Shipyards

[mishayelich]

Dose anybody know of any shipyards in the United states that build larger wooden hulled ships (30 feet and up)?

[Garth Jones]

Well, sure. There is Brooklin Boat Yard in Brooklin, Maine - they build yachts up to 80' or so I think. Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway on Martha's Vineyard has built some pretty big boats. You can't hire them, but the Mystic Seaport Museum built the replica of Amistad. A great place to visit though....

Emerald Marine, in Anacortes, WA, owned in part by forumite James McMullen, could manage a hull in the 30-40' range, maybe more.

That's what I can come up with off the top of my head. I'm sure others will chime in....

[Todd D]

Hogdon in Boothbay, ME build large cold molded yachts. There is also a builder here on Mount Desert Island, ME that has built cold molded sport fishers up to 80'.

[paladin]

Sea Island Boatworks in Charleston, S.C.

[Hughman]

Rockport Marine, in Maine: Lynx, Godspeed, Discovery, Spirit of Bermuda....

[Garret]

Paul Rollins in York, Maine. I think his biggest is low 70's.

[mariner2k]

I saw a Rollins at the wooden boat show in Mystic...really nice!

[Garret]

I saw a Rollins at the wooden boat show in Mystic...really nice!

Probably his "Mickey Finn" (50' yawl) - or maybe a bigger schooner? Mickey Finn is a really fun boat & very pretty. He had her on Lake Champlain while he was leading the crew building the Lois McClure - an 1800's canal boat (tabernacle masts) of about 65' or so. She (or does the boat become a "he" if a male name?) made 99% of the other boats on the lake look stupid.

[donald branscom]

Dose anybody know of any shipyards in the United states that build larger wooden hulled ships (30 feet and up)?

"Dose anybody know of any shipyards in the United states that build larger wooden hulled ships (30 feet and up)?"

Does anybody know of any shipyards in the United States that build larger wooden hulled ships (30 feet and up)?

A 30 foot boat is not a ship.

You can look in any Wooden Boat magazine and find a directory of boat builders in your area.

[Woxbox]

Allen Rawl (http://www.shipsofwood.com/) is pretty much a traveling shipyard, building the big replicas on site. And he did a truly fine job with the Kalmar Nyckel, (http://www.kalmarnyckel.org) still as tight as the day she was launched.

[mishayelich]

Allen Rawl (http://www.shipsofwood.com/) is pretty much a traveling shipyard, building the big replicas on site. And he did a truly fine job with the Kalmar Nyckel, (http://www.kalmarnyckel.org) still as tight as the day she was launched.

I am familiar with his work and am interested in finding shipyards that build ships as large as most of those he has built. He is presently working on plans for the San Salvador for the Maritime Museum of San Diego and will begin building in september of this year. So he won't be able to begin building for sometime, so does anyone know of any other shipyards that build ships more in the range of 70' feet plus.

[fellswoop76]

Port Townsend school of wooden boats?

[peter radclyffe]

not in America, but we'll build you any size wooden ship

[George Ray]

Second on:

http://www.seaislandboatworks.com/

A lot of epoxy and wood, but no stranger to traditional wood construction. Mark Bayne, owner of Sea Island Shipwrights in Charleston, South Carolina, was the Master Shipwright in charge of building the Spirit of South Carolina.
http://www.seaislandboatworks.com/images/spiritofsc3.jpg

[peter radclyffe]

who built the pacific grace

[George Ray]

http://www.salts.ca/site/our_ships.html
Pacific Grace:
Built at the S.A.L.T.S. Heritage Shipyard in Victoria, the Pacific Grace slipped her lines May 31, 2001 to embark on her maiden voyage.


http://www.salts.ca/site/about_us/history_of_salts.html
1995-2001 Pacific Grace, a Robertson II Replica
The launch of the new schooner, Pacific Grace, was just about the most moving and inspiring occasion I’ve experienced in five years as editor of Pacific Yachting.
Duart Snow, Editor, Pacific Yachting Dec. 1999 Issue On Saturday, October 9, 1999, to the sound or a lone fiddler, ships’ horns, gun salutes, and the cheers of 4,000 spectators, Pacific Grace glided slowly into Victoria’s harbour. For SALTS, the launch marked the culmination of five years’ work. This sleek new ship with brilliant red bottom paint, a sweeping white boot top on a glossy black hull, and green-and-gold trim—is a replica of the Robertson II, in the line of classic Grand Bankers, including the world-famous Bluenose. The new schooner was constructed in the SALTS Heritage Shipyard in Victoria, BC. The construction was led by Tony Anderson with capable assistance from David Eggert, Lars Junker, Thomas Shienfluge, Pat Woodland, Ian MacKenzie, Brendan Dickinson, Jim Sepkawski, Mark Wallace, Fred Rempel, Glen Peterson, Leach Machine Works, and countless others.

Because the drawings for the Robbie had been lost, Sidney naval architect Paul Gartside took the lines off the schooner and drew up detailed construction plans. SALTS appointed Tony Anderson, who had joined the organization as a volunteer in 1982 at the age of 18, to serve as project manager and head shipwright. Anderson merged his life with SALTS. ..... .... ...

[Thad Van Gilder]

Yank Marine In New Jersey can build wood powerboats. They haven't done a new one in a while but They look as though they still could.

-Thad

[Boatsmith]

Bay Ship and Yacht Alameda Ca The Niagra, the Californian, Rebuilt the Alma and the Thayer David

[Ian McColgin]

Thirty feet is small enough that almost any boat builder can do it. As you get larger, you increase the likelyhood that the builder will need to make a temporary shelter which will be part of the costs you'll pay for. Of course, you'll also pay for a big permanent building like in Portland.

Even if you're planning from purchased stock plans, a chat with thedesigner as to who has done good things with the design in the past is a great guide. If it's a one-off or highly modified design, work with a designer in selecting a builder since there should be a good deal of interaction between them.

At it's most fun, the building is an interesting troikka with the owner paying the bills and demanding unrealistic things, the builder re-engineering some details that the designer didn't work out quite right and getting reeducated on others, and the designer a cross between creative artist and general foreman.

Along with length, breadth and depth you'll have questions of displacement. Where's the ballast to be cast? How moved?

How big are the spars? Should they be jobbed out? For example, I can think of three or four yards on Cape that could make a finastkind 35' sailboat, light displacement or conventional, but one person on Cape if you need a really big wooden stick. Depending on the yard and your time requirements, you may want then to agree to a rigging and canvassing contractor to just handle all that.

How about interior work? The fussier the joinery, the more likely you want a builder who does just that to do just that and bring the components to the hull.

Mechanicals may also require a seperate contractor or contractors, expecially if in the engine room you have a gen set, RO, reefer, HW, all those pumps and valving for some complex tankage. Perhaps an electronics guy if you really like that sort of thing gently evolving towards green guinge.

Anyway, 30' is pretty small and almost anyone can find space for that. 40' is common but does weed out some places. Getting up around 60' brings you to a shorter list.

No matter what, you may really do best with a series of coordinated but independent contractors rather than just one place where you talk to and pay one guy and show up next year to sail away.

Even if you have all done in one house, there is huge coordination required. There have been times when the owner had the time, judgement and emotional calm to do that, but it's rare. If for some reason the designer can't or won't do it, you should hire a sort of general supervisor to be your rep to the builder(s), probably spending a day or two a week going over what's been done and what happens next.

The hull is only 1/4 the cost of the boat. The other parts in rought generalalities are accomodation, rig and mechanicals. Total boats costs still add up by displacement. Expect your finished lovely to cost about the same as steak per pound. You can get chuck or fillet.

G'luck

[Jane from Maine]

There are many boatyards in Maine that build wooden boats over 30' - many mentioned in the posts above. Brooklin Boatyard, Rockport Marine, French & Webb, Lyman Morse, Hogdon Yachts, Rollins Boat Shop all have large build capacity. Artisan Boatworks and Ralph Stanley both build over 30', but not quite as big as the others mentioned. Check out profiles of these businesses at www.mainebuiltboats.com (http://www.mainebuiltboats.com)

[peter radclyffe]

contact on the forum, mmd, thad van gilder, james mcmullen, & others
dutch wharf, ames point, rockport marine, cutts & case, m p & g, covey island, boothbay harbour, ventura h ships,
the guys who built the irving & exy johnson schooners, roy veterlain,