There’s a lot more going on at a world famous academy than just boat building. Instructors like Mark Ripley are teaching students how to make unique furniture and hand-crafted items, as Lottie Welch reports.

Craftsman Mark Ripley is passing on his knowledge to teach students how to make beautiful items out of wood.

Mr Ripley, a renowned furniture maker, has become a permanent instructor at the Lyme Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis.

The academy, at Lyme Regis Marine Centre, offers woodworking courses alongside boat building. Although Mark has run courses before at the academy, the team are pleased to have his wealth of skill to offer their students. He will be teaching them how to make beautiful hand-crafted items, from tool boxes, drawers or jewellery boxes, to tables and chairs. Mr Ripley has been a full time self-employed maker for nearly 30 years and published his own book, Furniture Making Projects and Plans, in 2008.

Director Tim Gedge said: “Mark is quite well-known in the furniture making side of the business, he has run his own business and written books, so I am extremely pleased to have his as a new member of the team.

“He has run one woodworking course, which was extremely successful, and has been involved here in the past, but he will now be a permanent member of staff here. I am keen that we build up the woodworking side, as it sits nicely alongside the boat building school.”

Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy was founded in 1997 by Commander Tim Gedge and is an approved Royal Yachting Association training centre. It attracts students from different professions all over the world and has enrolled more than 500 students on its 40-week boat building course.

The course is for anyone wanting to work in the marine industry – or those who already do – learn a new practical skill or sharpen existing ones. It teaches students to build boats to professional, industry standard and gives practical teaching in traditional and modern wood construction, wooden boat restoration and oar making.

Students have the opportunity to work on a wide range of construction types and some have the chance to build a boat for themselves. The end of each course is celebrated with a boat launch in Lyme Regis Harbour, with graduates going on to work all over the world in all areas of industry. As well as basic woodworking courses, the school offers a 12-week intensive fine woodworking course. In addition to learning hand skills, students design and make a personal project piece under expert supervision.

Students can learn timber identification, tool selection and maintenance, joints, bending and laminating, adhesives, fixings, power tools, technical drawing, making doors and drawers and finishing, as well as an introduction to large woodwork machinery and design and making.

Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy also offers courses in marquetry, antique furniture restoration, rope work, repairs, restoration and renovation and finishing.

Mr Gedge added: “There is potentially a bright future for people in the marine industry, although it is a very broad industry.”