All Hands on Deck

As traditional shipbuilding craftmanship is gradually forgotten or being taken over by other materials and techniques, it also represents an opportunity to capitalize it into new employment opportunities and preserve the traditional cultural heritage of European marine areas. 

All Hands on Deck project aims to recover and connect traditional techniques and skills of the shipwright profession, one of the oldest occupations in Europe’s maritime areas. The project creates training tools for adult professionals and thus contributes to the conservation of immaterial cultural heritage in shipwright. 

The project documents and displays the traditional techniques and skills in shipwright profession in several different maritime areas across Europe and adapt them into contemporary training content that can help to recover and revive the carpentry of ships.

The project produces the following major outomes:

IO1. Digital repository of traditional shipwright knowledge and techniques. This activity recovers and displays the carpentry of ships by generating a digital repository of documents abour shipwright from the past to the present in the six European maritime regions (Inter-Mediterranean, Atlantic arc, Baltic, North Sea, Balkan and Black Sea and Islands). The repository is online and free to access and use by any professional, researcher or trainer.

IO2. Training course for shipwright in every maritime area

The training course is designed in such a way that it enables adult professionals from various industries such as furniture, woodworking, upholstery etc. to improve their knowledge about shipwright techniques. The course is suited to the particular level of knowledge and needs. It is implemented in an e-platform compatible with smartphones and tablets and available in English, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Polish and French languages.

IO3. Mentoring course for adult learners

Latly, the collected knowledge is combined into a training-for-trainers course that is suitable to secure the inter-generational transfer of knowledge and spread the immaterial heritage of shipwright also to the younger generation, using modern technologies.

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Traditional boatbuilding craftsmanship is being forgotten or taken over by other materials and techniques. At the same time it carries cultural memory, sustainable thinking, and a deep understanding of wood as a living material.

Preserving and revitalizing these skills is crucial for the traditional cultural heritage of European marine areas, and it is also highly relevant for applied research, education and innovation in wood-based construction.

Key results now available for use

1. Introductory Learning Course “Boat Building”

The online course “Introduction to Shipbuilding” offers over 400 hours of structured learning through 15 modules.
It’s designed for adult learners who already know how to work with wood — carpenters, furniture makers, or restorers — and want to apply that experience to boat construction. The course covers the full process: from sketching, assembly, caulking, and finishing, to budgeting, sustainability, and safety.

Explore the course:
www.allhandsondeck.eu

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2. AHOD Repository of Shipwright Knowledge

We’ve gathered a fascinating collection of knowledge and documentation from six maritime regions of Europe — covering local traditions, materials, and boat types. The repository currently includes over 400 documents, and continues to grow. You can browse by region, time period, or subject, making it a valuable resource for trainers, researchers, and enthusiasts.

Discover the repository:
repository.allhandsondeck.eu/jspui/community-list

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3. Interviews with Shipbuilders

In the AHOD interview series, 12 shipwrights From Spain to Italy to Poland, share their stories, methods, and advice for the next generation. You’ll also hear about traditional wood caulking materials and techniques, and what it takes to master one of the most unique professions in the maritime world.

Watch the interviews and video series:
AHOD YouTube Channel

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4. Mentoring Course in Shipwright

8 modules help future mentors learn how to attract and train new apprentices in boatbuilding. It covers topics such as:

• motivating learners to join and stay in the craft,
• developing active listening, and
• giving constructive feedback during hands-on training.

Explore the course:
www.allhandsondeck.eu