Sean Koomen back in town for AWBF 2025

We are pleased to announce the return of master boat builder, Sean Koomen, from the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building (NWSWB) in Washington, who will be joining the AWBF after a six-year hiatus.

He will be collaborating with the Wooden Boat Centre (WBC) in Franklin to undertake the construction of a remarkable wooden boat project.

What’s the plan?

In November 2024, Sean Koomen will join the Wooden Boat Centre to lead students in constructing two timber sailing dinghies. The design chosen is the Sid Skiff, which will be built of local timber. One hull will be built utilizing traditional, carvel plank on frame construction, and the other will be built of wood composite, cold molded construction.

Sean has created a course where the Sid Skiff will be built over a three-month period. Students will be able to participate in a comprehensive training program featuring most elements of the boat building process, from lofting and planking through to the application of paint and varnish.

The program is effectively a series of short courses combined, allowing students to enroll for the whole project or for specific elements. The dinghy will then be launched at the AWBF, and then sold at auction.

Who is Sean Koomen?

Sean grew up in Minnesota, where he lived on the family farm, spending a lot of his days playing with tools in the workshop. He had a chance encounter with building a boat in high school, and that piqued his interest in wooden boats. He has worked with NWSWB for many years now and his wife and three children often join him out sailing whenever they get the chance.

In 2018-19 Sean, with a group of NWSWB alumni, was sponsored by the AWBF to build a Haven 12 ½ yacht at the WBC. This was a great success and began the relationship between the WBC and NWSWB. As both the WBC and AWBF look into the next few years of programs, it seemed only natural to invite Sean back to Tasmania. He even named his son ‘Bruny’ after his 2018-2019 visit to Tasmania.

How do you sign up?

Accommodation: we will also be seeking accommodation for Sean and his students over the November 2024 – February 2025 period, so if you can help out with this, please do let us know at office@awbf.org.au.

Want to know more about Sean’s 2018-2019 Tassie journey? Click here.