Founded in 1997 and based on Monmouth beach, the Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy provides full-time, highly practical skills training to teach students of all ages how to build, maintain and restore boats. The internationally recognised 40 week course in Boat Building, Maintenance and Support teaches students to build boats to professional standards across a range of construction types from modern and traditional wood to composites.

Twice a year, graduates of the full time nine-month course are able to showcase their hard work and dedication as they celebrate the end of the course and launch their boats into the harbour. The procession of boats makes its way from the Boat Building Academy down to Lyme Regis harbour where crowds assemble to watch as the boats take to the water for the first time.