Adults · Build your own boat
Wooden boat building course for adults
Bote al Agua does not only work with schools: it also runs traditional boat building courses for adults who want to build a wooden boat with their own hands.
Adult courses so far
Where we are: Tigre is a river town about 30 km north of Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the gateway to the Paraná Delta. Rowing and riverside clubs are part of everyday life here.
B-Bote (January 2025). A group of adults built a boat with an engine in the workshop, bigger than the boats usually built there. The organisation celebrated it as a challenge taken on together.
A Bevin Skiff with Artetra (2026). In July 2026 Bote al Agua announced a course run with Artetra Templo Taller: building a Bevin Skiff, which the organisation describes as “un bote de remo clásico, ideal para nuestras aguas” (“a classic rowing boat, ideal for our waters” — our translation).
Who is it for?
In the organisation's own words, the course with Artetra is not just technical training but an immersion in river culture, aimed at hobbyists, boating enthusiasts or anyone looking to ground themselves by building something real with their own hands.
Who teaches?
Daniel Helft, founder and director of Bote al Agua, is a journalist who trained in wooden boat building. He learned the secrets of woodworking and respect for timber at Artetra, from its founder Guillermo Agostini; today the space is run by his daughter, Vera Agostini. To develop the non-profit, Helft also trained with the director of a US foundation that teaches with small boats (La Nación, 2019).
A craft worth reviving
Traditional boat building is a craft with fewer and fewer practitioners. The Delta's riverside rowing clubs used to keep fleets of wooden boats and carpenters to maintain them, but traditional boats were replaced by plastic ones and the know-how of working the wood began to disappear (La Nación, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
For university students too
Universidad de Belgrano offers “The Boat Building Workshop”: a two-week, 60-hour intensive course in a Tigre Delta woodshop, where students build a rowing skiff and launch it, together with Bote al Agua (Universidad de Belgrano (opens in a new tab)).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need previous experience?
The course with Artetra is aimed at hobbyists, boating enthusiasts or anyone who wants to build something real with their hands. Ask us about your case.
What boat do we build?
It depends on the course: in 2026, a Bevin Skiff, a classic rowing boat. In 2025, a group of adults built B-Bote, a boat with an engine and bigger than usual.
When is the next course and how much does it cost?
Get in touch to ask about dates and formats for upcoming courses.
How do I sign up?
Send Bote al Agua a direct message on Instagram or Facebook. The courses are taught in Spanish.
Want to get involved?
Send us a direct message on Instagram or Facebook. Tell us who you are and what you are interested in, and we will get back to you with dates and details. Our channels are in Spanish.