The fourth annual Women’s Shipbuilding Day in Bath will take place at the Maine’s First Ship’s waterfront boatshed on Sunday, Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Maine’s First Ship is building Virginia, a reconstruction of the first ship built by English colonists in 1607 at the mouth of the Kennebec. Maine’s First Ship is located on the river side of the Bath Freight Shed on Commercial Street in Bath, just north of the Route 1 Sagadahoc Bridge.

While the original ship was built entirely by men, those involved with Virginia these days are looking to provide more opportunities for women to build the ship, according to a Maine’s First Ship press release.

“We enjoy this program,” said MFS Volunteer Coordinator Jeremy Blaiklock of Arrowsic, “It’s a great way to build MFS’s volunteer base.”

According to the press release, Shipwright Rob Stevens of Woolwich says Gail Smith, a participant in the first Women’s Shipbuilding Day event, “is our best volunteer, but don’t tell the guys that.” This means showing up on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the year to help build the ship. Smith, a retired EMT, hails from Topsham.

Shipbuilding Day participants can expect a brief presentation on the background of Virginia and the colonists who built it. The colony, named Fort St. George, was located on what is now Fort Baldwin in Popham. Operating under the same royal charter as the colony at Jamestown, the Maine settlement lasted only one year, but they built a ship designed for coastal exploration and trade. When the colony folded, Virginia crossed the Atlantic to England, and then made at least one trip to re-supply Jamestown in 1609.

The rest of the day will be spent working on today’s Virginia, a 51- foot pinnacle. Currently, volunteers are nearly finished planking the ship, preparing for caulking, and also beginning to tackle the deck construction. Participants should come expecting to use hand and power tools, which will be provided.

This year, participants will be treated to live music from the period, with two participants bringing their wooden recorders to entertain the shipbuilders.

Virginia is more than halfway complete. Once launched, it will be used for educational and environmental programs, as well as for visitors to learn about Maine’s 400- year-old shipbuilding tradition.

“We’re excited about doing this again,” said Stevens. “It’s a great day and we hope all who are interested in what building a boat is like will spend the day with us.”

For more information, contact Orman Hines at (207) 389-2419, or the Maine’s First Ship office at (207) 443-4242.