Self-taught boat builder keeping fishermen afloat

A fisherman's prized possession is his boat, and William Hill has a passion for making them. He said that he has been making fishing boats for just over two decades.

Admiring a 14-foot long, yellow and red vessel named 'New Money', which he said he made and owns, Hill said the skill was self-taught.

"From me a very small yute me start build boat. I grew up a seaside enuh, and I was involved in fishing. I learnt how to do carpenter work, fibreglass work, wood work and iron work," he said while standing among a fleet of 18 boats docked by the Kingston waterfront in Rae Town.

The 55-year-old said that the art requires patience and attention to detail. The end result, he said, is quite fulfilling. As he outlined the process of creating an eye-catching boat that can hold up to six persons, the waves gently caressed the base of New Money.

Hill said that the process first starts with moulding the shape of the boat, then the pouring of the fibreglass liquid into the mould.

"You make it from the outside of another boat then you turn it over and build it inside of it. Then you apply the liquid on the inside of the boat, then you smooth out the surface. You affi make sure that the surface clean. After you get it smooth, you use a wax and make it shine and clean. After you shine and clean it, you use a thing called partol. Put on the partol and then now you put on the first layer of fine matting, and after that layer of fine matting, me use a course matting," he explained.

Matting is used to prevent water from entering the vessel. He admitted that he preferred using fibreglass liquid to secure the mating to the board structure. He said that he is versed on making boats of various sizes and shapes.

The Brandon Hill, St Andrew native found humour in the fact that the sanding process takes a lot of time, and is one step in the process that most fishermen do not like. But he remains unbothered by the dust as he anticipates the finished product. Although he has not yet found an apprentice, he is urging fisherfolk to learn the skill of boat-building.

"Anuh everybody love the fibreglass because it itch, so dem stay far. But me nuh mind it. Me think other people need to learn how to do it, they should be able to build their own boat and I am willing to teach others to do it. I not only like building boats, I do fish pots as well. Me just love everything 'bout fishing," he said while flashing a smile.