A photographic print of Industry, Boat Building

THEY'RE BAKING BOATS FOR MASS PRODUCTION February 15th 1958 PAR 69070-1 (Wo-R) As sailing fast gains popularity as a sport, modern mass production methods derived from those developed during the war for making wooden aircraft are being applied to the manufacture of boats at the Hamble, Hampshire, factory of Fairey Marine Ltd., a subsidiary of the Fairey Aviation Company. The craft are 'hot-moulded' from planks of wooden veneer, a method which eliminates the old and laborious method of boat-building by individual craftsmen. The shell of each boat is composed of layers of planks applied to a mould to form 'skins' glued together. Each shell is baked by steam heat up to 100 degrees Centigrade for about half an hour. Then it is taken out of the oven and removed from the mould. The resulting boat, it is said, will last a lifetime and is proof against all the normal ills which affect boats built by other methods. More than 1,000 boats were produced at Hamble in 1957, ranging from 7ft.6in. dinghies to the 26ft. Atalanta sailing cruiser. Over one-third of the output is exported. PICTURE SHOWS: Hulls of Firefly, Finn and Albacore craft awaiting finishing in the central assembly hangar at Hamble. The men at the trestles are working on masts. FOR FIRST PUBLICATION IN EVENING PAPERS OF MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH. Industry - Boat Building