Yesterday…Graduation Day

June 5th, held the usual mix of sadness and joy…seeing lives move on to new and exciting challenges but with special memories and the normal fears of losing touch. Each graduating class has its own distinction and its mix of neat personalities and talents.

This year’s two classes each had a very special distinction.  The first-year students built the Cornish pilot gig, commissioned for the US Navy’s USS Consitution and named August Glory, with some members following the boat on its final journey, two weeks after graduation; stopping at the WoodenBoat Show in Mystic Seaport Connecticut, and then on to its delivery in Boston the following week, where it was heralded by Captain Sean Kearns of “Old Ironsides“, and his crew.  The Constitution was in dry dock for repairs but our group was given an exclusive tour by Navy personnel.

The second-year students had the distinction of building the “Hacker Dash Two”.  Its commissioner, master boat builder Lance Wilson of Runabout Restorations Ltd. in Guntersville, Alabama, served as graduation’s guest speaker.  He emphasized to the students that they are “the caretakers of tradition”, to ensure perpetuating it in these modern times.  Lance had installed the V-8 engine in the first Hacker Gold Cup replica the second-year class of 2011-12 had built.  It was a huge compliment to them and the school that he commissioned GLBBS to build this Hacker replica.  In addition to addressing the graduates and the second-year students who had just completed his project, Lance hosted the lunch for all 150 attendees!!!

Once again, the GLBBS Associate Board members outdid themselves in staging the day, and Julie and John Dyle continued their tradition of providing the backdrop of soft music with their twin dulcimers.