SIMPSON BAY--For everyone involved directly or indirectly in the ambitious project by Milton Peters College students to build a racing yacht, Saturday’s christening and launch of Purple Heart was a celebratory and poignant moment and a particularly proud one for the nine Kidz at Sea programme students who built her.
Such ground-breaking occasions warrant special recognition and the large gathering in St. Maarten Shipyard included Minister of Education, Culture and Sports Silveria Jacobs, Minister of Health Emil Lee, Principal of Milton Peters College Wim de Visser, St. Maarten Yacht Club Commodore Ian Hope Ross, sponsors, project supervisors, sailing instructors and of course the students themselves.
The 26ft Dudley Dix designed racer/cruiser, constructed from the designer’s blueprints, will be raced in next week’s Heineken Regatta with five to six students and Garth Steyn as skipper. The project began in March 2015.
The name of Purple Heart comes from the tropical wood of the same name that was used for the rudder, railing and keel.
“This is an amazing day,” enthused Wim de Visser. “This is the way a good trade school should be, working on a project for meaningful education. I’m so proud and it’s incredible to think this boat will be sailing in the Heineken Regatta.
“Thank you to my MPC colleagues for supporting this initiative. I want to thank especially Lorraine, Garth and Mark. Without their experience we wouldn’t have been able to make it. I’ve watched the development of the project several times and I believe this is a new industry for St. Maarten. I would like to see a shipyard for boat building by the youth of St. Maarten. Let’s look forward to four or five more boats.”
Said Silveria Jacobs in her remarks: “I must commend the marine business community for this wonderful initiative, that brings light to a growing industry. We do want to see more local participation in it. I saw the students when they were building the boat and they were very hands-on and super excited. Most of our boys want to be doers and this project is an example of a viable industry where youngsters can make a living. I can see from the finished product that it took dedication, perseverance and commitment. On behalf of government and my ministry, I thank you for investing in this project.”
Carpentry teacher and project supervisor from MPC Rens Heestermnan noted he encouraged the students to go for a bigger boat project after a period since 2012 of building small boats.
“We bought the blueprints and did a deal with the supplier to have much of the marine plywood components pre-cut so it came as a kit and other parts were made by ourselves,” he explained. “All the woodwork, hull, deck and interior were completed on January 20, 2016. Mast rigging and other hardware were added separately.”
The students worked on the boat during regular carpentry classes and fulltime for their internship. Rens acknowledged the project was very challenging at times for the students but they persevered.
“They did really well. Parts of the process, working with the materials, was long and difficult, testing their patience so we would take a break, work on something else and come back to it again. Concentration was the hardest part.”
One of the student’s Busby, who will be part of the crew in Heineken said he was “very proud” to see the finished result from what started as a pile of plywood pieces.
“It was the first time I had built a boat and learnt to read blueprints,” he added.
The main driving force behind the Kidz at Sea projects for the past four years, Garth Steyn, acknowledged the invaluable contribution of all the sponsors.
Asked what’s next, he said: “To build another one. I would like to sell this one so we can put the money back into the foundation to create the sustainability. Without the funding you don’t have a project.
“The generosity of the local marine businesses to contribute without charge on this project was a huge financial help and extremely appreciated.”
