About the School


Not-for-Profit

The Silva Bay Shipyard School is a small not-for-profit post-secondary school that teaches courses of moderate length in the arts of traditional small wooden boat construction. The school is situated in a working shipyard in a rural BC harbour on a small (pop. 4500) Gulf Island. Class sizes are small; maximum is 16 students working under two full time instructors.

Three Full-time Courses

Each year the 6 month long Boatbuilding class builds 4 boats, usually of traditional design and using traditional methods. The 4 month long Ships Cabinetry course focuses on construction of boat interior joinery, the ongoing completion of our Vertue cruising yacht, and design and construction of individual tool chests. We also offer a month-long introductory course twice a year prior to either of our longer primary courses.

Craftsmanship and Appreciation

The Shipyard School does not intend that our graduates move immediately into positions of responsibility in commercial boatbuilding, though some of them do so eventually. Rather, we are a first step toward a new career. All of our students have the opportunity to develop a life-long appreciation for craftsmanship, tradition, and skill in the arts of woodworking and small boat building.