Heritage Marine Foundation

20/11/2025

11/11/2025

Did you know that the average age of combined staff in Downs Road Boatyard is 27 years old and all the youngsters you see in this post are previous or current Heritage Marine Foundation apprentices 🧑🏼‍🔧
This little boatyard thrives from staff under the age of 30 who manage, operate, conserve and maintain the yard and the vessels in it.
So hats off to all of our Heritage Marine Apprentices keeping Downs Road Boatyard thriving

❤️

26/04/2025

Today was the official launch of the 52' steel yacht 'Laerling' the first large new build vessel in Maldon for 50 years. The sun shone and 'Laerling' gleamed in the sunshine, cheered by a crowd that had gathered on The Hythe at Maldon to celebrate the occasion.

Chris Torrance, her owner, and his friends and family, were joined by Paul Spooner, the designer, the apprentices from Heritage Marine Foundation who built her, Jim and Catherine Dines from Downs Road Boatyard where she was built, and many other friends and supporters including the Mayor.

Following the speeches 'Laerling' was open for viewing, and our sponsors, Maldon Oysters and The Queens Head provided refreshments. What a wonderful sunny celebration of such a successful project. Quite a party! 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🎉

10/04/2025

Here are the people who deserve the credit for Laerling's success in scooping the Classic Boat Spirit of Tradition Award 2025. Laerling is a 52'steel cruising yacht designed by Paul Spooner of Paul Spooner Design and Jim Dines of Downs Road Boatyard, and built by our two Heritage Marine Foundation apprentices Adam Payne and Kane Gooch with additional support from Jasmin Klimke from TS Rigging and Marine Services Ltd. None of this would have happened if the wonderful Chris Torrance hadn't put his faith in our charity, www.heritagemarinefoundation.org, to build him a very special yacht.
Thanks to Classic Boat and the Royal Thames Yacht Club for a wonderful evening last night, and also to all our friends and supporters who voted for Laerling.
We believe in young people - they are the future of the heritage industry. Heritage Marine Foundation is a charity that exists to ensure essential traditional maritime skills are passed on to young people. There is no better way to tell everyone what amazing training opportunities we provide for our apprentices than winning this award for Laerling. Well done Adam and Kane - we are so proud of what you have achieved 👏👏👏👏🏆🎉

09/04/2025

We are at the Classic Boat Awards in London and the winner of the Spirit of Tradition Award 2025 is .....'LAERLING'!🏆🎉👏
We are so proud of our win - and so delighted that the young apprentices who built this wonderful boat are here to celebrate tonight, along with Chris and Peta Torrance, Laerling's owners.
Huge thanks to everyone who voted for 'Laerling' (which means apprentice in Norwegian) - To win tonight means so much to all of us at Heritage Marine Foundation - thank you all! 😊😁🍾

08/03/2025

We are celebrating International Women's Day 2025 with our own inspiring story: Introducing Jasmin - or Jas to us!
Jas joined us as an apprentice ten years ago now and specialised in traditional rigging during her apprenticeship. Still based at Downs Road Boatyard in Maldon, these days Jas is a director of TS Rigging and Marine Services Ltd and she trains our Heritage Marine Foundation apprentices. She has worked on Cutty Sark and HMS Gannet as well as operational square rigged sailing ships, Thames Sailing Barges, Traditional Fishing Smacks, and both classic and modern yachts.
We hope Jasmin's story is an inspiration to other young women who are keen to make their way in the marine industry. Go for it!

08/03/2025

07/03/2025

We were delighted to be asked to speak to members and friends of Ipswich Maritime Trust this week on the recent restoration of the HMS Ganges mast at Shotley, and the work of Heritage Marine Foundation, training apprentices in maritime heritage skills. The audience will all be giving the mast a closer look next time they are in Shotley! There is much more to it than they would ever have known! 🤓

05/03/2025

It's National Careers Week 2025! We are celebrating careers in maritime heritage. Remember there are some more unusual careers out there - many that young people are rarely aware of.
Are you looking for something different 🧐? Good at practical things 🔧🔨? Enjoy boating ⛵️? The maritime heritage industry is short of skilled professionals.

At Heritage Marine Foundation we train apprentices in wooden and steel boatbuilding, spar-making, traditional rigging, and much more. Here are a few of the people who have chosen an apprenticeship with Heritage Marine Foundation, leading to a career conserving, maintaining and operating the nation's maritime heritage.👏

20/02/2025

Believe in young people! They are amazing! This beautiful steel yacht 'Laerling' was built, fitted out and rigged by our apprentices and what a fabulous job they did 👏👏👏👏!
We are delighted that she has been nominated in the Classic Boat 'Spirit of Tradition' Awards 2025 🏆.
There is still time to cast your vote https://awards.classicboat.co.uk/spirit-of-tradition/