American student building on dreams

ONE of the American team members of the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building, Ginny Wilson, said being here to help build the boat for the Wooden Boat Festival is a dream come true.

Despite having to move the Haven 12 and a Half out of Franklin earlier than planned because of the fires, Ms Wilson was surprised at how well it came together.

“Everything seemed very seamless, but of course there was hard work and a lot of talented people around … and so it got done and we could spare those days we lost,” she said.

The team have unofficially named the boat Phoenix after the fires that now characterise the boat’s story.

“It’s sort of the phoenix rising out of the ashes,” she said.

Ms Wilson said the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building was a 12-month intensive course, but she knew she wanted to do it as soon as she saw the school.

With a varied array of adventures behind her, she said she now thinks building wooden boats is the craft she might stick with.

“My dream would be to find a really amazing boat builder to work with as an apprentice … to just keep learning, there’s so much to learn,” she said.

She has raced sailing boats, worked in commercial fishing in Alaska and has a degree in environmental outdoor education, not to mention rode her bike and hitchhiked from Launceston to Hobart via Maria Island.

Ms Wilson will be with the school in the American Precinct at the festival.