Mecklenburg-West Pomerania: Patience and hard work: building your own boat

Sail across the water in your own boat - this is possible after the boat building workshop in Peenemünde.

Mecklenburg-West Pomerania: Patience and hard work: building your own boat

Sail across the water in your own boat - this is possible after the boat building workshop in Peenemünde. If you want to take part, you don't need a lot of previous experience, but you do need one important characteristic.

Peenemünde (dpa/mv) - Your own canoe, created with your own hands: For the participants in Ursula Latus' boat building workshop, this dream comes true. The people stand in the workshop in Peenemünde for between six and twelve days to build their own boat under their guidance. "Sometimes the time and effort involved in building a boat is underestimated," says Latus, who has been offering workshops since 2006. "Most of the time, people know what they're getting themselves into."

From Easter to October, the boat builder accompanies interested parties with the construction work on their own boat. It's not a relaxing holiday - the participants are in the workshop every day from morning to afternoon. A workshop usually costs between 2000 and 3000 euros, depending on the boat to be built. "Then the materials are in there and people go home with their boats."

According to Latus, anyone who wants to build their own canoe or kayak does not need to be an expert. "Many are lay people," she says. "But sometimes there are also those who already have experience and are carpenters, for example." Children from the age of ten can also take part in the workshop, but only with an adult. According to Latus, a completely different quality is much more important than experience: "You have to have a bit of patience, enjoy working with tools - and above all, be able to listen well," she says. "Then you can do it as a layman."