Rebel Marine Boatyard, owned by Mr. David Carty, is located just off the road at the entrance to North Hill – and is a place worth seeing.
It is the home of the creation and manufacture of an impressive line of custom-built luxury boats which have found, and continue to find, a growing number of local, regional and international markets.
There is a very discerning, quiet spirit of dedication, professional workmanship and team work at the boatyard, which wins the admiration and respect of all visitors.
An opportunity to observe the boatyard, and to appreciate the importance of its service, was provided by Ms. Avenella Griffith at the official launch of Boat Men – her first book in the Sandy Ground Tales series.
The book was officially launched on Wednesday, June 2, at the unique Rebel Marine Museum which houses copies of Mr. David Carty’s DVDs, including Nuttin Bafflin, and other literary works, as well as souvenirs and marine artifacts.
A tour of the boatyard was part of the programme and was a special treat for those attending the book launch. It was conducted by Andre Griffith, Avenella’s brother and a long, dedicated and exceptional knowledgeable worker at Rebel Marine. He demonstrated much pride and fervour as he conducted the guided tour.
The tour began in a corner of the boatyard, outside the museum, where there are various relics of important parts of Anguillian sail boats. These include rudders, anchors and ballast rocks. Next in line, on the tour was what was described as a mould or “pit” for the manufacture of fiberglass boats.
Both outside in the spacious yard, as well as inside the nearby expansive tent, are a set of huge rafters for the roof of the historic Bethel Methodist Church now under repair following the devastation by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. The rafters, glued together, in several solid chunks of extra thick, hard, heavy and clear Douglas Fir wood, were a big surprise to those on the tour. They did not have a clue before that Rebel Marine Boatyard was also working on the rafters for the church – aside from its skilful boat-building service.
It will be a matter of interest and skill how these tremendous rafters will be hoisted in place in the lofty roof of the church building. One high church official on the tour simply commented: “It will be done with God’s help.”
The tour continued to, and ended at, the main boat-building section where moulds or “pits” and boats are being worked on. So dedicated were the workmen, busily engaged in sanding, sawing, hammering and other aspects of their boat-building trade, that they appeared to hardly notice the presence and peering eyes of the visitors.
It was a delightful and informative tour, impressively conducted by Andre Griffith, while Mr. David Carty, his trusting boss, attended to administrative and other matters in his adjoining office block.
