Author Tom Cunliffe is at the show today launching the new National historic ships database of skills and materials.

This new database is aimed at those who need to track down traditional materials or find skilled craftsmen to carry out restoration work on traditional craft.

Cunliffe commenting on the new database said: “There was a time was when you could get anything you wanted for a traditional vessel at any of the serious ports around Britain, Southampton, Liverpool places like Whitby you’d be able to find a corker, red led putty and you’d probably be able to find yourself a suitable compass to go in your boat, well it’s all gone to wraps, we don’t have that anymore.

There is a demand but it’s not sufficiently concentrated in any one place to make it commercial enough to have these skills available in all ports.”

Cunliffe says that people dealing with traditional vessels now, whether they’re big historic ships such as the SS Great Britain or the other end of the scale, need to know how to get hold of equipment. “If you’ve got your feet under the table and have had for 30-40 years like me, you’ve got a pretty good idea, but if you’re just starting out, you wouldn’t have a clue.

Hopefully you’ll find everything you need on the National historic ships database of skills and materials, and the good thing is,it’s free, paid for by the government!