The Workshop


The Workshop is just that – it is a Working Area.

Therefore it is simply not safe to allow visitors to wander round unescorted.

But if you visit, our Volunteers are always on hand to provide a guided tour of what we are currently working on.  

And one of our best exhibits has to be seen in the workshop – it won’t fit anywhere else!

That is the tenth-scale model of HMS Venerable

It has been many years in the making, and is built largely from oak, as was the original. Some mahogany and other woods are also used.

The Workshop is currently home to:

A Naval Cutter – our next big restoration project.  Not much to see yet, but we plan to create safe access and egress and decking and bench seating so it can be used as a demonstration area for school visits and visitors. Volunteers will demonstrate seamanship and shipbuilding methods inside the cutter.

 
  FOY COBLE – Traditional boat which would have been used around the port of Sunderland as a pilot tender and working boat . This boat will never sail again but is used to demonstrate the traditional craft of the north east maritime trade. It is intended to have her mast and sails rigged and for her to be displayed as a prime example of her class and an inspiration to our boat building evening group who are building a similar size coble from scratch using traditional methods.
PARRAMATTA – a traditional sheltie boat which was refurbished for the owner. We are working with the family to take possession of the vessel as a donation. Once this is done we shall prepare the boat for both demonstration and seagoing activities.