“...bloody go for it”

“I wish someone had just told me
to bloody go for it.”

-       Emma Mermaz-Rollet,
Boatbuilder, Ship to Shore

This week WOMEN IN BOATBUILDING released the first of three short films about women in the boat industry and I must admit when I heard Emma speak the words of the title above, they resonated with me so strongly, they made me teary. The film then goes on … We interviewed female boatbuilders not about their gender, but about their work. Why do I find this so wonderful? Because constantly defending difference is exhausting. Instead of working positively with the elements we share, why do we tend to focus more on our differences?

Finally here are films that don’t focus on gender, they focus on a shared passion.

‘The one thing all boatbuilders we spoke to have in common is their passion about their jobs and  their conviction that there is a place for everyone in the industry.’

- Belinda Joslin, founder of WIBB

 A place for everyone. Turn up with passion and there is space for you. I love that.

Last Friday EPISODE ONE – THE SOUTH COAST - WOMEN IN BOATBUILDING was launched. Made by young filmmaker ANNIE MEANS this three part series features women carving careers building boats (no pun intended:) - they are calm, they are doing it, they are inspirational. It’s not about being first and foremost a woman, it’s about being a boat builder.

The series showcases the work of women in a diverse set of roles in yards – from cover-makers to shipwrights, laminators to electricians. Covering the full range of scale in boatyards – from the enormity of Sunseeker International to Abbey Boatbuilder in her one-woman yard in Norfolk, and everything in between. Several yards that were approached have no women working hands-on, some have 1 in 100+, and some are yards owned and run by the women that were interviewed.

The aim of the tour was to create content that shares the skills and experiences of some of the amazing women and the work they are doing, to inspire others and further grow the community of women who are working hands on in yards.

And while I’m arguing that the lack of a gender based convo was/is refreshing, the website is called WOMEN IN BOATBUILDING. So let’s reflect on that for a moment and think about the intention of the website and the film’s key audience/s.

Who are these films talking to? And why should we engage?

There are a couple of things going on here. Let’s consider the goal of the message. I realise I’m speaking for the group - (SEE COMMENT BELOW FROM BELINDA JOSLIN) but the aim, I’m imagining is to get to a place in time where we can drop the word women in WIBB.

Imagine a world were instead of WIBB we could have an association/groups such as eg: BOATBUILDERS OF THE SOUTH COAST, and that this name inherently stands for inclusion and work practices and environments encouraging of all who show up with a passion to build boats. But right now, when the stats indicate otherwise….

Back to the concept of key messages and an audience, these films are crafted to do three things :- 1, to inspire other women and girls to consider a career in the boat industry and 2, to embolden and excite work places to offer and expand opportunities for women in boatyards and 3, for people like us to normalise and share the conversation. Just like we’re doing now.

It was Joy Phillips, custodian of HOLGER DANSKE who introduced me to Women In Boatbuilding via IG. Undertaking and leading a massive restoration herself and now as the former chair of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, the hope is Joy has more time to actually go sailing. However, in the meantime between us there’s an ongoing banter celebrating the great things women people are doing in the boating industry.

So if you’re someone keen to encourage more women into sailing and to share the conversation, there’s one thing you can do this week WATCH THIS FILM and hit SUBSCRIBE. Wouldn’t be incredible if the community of SWS was to show support by simply showing up to watch these films on Youtube!

Link to WIBB website - http://www.womeninboatbuilding.com/

Link to youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lehZJettIOQ&t=17s

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