Custom Wooden Boat Parts & Marine Woodwork
Wooden boats and boat parts require a unique combination of craftsmanship, material knowledge, and respect for how wood behaves in a challenging environment.
Wooden boats carry their history in every joint, seam, and fastener. Our approach to marine woodwork is rooted in a simple principle: respect the original craft, and recreate it with care, precision, and fidelity to how it was built.
We create custom wooden boat parts and perform wood restoration work for antique, classic and modern vessels. From rudders, hatchways, and companionway components to custom trim and structural details, we fabricate and restore components designed to match both the original vessel and the demands of the marine environment.
We source the appropriate materials for each application, whether that means white oak, African mahogany, teak, or other durable hardwoods selected for stability, longevity, and resistance to fresh or salt water exposure. Understanding how these materials perform over time is as important as the craftsmanship itself, ensuring that repairs remain both authentic and durable.
Marine work is a newer category for our shop, but not because the skills are new to us. Working with wood has always been at the center of what we do. The same craftsmanship, material knowledge, restoration techniques, and attention to detail that guide our architectural woodwork, furniture, and historic restoration projects naturally translate to wooden boats.
We also take on select wooden hull restoration projects, including structural repairs, plank replacement, and caulking. A custom gantry lift system in our shop allows us to safely support and access smaller classic wooden boats during restoration, making it possible to perform detailed work that requires full structural access.
Not every boat is the right fit for our shop, and every project presents different challenges in size, construction, condition, and scope of work. Hull restoration projects are evaluated individually. If you have a classic wooden boat in need of repair, we welcome a conversation to determine whether it is a good fit for our shop.
We are not trying to become a full-service boatyard. Our focus remains on the wood itself: repairing, replicating, and creating components that are both functional and faithful to the character of the vessel. Whether restoring an original part or fabricating something entirely new, we enjoy helping well-built boats stay on the water and continue their stories for years to come.
Fat Elvis: A Hull Restoration Story
For years, we were occasionally called on by local boat owners to fabricate and restore wooden boat components such as mahogany rudders, hatchways, and other custom marine woodwork. These projects were always a natural extension of what we do—working with wood in demanding environments where precision, material knowledge, and durability matter.
In 2025, that connection became more personal when we purchased our own classic boat, a 1962 Century Coronado. This gull-winged beauty was in excellent condition and initially appeared to be sound. However, once in use, we noticed the bilge running constantly. As newcomers to wooden boat behavior, we initially assumed this was normal for a traditional soak-bottom wooden hull—a vessel designed to take on water and swell tight as part of its natural sealing system. With a bit of investigation and research (we always do our research), it became clear that we were dealing with significant and persistent leak points beyond normal operation.
Once we opened up the stern, we discovered structural rot that required more extensive work than expected. The restoration included fabrication of internal structural elements in white oak, new transom supports, and replacement interior framing. Select hull planking was replaced using African mahogany—the same species used in the original construction. Matching original materials was essential to maintaining the authenticity of the vessel, and preserving the intent of the original build guided every decision.
The entire hull also required removal of old caulking and complete re-caulking of seams. Additional work included repacking the stuffing boxes, restoring the propeller assembly, and installing a new cutless bearing. All structural wood components were treated with penetrating epoxy prior to caulking to stabilize and seal the substrate. Once caulking was complete, seams were faired and the hull received a second coat of penetrating epoxy, followed by traditional copper-based bottom paint.
The result is a structurally sound, fully restored classic wooden hull that prioritizes authenticity and honors original construction methods while ensuring long-term durability.
Rechristened Fat Elvis, she is now happily back on the water, touring Little Sodus Bay on the South Shore of Lake Ontario.
Before & After
