COCKWELLS Modern and Classic Boatbuilding, the Cornish boatbuilder, welcomed Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to its South West Shipyard at Ponsharden on Tuesday, May 6.
Upon arrival at the Shipyard, which is situated between Falmouth and Penryn, Her Royal Highness was greeted by The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho.
Cockwells’ founder and sales director Dave Cockwell then escorted her on a tour of the manufacturing facility where the company builds its larger vessels.
The Pendennis Group acquired a majority stake in Cockwells last year, which will enable further expansion to meet ever-increasing demand for its Duchy Motor Launches, Hardy Motor Yachts and luxurious superyacht tenders.
The first stop on the tour of the South West Shipyard was the Moulding Shed. Dave presented moulding production manager Ryan Tunnicliffe and Moulding team leader Harry Burley, who explained the moulding process to Her Royal Highness, which involves gelling the boat mould and adding the number of fibreglass layers relative to the surface area of the design and the thickness of its hull.
Next, The Princess Royal was introduced to production director Jason Foat in the Main Parts Building Workshop, who described the different departments and how the production process is managed.
The opportunity then arose for two groups of Cockwells’ Apprentices along with their tutor, Drew Pilley, to be introduced to Her Royal Highness who took the time to ask every single apprentice where they had come from, their routes into this boatbuilding apprenticeship and their ambitions for the future.
Apprentice Louis Foulkes said: “The Cockwells Training Academy has provided an incredibly positive route forward into my career. I believe the skillsets and opportunities provided will allow me to spend the rest of my working life in a fantastic industry, and it was an honour to share this with The Princess Royal today.”
Then came the Boat Assembly Area where engineer George Kohlman and boat building team leader, George Henney, were presented to Her Royal Highness, and production manager, Lee Sennett, invited The Princess Royal to view a brand new Duchy 35, an award-winning model in the company’s popular Duchy Motor Launches range.
Her Royal Highness was then invited to unveil a plaque, draped with a Cornish flag, to officially open The Cockwells Training Academy.
This academy offers a comprehensive four-year training programme that provides young people in Cornwall with the range of skills required to prepare them for rewarding careers in the marine sector, which Cockwells has developed in partnership with the Cornwall Marine Network.
Applauding Cockwells for enabling young people to learn the traditional craft of boatbuilding as well as the latest technological advances that place Britain at the forefront of the marine industry, the event also highlighted the importance of investing in and making the best of local talent, and offering the right training facilities in the right areas.
Her Royal Highness then launched the new Hardy 45 European by pouring a bottle of Cornish Camel Valley champagne over its bow, observing the symbolic maritime tradition that is believed to bring good fortune to a vessel. As she did so, The Princess Royal wished Cockwells well for the future.
Dave Cockwell explained: “It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Cockwells’ South West Shipyard and mark two important developments in the company’s history – the official opening of our Training Academy and the launch of our new Hardy 45 European.”
“We discussed the importance of sharing the traditional skills of the shipwright with the next generation of boat builders and the vital contribution that the boatbuilding industry makes to our island nation.
“I also shared Cockwells’ ambitious plans for future growth so that we can continue to provide secure, well-paid employment for local people, ensure that we have a talent pool of highly-skilled craftsmen and women, sustain Cornwall’s reputation for boatbuilding excellence and meet global demand for our beautiful bespoke boats.”
Those that were presented to The Princess Royal during the day included the mayor of Penryn, councillors Mary May and Margaret Harrison, mayor’s consort, Penryn town clerk Helen Perry, MP for Truro and Falmouth Jayne Kirkham, commercial director of the Pendennis Group Stephen Hills, CEO of Cornwall Marine Network and Board member of Maritime UK Paul Wickes MBE, Cockwells’ marketing directors Jo Cockwell and Dean Short and finance director of the Pendennis Group Ian Granville.
For further information about Cockwells, visit www.cockwells.co.uk