Following my piece last week about Graham of Jannock and Neil of Herbie attending Phil Speight's boat painting courses, Paul of NB Just The Job commented that he attended another craft course the weekend before last:
I attended a fender-making course over the weekend held at Audlem Mill and run by Brian McGuigan and his charming wife Ann-Marie who run a coal/diesel business up and down the Macclesfield canal on their working boat Alton.
It was a first class course that I would recommend to anyone wanting to add to their skills, and you get to make your very own button fender (including the coir) alongside others things to take home with you.
I checked the Audlem Mill website, and it says the course is two days and costs £95. Considering that a new bow button could cost you over £50 anyway, that's not too bad a deal.
Paul adds:
You also get fed and watered whilst you are there.
Paul, you make it sound like a horse's nosebag! Seriously, the course does sound interesting and good value. The last time I had a new bow button for Granny Buttons was over four years ago from The Fender Boat (see my posts The Fender Boat and To Sells Green). It cost me £56.50 then (tuition not included).
But Brian McGuigan himself blogged about his course himself last week - see his post 'Fender Course, Audlem Mill' - and he even put up a picture of Paul of NB Just The Job (r) and Graham of NB Star (l) making their own fenders:
Hmm, is it coincidence that everyone in Brian's blog photographs is wearing what look like standard-issue blue prison shirts? I hope prison nosebags have improved since I last tasted porridge!
We are planning to have the same guy at our boat club over the winter for a day. Its not dear to book. Just need a few people to turn up and pay.
Posted by: Sue | Thursday, 19 November 2009 at 06:58 PM