CASTINE – Midshipman 1st Class Phillip Lessard of Woonsocket, R.I., recently crafted and donated a model of Maine Maritime Academy’s training ship, the State of Maine, to the college at a special banquet during the college’s homecoming festivities held earlier this fall.

Lessard, a student at MMA, made the ship model with his father, Eugene Lessard, also a resident of Woonsocket, R.I.

Phillip Lessard came up with the idea of building a model of the ship when he first visited the campus for an open house as a prospective student. He enrolled at the college in the fall of 2000 and began the project late in 2002. He secured permission from the master of the college’s training ship to borrow a full set of blueprints of the vessel, and later he photographed areas of the ship to assist with vessel accuracy.

Construction of the ship model progressed over the course of the next year, with Eugene Lessard doing most of the basic construction. Phillip prefabricated many of the detailed items.

The model began to come together quickly during midsemester break in December 2003. The model was transported to Maine Maritime Academy and was received by the college’s development office before the departure of the training vessel.

Phillip Lessard said the project, from lofting lines to completion took 16 months and more than 1,000 man-hours to complete. The materials used in construction included bass wood, balsa wood, fiberglass resin, brass, aluminum and plastic resin.

Eugene Lessard worked mostly on the structural components such as the hull, houses and railings. Phillip worked on all detail and fabrication work, including masts, winches, propeller, windlass, lifeboats and cranes. Very few items aboard were purchased from outside suppliers. Everything except anchors, chain, ship’s whistle, ship’s bell and life rings were fabricated by the Lessards.

Phillip Lessard is a graduate of Woonsocket Senior High School. He is majoring in marine engineering operations and expects to graduate in 2005. He is one of 800 students at MMA.