LeisureCourses.net – short courses & residential study breaks in great locations

Bookbinding – Half-leather

EDITING A NOVEL

An early draft of a novel is a very different beast froma finished manuscript. How do you get from one to the other, and how do you create distance between yourself and your manuscript? How can you hone your sentences while also digging deeper to discover three-dimensional characters and a natural narrative drive? Here is your chance to work with...

STARTING TO WRITE: NON FICTION

Do you have a non-fiction subject you are burning towrite about? Are you unsure how to turn it into a book, or what kind of book to write? This week will help you understand how to turn facts into compelling stories and how to make non-fiction as engaging as a novel. We will inspire you to explore the best...

POETRY

Poets write out of their personal chaos – thepreoccupations that arise from their lives and relationships. But can private experience be poetically shaped to connect with a wider audience? Can we draw on the personal to create work that is publicly engaged? Drawing on concepts such as vision and inspiration, and poetic forms and approaches including ballads and confessionalism, we will...

FICTION

‘The course of true love never did run smooth’, andneither does the writing of a romantic novel. Like any strong relationship, a romantic novel needs firm foundations: a strong plot, secure framework and credible characters. Guiding you through all the above elements and more, we will explore the broad genre of romance and the market for it. Whether you’re newly embarked...

NARRATIVE NON-FICTION

This week we will explore a wide variety of narrativebasedtechniques for telling vivid non-fiction stories, with particular focus on reportage and memoir. Through an exploration of structure, research, storytelling, character, dialogue and scene-building, we will encourage authentic and vibrant writing with strong narrative and a deep respect for language. This week will suit all levels of experience. Participants are invited to...

CHILDREN’S TV

Explore writing TV for six- to twelve-year-olds. Children’sTV has come a long way in the last 25 years. The audience may be young, but they’re fiercely critical – and spoilt for choice. So although there’s a strong market for children’s material, it’s highly competitive. We’ll look at how to hook your audience in and keep them watching. We’ll also cover...

FICTION

Following the success of Arvon’s first-ever queer writingcourse, we return with another week on a queer slant. We will tackle the basics – character, dialogue, plotting – and also explore the challenges and opportunities that alternative sexualities bring to narrative, from pronoun concerns (he, she, they?) to avoiding the excesses of political correctness and writing inclusive and honest fiction. All genders,...

Build a Boat – Initial Set-up

Set up building frames and construct the backbone for modern and traditional wooden boats. Produce the stem, keel, hog and transom for a small dinghy and fit the components together to form the backbone.  Also covers the theory of setting up for cold moulded, strip planked and carvel builds and includes a workshop tour of...

GRP Repairs

Start with the basics of working safely with polyester based glass reinforced plastic (aka GRP) and understand the functions of components (e.g. resin, catalyst, pigments) before moving on to practical hands-on activities from gel coat repairs and colour matching to larger hull repairs requiring temporary moulds and formers.  Six students maximum.

GRP Repairs

Start with the basics of working safely with polyester based glass reinforced plastic (aka GRP) and understand the functions of components (e.g. resin, catalyst, pigments) before moving on to practical hands-on activities from gel coat repairs and colour matching to larger hull repairs requiring temporary moulds and formers. Six students maximum.

Renovation and Finishing

Instructed by Colin Henwood, of Henwood and Dean, master the techniques for producing a high grade paint or varnish finish; removing old coatings, preparing surfaces and applying the new finish.

Sail Making

Design, cut shapes, machine/hand sew and maintain traditional sails for anything from a small dinghy to a round-the-world yacht. Learn modern sail making techniques using a Sailrite sewing machine and hand stitching for emergency repairs and final finishing. It may be possible to make sails for yourself, contact us for details.

Rope Work

Learn rope work techniques using three strand, double and single braids. Learn whipping and make grommets, back, eye and other useful splices.

Modern Wooden Boat Building

Shape and fit glued clinker and cold moulded planks, practice methods of strip planking and stitch and tape boat building. Learn the basics of scarfing (lengthening planking timbers) and lamination of timber components. Understand the theory of modern methods for setting up building moulds, backbone arrangements and lining-off planks.

Wooden Boat Restoration

A five day melting pot of traditional and more modern techniques. Practical activities include tool sharpening, timber preparation, scarfing, gluing, removal and re-fitting of planks, riveting and steam bending. Time permitting you will refit internal components (e.g. thwarts, risers and knees). If you would like to bring your own boat for the group to work...

Modern Wooden Boat Building

Shape and fit glued clinker and cold moulded planks, practice methods of strip planking and stitch and tape boat building. Learn the basics of scarfing (lengthening planking timbers) and lamination of timber components. Understand the theory of modern methods for setting up building moulds, backbone arrangements and lining-off planks.

Traditional Wooden Boat Building

Get insight into and practical experience of the construction of traditional clinker and carvel craft. Learn and practise tool sharpening, scarfing, fitting, planks, riveting and steaming. Set-up theory and lining-off planks is also covered.

Traditional Wooden Boat Building

Get insight into and practical experience of the construction of traditional clinker and carvel craft. Learn and practise tool sharpening, scarfing, fitting, planks, riveting and steaming. Set-up theory and lining-off planks is also covered.

GRP Repairs

Start with the basics of working safely with polyester based glass reinforced plastic (aka GRP) and understand the functions of components (e.g. resin, catalyst, pigments) before moving on to practical hands-on activities from gel coat repairs and colour matching to larger hull repairs requiring temporary moulds and formers. Six students maximum.

Build a Boat – Initial Set-up

Set up building frames and construct the backbone for modern and traditional wooden boats. Produce the stem, keel, hog and transom for a small dinghy and fit the components together to form the backbone. Also covers the theory of setting up for cold moulded, strip planked and carvel builds and includes a workshop tour of...

Introduction to Boat Building

Ever wondered what thwarts or cold moulding are? This ‘boat building beginners’ course looks at how different boats are shaped and why, terminology, construction methods, materials, propulsion, sails and rigs and rigging. Unusually for the Academy this is a classroom based course, but workshop walkabouts and strolls to the harbour and Cornish Pilot Gig shed...

Introduction to Boat Building

Ever wondered what thwarts or cold moulding are? This ‘boat building beginners’ course looks at how different boats are shaped and why, terminology, construction methods, materials, propulsion, sails and rigs and rigging. Unusually for the Academy this is a classroom based course, but workshop walkabouts and strolls to the harbour and Cornish Pilot Gig shed...

Furniture Making

Improve your woodworking skills using bandsaw, router and biscuit jointer to make one of three pieces (chair, side or wine table) to take home. Expert designer/maker Mark Ripley instructs on design principles and ergonomics before you make joints, assemble, sand and wax your piece. You need some woodworking experience to join this course.

Antique Furniture Restoration

Learn how to restore and repair antique furniture, reviving original patination and finishes. Guided by master restorer Christopher Booth you will reduce furniture to component parts, clean and repair joints and match veneers, stringing and timber for colour and quality and revive brassware and other decorations. You may work on a piece of your own...

Marquetry

No woodworking skills required to learn the intricate art of marquetry. Make simple motifs before progressing to more complex designs. You will also learn parquetry, shading and finishing techniques. You will take home at least two coasters and a decorative panel and some of the tools used to produce them.

Basic Woodworking 3

Learn basic routing and wood bending and expand your dovetailing skills. You will make a curved, dovetailed box to take home. To join you should be practically minded with a little woodworking experience. This course builds on skills learned in ‘Basic Woodworking 1 and 2’.

Basic Woodworking 2

Impress your friends with the beauty of your lapped and through dovetail joints. Using your new skills you will make a simple dovetail box with a lid to take home. The course follows on from ‘Basic Woodworking 1’, but is also suitable for people with other basic woodworking experience. Contact us to find out if...

Basic Woodworking 1

Set solid foundations in tool sharpening and maintenance, wood selection and preparation. Make basic joints including framing and lengthening joints. An intensive four day course suitable for beginners as well as those with a little (perhaps school day) experience. You will make a bespoke picture frame to take away with you.

Basic Woodworking 3

Learn basic routing and wood bending and expand your dovetailing skills. You will make a curved, dovetailed box to take home. To join you should be practically minded with a little woodworking experience. This course builds on skills learned in ‘Basic Woodworking 1 and 2’.