast and wrought iron, they were predominantly made of wood. They were the way big heavy objects were lifted and moved. 

Crucially the natural ropes used in industry, construction, ports and on ships and boats was stronger if not kinked or knotted. Blocks and tackles work vertically but can perform badly with very heavy loads. They don’t work well when used horizontally. So capstans and winches allow great loads lifted or moved safely using friction and leverage. In addition, the addition of various types of ratchet mechanism reduces the danger of any catastrophic release and reversal of motion – another hazard when using blocks and tackles. 

It is certainly the case that these were used all over the Buckler’s Hard Shipyard and we have archaeological evidence to demonstrate this.

We will be making 2 Crab Capstans and plan to demonstrate their working by the end of the week.

Where:  Based at the beautiful Shipwrights Workshop at Buckler’s Hard, Hampshire SO42 7XB on the banks of the Beaulieu River.

Access: Free Parking and Camping is available in an adjacent area.

Course requirements

Skills – Suitable for men and women ( 18 years and older) Beginners welcome. Tools will be provided

Safety – you must have steel toed boots, suggested gloves and eye protection. Long trousers. Hat for sun, appropriate outside weather clothing.

Welfare – Hot and cold drinks/ snacks available all day and sandwich lunch provided for all. Toilet facilities nearby.

Course content

This a fun and engaging hands-on workshop on the banks of the beautiful Beaulieu River in the historic village. We will introduce you to traditional carpentry skills such as hewing and ‘pit sawing’ with local timber. We will learn historic scribe rule carpentry skills, the precise marking up of green oak and softwood timbers, the cutting of standard timber frame joints such as mortice, tenons and laps/housing and dovetails. We aim to turn some of the timbers on a large human powered lathe and introduce you to the wonders of wooden lifting technology. 

There will be opportunity to visit local historic timber buildings and enjoy an entertaining talk on historic wooden machines, see the museum at Buckler’s Hard.

Price

£400 for 5 day course including all tools provided, sandwich lunch and refreshments all week.

Deposit of £150 required to secure place and balance due on 8th June to Bucklers Hard Shipyard Trust.  

2 x Free bursary places available for low income/ students.  Please enquire for details.

Booking 

Please email info@bhshipyardtrust.org.uk for booking form.

Or call 07850 667238 for any additional details.