The boat building workshop in Majuro (Marshall Islands) started 3 weeks ago. In preparation, Waan Aelon in Majel (WAM, Canoes of the Marshall Islands, our partner and source of inspiration) got major facility upgrades such as a beautiful new workshop just on the edge of the lagoon funded by the project “Transitioning to Low Carbon Sea Transport”.
WAM took care over the procurement of all necessary materials for boat building and selected 10 Marshallese as trainees for the boat building workshop. Final goal of the entire project is to train future trainers in boat building and by that eventually replace engine powered boats by sailing vessels for transportation, fishing and travelling in the Marshall Islands.
The workshop is guided by Rob Denney (famous proa designer from Australia) and Henrik Richter-Alten (engineer and part of the Proasis team from Germany).
During the next 3 month they will build two different prototype designs and do a refit with their trainees: a traditional based catamaran, the Mini Cargo Proa and an old glass fiber catamaran (Ailuk lagoon bus).
Stay tuned, more details follow soon!