A shipwright by trade and at heart, Agustín Jordán Romero is sought after nationwide to give courses. No less so than in El Puerto de Santa María in Cádiz, a maritime port where there are no longer any working sailors left, or in Catalonia. Born in Altavista, Lanzarote, he was just fifteen when he started learning his trade in Puerto Naos under the tutelage of great masters.
‘My life is dedicated to building boats, designing them, creating them, but I have discovered another passion in teaching. I dream about boats, I think about boats, I even write stories about them… We cannot afford to lose the art of shipbuilding because it’s the source of great happiness.
I’ve been living in Barcelona for the past four years, where I’ve been building and repairing boats and also teaching the trade to students from very different backgrounds. What’s important for me is that I really enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience. Every day is a dream come true; I feel valued and I’m happy.’ Jordán explains, surrounded by compasses, pencils and nail boards.
‘Especially in Catalonia,’ he continues,’ where old boats and the history of shipbuilding are valued; that’s true in El Puerto, too where he can be heard explaining the proper curvature of bow frames in his strong Lanzarote accent. Agustín has many students, but no disciples. ‘Nowadays, people learn a couple if things and think they’re ready to go it alone. I miss that sense of humility.’
