Ben trained as a boatbuilder at the North West School of Wooden Boatbuilding in 2008 and has been working as a boatbuilder and teacher since. He ran the boatbuilding programme of the GalGael Trust from 2010 to 2018 including a major Heritage Lottery Funded project 'Anchor and Sail'. As part of that he delivered the first City and Guilds qualifications in boatbuilding in Scotland with Martin Hughes from the Scottish Maritime Museum.
While at GalGael he built at least 10 new boats and restored as many again. Notable projects including restoring Orcuan, a 30' Hebridean Birlinn belonging to the GalGael Trust; new build of the Iain Oughtred West Coast Skiff and developing a new 10'6" clinker dinghy design with builder and designer Jonny Burke
He's also been instrumental in establishing the Clydebuilt Festivalin Glasgow and the Glasgow Coastal Rowing Club. His main interests are maritime heritage and making it as accessible as it possibly can be, and of course sailing, rowing and playing in small craft.