Update from TS Rigging Apprentice Jasmin Klimcke

TS Rigging were supported by the Shipwrights Apprenticeship Scheme to employ their first apprentice, Jasmin Klimcke, during her first year of employment and training in 2015-2016 through the newly opened up route to training at the Pioneer Sailing Trust. Jasmin’s work and training are going from strength to strength as she describes below.

“I have always been messing around on the on the water from a young age, I brought my first boat aged nine, it was a small 1 man topper this was when I started to understand wind and tide and how many mud banks there are in the Blackwater Estuary. Since then I had many more small boats and started crewing on a 42 ft smack called “Charlotte Ellen” aged 11. This is when I knew what I wanted to do but didn’t realise there was anything out there to help me do it, so I spoke to some teachers at school, they looked at me rather baffled. So I spoke to some old sailors in Tollesbury and asked if they knew anyone, they mentioned TS Rigging in  Maldon so I finished my exams at school and left as fast as I
could to work in an old boatyard and learn the trade of traditional and modern rigging not realizing where it would take me and the people I would meet.
The Shipwrights Apprenticeship Scheme sponsored me and paid my wage for the first year, this allowed me to get further education learning boat building and rigging at Pioneer sailing trust, where I learnt elementary wood work skills such as making joints, oars, dinghy spars also how to cold mould the rowing gigs. During the first year when I wasn’t at college I was learning key rig access, and working at height aboard the Cutty Sark and other vessels, as well as basic core fundamentals of boatbuilding around the yard including traditional wooden block making and steaming mast hoops as well as the rigging side of things such as serving, knots, taluriting and splicing in the rigging shed.

I have been here now for over 2 years and recently I have transferred from working for TS Rigging to the Heritage Marine Foundation which is the charitable arm of both TS Rigging Ltd and Heritage Marine Ltd , where they have helped me achieve my STCW 95 certificates, VHF licence, my Seaman’s discharge book and start to build of sea miles to gain my commercial yachtmaster certificate. Because of them I have delivered an Oyster 625 to Palma, I sail as relief mate on Sailing Barge Victor, and recently sailed as Bosun on Sail training yacht Faramir from the UK, France then to Belgium and back, because of these experiences I feel a lot more confident in myself and the decisions I make when sailing or working, for example I have my own boat “ Pelican” she is a 22ft gaff cutter which I sail on my own, I am going to enter Mersea week 2017 which will be my first racing experience as skipper in my own boat. After 2 years learning a trade and working in the boatyard, I feel comfortable in the rigging shop on my own managing and making orders whether that be modern yacht rigging or traditional. I also get to drive to different boatyards and marinas to do rigging, mainly yachts.

In the future I wish to get into the classic yacht scene as a deckhand or potentially mate and bring my woodworking and rigging skills while still being associated with the barges and smacks of the East Coast, I hope I never lose contact with my home roots and my traditional upbringing.”
Jasmin Klimcke – TS Rigging Apprentice
Jasmin’s apprenticeship is ongoing following the successful completion of the first stage, the level two, and through the businesses requirements is gaining a few more additional qualifications that will set her up well for a sustained career in our industry.

Well done Jasmin and we hope to see you competing for the Queens Silver Medal soon!