A living exhibit
Our 2017 exhibition Captain Bligh: Myth, Man and Mutiny features a specially built reproduction of the Bounty launch, giving a very real sense of the situation of the 18 men who sailed it over 3600 nautical miles across the Pacific.
The launch is currently being built, in house, in the museum’s boat building workshop, situated towards the back of the museum. Visitors should make sure to come and take a closer look at the team in action.
Our boat building workshop
The in-house build of the Bounty launch is part of a programme of reconstructions of historical craft in the museum’s boatbuilding workshop.
The boat workshop is managed by Mike Sellwood. This build is being led by professional and accomplished local boat builder Andrew Nancarrow supported by the Museum’s new trainee Boat Curator Ollie Crediton and Advanced Apprentice in Boat Conservation Reuben Thompson and a small team of museum volunteers and students from Falmouth Marine School.
Extensive research
The museum team has carried out extensive research in-house to ensure the boat is as faithful a reproduction as possible. This boat is one of a number of complete reconstructions built in the museum’s boat building workshop and something the Museum is keen to do more of, continuing to build representations or reconstructions of important craft.
Follow the build on social media
Follow the Boatbuilding Workshop on Facebook
Keep scrolling down the page to see the latest social media posts from the team, telling the story of the build…
Video: This is how we rivet the planking onto the frames…
About the exhibition
The 2017 Captain Bligh: Myth, Man and Mutiny exhibition remembers a notable West Countryman and significant national figure, in the 200th anniversary year of his death. It tells a story that challenges the more commonly known Hollywood depiction and brings to life one of the greatest small boat survival stories in history featuring relics from the voyage and a specially built reproduction of the Bounty launch, giving a very real sense of the situation of the 18 men who sailed it over 3600 nautical miles across the Pacific.
The exhibition is at The National Maritime Museum Cornwall until 7 January 2018.
