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  • Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock WA Showcases Traditional Small Craft: Rogue River Driver – Right Side Up with Centerline Brace Intact.

    IMG_4916 - Port Hadlock WA - Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding - Traditional Small Craft - Rogue River Driver - right side up - centerline brace not yet removed

    The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is a non-profit vocational school located in Port Hadlock, Washington. Their mission is to teach and preserve the art of wooden boatbuilding and traditional maritime crafts. They build commissioned and speculative boats to US Coast Guard standards while teaching adult students the traditional wood and wood composite boatbuilding skills they will need to work in the marine trades. They also sell boats to help support the school.

    One of the boats they were commissioned to build was an exact replica of the Rogue River Driver, which was commissioned by novelist Zane Grey in 1903 for a trip down the Rogue River in Oregon. The boat was built of redwood and nailed together over a wooden form. It was not intended to last for more than a few trips down the river but for unknown reasons, it was never taken apart after its journey down the river and now remains a historic artifact stored under a rude open shelter deep in a wilderness area.

    Roger Fletcher, who documented the boat in his book “Drift Boats and River Dories”, states that the replica built by the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding had to be strong enough to make it through miles of river travel through Class III rapids to get to the resting place of the original boat.

    The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding can be contacted through their website at www.nwboatschool.org or by calling them at 360-385-4948.

    Posted by Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding on 2014-04-27 14:38:18

  • Adding stiffness through eggcrate construction inside the hull of PT Skiff

    PT Skiff - eggcrate construction inside the hull adds stiffness

    The PT Skiff is a boat designed by Paul Bieker for Russell Brown of PT Watercraft. The first boat was built in 2009 by the Contemporary Boatbuilding class at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. The boat is made using a stitch and glue kit that is CAD/CAM cut by Turnpoint Design in Port Townsend, WA. The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is a vocational school in Port Hadlock, WA that aims to teach and preserve traditional maritime crafts. Their mission is to teach the fine art of wooden boatbuilding. The school can be reached via e-mail or phone.

    Posted by Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding on 2009-01-27 21:48:06

  • “Russell Bates and Caro Clark, Students at Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, Work on Lining Out Frame Locations for 9-Foot Grandy Skiff in Traditional Small Craft Program (GEDC7687)”

    GEDC7687 - Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding - Traditional Small Craft - 9-foot Grandy skiff - lining out frame locations - students Russell Bates (L) and Caro Clark

    The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is a private, accredited non-profit vocational school located in Port Hadlock, Washington. Its mission is to teach and preserve the skills and crafts of fine wooden boatbuilding and other traditional maritime crafts. The school builds both commissioned and speculative boats to US Coast Guard standards while teaching adult students the traditional wood and wood composite boatbuilding skills they will need to work in the marine trades.

    One of the school’s popular boatbuilding projects is the Grandy skiff, which is usually between 9 and 14.5 feet long. The skiffs are lapstrake planked in western red cedar, with sapele stems, keels, and transoms. Frames are White Oak or Black Locust. The boats are built to lines and documentation taken by former instructor Tim Lee, from an original boat owned by The Center For Wooden Boats in Seattle, WA.

    The Grandy Boat Company is the inspiration for the Grandy skiff, and it was formerly located on Lake Union in Seattle, making many hundreds of boats both large and small during a long tenure there from the early 1920s to 1967. A good web page about the company and its boats can be found at home.comcast.net/~btse1/grandy/grandymainpage.htm.

    The school sells the boats it builds to help support the school, and interested parties can reach them via e-mail at info@nwboatschool.org or by calling 360-385-4948.

    Posted by Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding on 2014-05-07 00:28:13

  • Designing Bulkhead Placement for a Sizeable Vessel Using Staving

    Large Craft - laying out bulkhead on staving

    The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, located in Port Hadlock WA, is a private, accredited non-profit vocational school with a mission to preserve the fine art of wooden boatbuilding and traditional maritime crafts. Under the direction of Master Boatbuilder Jeff Hammond, the 2007 Traditional Large Craft class built a Haven 12 1/2 for a client. This design is a popular adaptation of Nathanael Herreshoff’s 1914 daysailor, which was popularized by renowned boat designer Joel White, who passed away in 1997.

    Nathanael Herreshoff, often referred to as “the Wizard of Bristol,” was a remarkable boat designer, and you can read more about him on the Herreshoff Marine Museum’s website. The Haven 12 1/2, a stunning daysailor that draws on Herreshoff’s designs, was an excellent project for the students in the Traditional Large Craft class.

    The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is a unique institution dedicated to preserving and passing on the traditional art of wooden boatbuilding. The school’s mission encompasses more than just boatbuilding, as traditional maritime crafts such as sailmaking, ropework, and woodworking are also taught in its courses.

    The Haven 12 1/2, built by students at the school, is a testament to their skill and dedication to the craft. The boat is a beautiful example of the traditional art of boatbuilding, and it will undoubtedly provide its owner with many years of sailing pleasure. Students at the school not only learn the technical skills necessary to build a boat, but also the craftsmanship, attention to detail, and sense of pride that comes with being a skilled craftsman.

    The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is devoted to providing its students with a solid foundation in traditional boatbuilding techniques. Students learn these techniques by working on real boats, under the guidance of experienced boatbuilders. The school’s instructors are passionate and knowledgeable, and they take the time to work with each student to ensure that they understand the techniques being taught.

    The school’s Traditional Large Craft class is one of its most popular offerings, and it is easy to see why. The class builds large wooden boats, and students get to work on all aspects of the project, from lofting and framing to planking and finishing. The students in this class learn an incredible range of skills, including carpentry, joinery, and woodworking, all of which are necessary to build a wooden boat.

    The Haven 12 1/2 built by the 2007 Traditional Large Craft class is a stunning example of the school’s commitment to traditional boatbuilding techniques. The boat is beautiful and functional, with lines that are both elegant and timeless. The students who worked on the boat gained an incredible amount of experience and knowledge during the process, and the skills they learned will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

    Overall, the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is an essential institution for anyone interested in traditional boatbuilding techniques. The school’s mission is to preserve and pass on the fine art of wooden boatbuilding, and it does so in a way that is both practical and inspiring. The Haven 12 1/2 built by the Traditional Large Craft class is just one example of the incredible work that the school’s students are capable of, and it is a beautiful tribute to the art of wooden boatbuilding.

    Posted by Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding on 2012-12-11 15:23:27

  • Sea Trials Under Oars of Nelson D Gillet-Designed BEACHCOMBER-15 at Small Craft Launch in Port Hadlock WA Hosted by Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding on March 5th, 2014 (IMG_9370).

    IMG_9370 - Port Hadlock WA - Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding - small craft launch March 5th, 2014 - Nelson D Gillet-designed BEACHCOMBER-15 - sea trials under oars

    The Beachcomber Skiff is a classic 15-foot long skiff designed by Nelson D. Gillett in the 1940s for the purpose of carrying crew, passengers, fishing gear, crab pots, and other accessories essential to small farming and coastal fishing families. The boat’s design and construction were detailed in a pamphlet written by Gillett during his time working at a defense plant in the Pacific Northwest.

    The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is a non-profit vocational school located in Port Hadlock, WA, that teaches and preserves the art of wooden boatbuilding and traditional maritime crafts. The school builds commissioned and speculative boats and sells them to support the school and provide students with the necessary skills to work in the marine industry.

    One Beachcomber-15 skiff was built by students under the guidance of instructor Ernie Baird in 2014. The boat is constructed of copper riveted sapele planking and weighs 315 pounds dry, with a weight capacity of 975 pounds for passengers and cargo. It can be rowed or fitted with a small engine, making it an extremely versatile vessel.

    Bunny Hamersla, the daughter of Nelson D. Gillett, was present for the launch of the Beachcomber-15 skiff alongside her family members from Alaska, Washington, and California. The boat’s construction and launch served as a tribute to Gillett’s legacy and the importance of preserving traditional boatbuilding techniques.

    Those interested in having a boat built by the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding can contact the school via email or phone to discuss their needs and preferences. The school takes pride in creating functional and beautiful boats while passing on valuable skills to future generations of boat builders.

    Posted by Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding on 2014-03-06 14:33:50