1st marine carpenters graduated by Albaola
The Albaola Association's marine carpentry school in Pasaia, Basque Country opened in September 2017. Three years later, the first graduating class finished its training. The first 3 marine carpenters in the history of the school graduated in September 2019. Coming from the Basque Country, Belgium and France, Javier Vizcaya, Manu Goethals and Rémi Fennebresque inaugurated the training course set up by the Spanish association dedicated to wooden boats and maritime heritage. The school currently has 18 students, with the class of 2020 welcoming 6 new apprentices.
A free school in search of sponsors
The founder of Albaola, Xabi Agote, who went through the Lance Lee International School of Marine Carpentry, wanted to reproduce the pedagogy in Europe. This institution, created in 1972, was a forerunner in the teaching of traditional shipbuilding in the United States, based on an experimental education system and a permanent practical application in shipbuilding. During their course, students work on the construction of different wooden boats, including the two emblematic projects of the Spanish shipyard, the reproduction of the whaler San Juan and the privateer Juanita Larando. To join the course, two conditions are sufficient: motivation and commitment. The school is free and opens the door to anyone who wants to learn," says Albaola. Although participation in the visits to the shipyard partly finances the costs, the association is still looking for sponsors to ensure the school's continuity.
