It's starting to look like a boat! This month we've been designing and building the interior for our redesigned 15' Lobster Boat. There's been a lot of waving our hands at it while discussing different approaches, comparing the original version and talking about what to change vs what to keep. Turning around 3D models on our computers, mocking up cardboard pieces, all to make sure everything flows together nicely. The structure you see taking shape here is temporary, we're building the interior shapes that we want so we can form the molds around them (just like we did for the outer hull). Ultimately that wood structure will be removed so the actual fiberglass seats can be installed into place.

Lobster Boat milestone report -- mold complete! This is a critical juncture when we find out if we did everything right with prepping the plug, waxing it thoroughly and laying down the critical inner layer of the mold (which is the finished surface that ultimately shapes the hull). We're thrilled to report that the mold released cleanly from the plug, and has the glossy, flawless finish we needed. So we can proceed onward to building the hull for the prototype! We're exactly on schedule, pulled the mold on the day before Thanksgiving, and the first hull is in layup right now. Big thanks to the fiberglass shop crew for gettin er done! 💪 #lobsterboat #boatbuilding #gigharbor #ghboats #smallboats #craftsmanship

Lobster Boat plug... DONE! The plug is the most critical piece of the project, since it will be used to make the mold, which will be used for every Lobster Boat boat we make. It needs to be flawless so that the future hulls that come out of the mold will be flawless, too. Check out that shiny mirror finish. *chefs kiss* 🤌 We start building the mold next week!

Want to take your Scamp sailboat out for an overnight camping trip? Or how about creating a nice shady spot to hang out on hot days? Our convertible camping cover can easily be set up in different configurations as your needs change throughout the day. Check this 12' Scamp microcruiser out in person at the Annapolis Sailboat Show Oct 10-14, 2024! Show info at https://ghboats.com/2024/08/annapolis-sailboat-show-oct-10-14-2024/

Falk gives a a quick behind-the-scenes on our redesigned Lobster Boat build! Before we can build a fiberglass boat, we need a mold. And before we can build a mold, we need a "plug"... a perfectly shaped hull to form the mold around. Here Falk shows our work-in-progress on the plug we'll use for the hull mold. Since the hull mold will be used for every future fiberglass Lobster Boat we build, here's lots of detail work in this phase to ensure we end up with a flawless shape. The plug is being built from MDF instead of wood. Since the plug itself will never go in the water, that means we can use this affordable material that you'd never use for the hull of an actual boat. MDF has a consistent density and texture, so we don't have to work around any flaws or knots you'd have in natural wood grain. As a result, fairing the boat into its final shape is much less time consuming than it would be otherwise. Learn more about our 15' Lobster Boat at https://ghboats.com/our-boats/15-maine-lobster-boat/

Katie gives a "Show and Tell" of the 3D design rendering for our new Lobster Boat, coming this summer! Learn more about the redesign and preorder special at https://ghboats.com/2024/06/lobster-boat-update-3-preorders-now-open/

From length to blade shape to materials... we get a lot of questions about oars. Here's how to choose the best oars to suit you and your boat.

This beautiful Melonseed rowboat in classic white features laminated wood trim, slide storage hatches, Forward Facing Rowing System, and tandem sliding seats.

By popular request, Fredrik and Nancy took some video for us about how they use their Beach Rollers with their 17' Salish Voyager sailboat, "Wild Places." The rollers help them pull the boat up above the tide line so they don't wake up to any nasty surprises while they are beach camping in remote areas of Alaska! Here they show their technique for pulling the boat up the beach, including selecting an anchor point on the beach, positioning the rollers, and setting up the pull lines for both low angle and high angle beaches. Our friends at Duckworks are happy to hook you up with your own pair of beach rollers at https://duckworks.com/beach-rollers/. For more information about the Salish Voyager by Gig Harbor Boat Works, see our website at https://ghboats.com/our-boats/17-salish-voyager/

Commonly known as “Dinghy Dogs,” our Inflatable Sponsons turn a traditional dinghy into a super buoyant and stable vessel. Our boats are already quite stable, but if you'll be boating in rough weather or have less-developed sea legs you may appreciate an added layer of stability and protection, especially if you’ll be transporting guests, pets, or children. These Inflatable Sponsons attach to the sides of our traditional dinghies and provide the air-floatation of an inflatable boat, without compromising the performance of the boat’s traditional design. Learn more at https://www.ghboats.com/options/accessories/inflatable-sponsons/

The Scamp is a seaworthy 12' sailboat that can handle a good dose of adventure. Just under 12 feet in length, Scamp boasts an unusual combination of features that give her the unique ability to explore waters too shallow for a larger boat, while retaining most of the bigger boat's comforts and capabilities. An offset centerboard opens up the cockpit and an 8'3" sleeping area, and 172 pounds of water ballast provide exceptional stability. A pair of grounding skegs on her flat bottom keep Scamp perfectly upright when landing on a beach or when the tide goes out. Gig Harbor Boat Works' fiberglass version of this delightful design created by John Welsford is lightweight, durable, and capable of holding all the cargo you need for your next adventure! Learn more about our fiberglass Scamp at https://www.ghboats.com/12-scamp Or if you're interested in buying plans and building your own wood Scamp, our friends at Duckworks have plans at https://duckworks.com/scamp/

A classic "water taxi" from the age of sail, the Whitehall is an exceptionally smooth rowboat. Our version of this timeless design includes an optional sliding rowing seat that makes it a favorite among recreational rowers around the world today. Learn more at https://www.ghboats.com

When is a dinghy more than just a dinghy? When it's easy to row, fun to sail, nice to look at, and makes the journey from ship to shore an event to look forward to! In this video, we compare our three smallest boats so you can find the best design for you -- the 8' Nisqually, 9.5' Captain's Gig, or 10' Navigator. Agile, lightweight, and cute as a button, these boats are easy to transport or tow behind, and dress up your yacht nicely when mounted on your deck or swim step. Learn more at https://www.ghboats.com

A brief introduction to Gig Harbor Boat Works and what we're all about. Learn more about our boats at https://www.ghboats.com.

At long last, our highly-anticipated 17' Salish Voyager is here! This new high-performance rowing and sailing boat is truly made for adventure. As a rowboat, the sliding seats make solo or tandem rowing efficient and comfortable. As a sailboat, the lug rig is easy to set up and provides nimble performance. It's large enough to carry what you need, yet easy for one person to handle -- and the cockpit is even roomy enough that you can sleep aboard. Altogether, the Salish Voyager's design is ideal for exploring waterways like the Salish Sea that inspired us to create it. With ample storage and exceptional seaworthiness, this is the ideal small craft for extended journeys. Learn more at https://ghboats.com/17-salish-voyager/

The new Salish Voyager is nearly complete! Before we finalize the interior, we need to make sure the boat performs as designed under sail and that the daggerboard is exactly where we want it. Once the mold is built, there's no going back! She's temporarily outfitted with the lug rig from our demo 12' Scamp for testing purposes. The Salish Voyager will have a very similar rig to what you see here, with some adjustments to the attachment points, etc. Even unfinished, she sails like a dream! Now that we know where the daggerboard trunk will sit, we can finalize the interior and then we'll have our production mold so we can start filling orders. If all goes well, we should start construction on Salish Voyager #1 in just a few weeks!

The 12' Point Defiance is a traditionally-styled rowing & sailing boat based on a design from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These versatile, forgiving little boats were often used as rental boats off of Point Defiance, where hobbyist fishermen and families would take them out for the day in the famous salmon runs nearby. This area has a lot of strong currents and tidal rips that can surprise a novice rower or sailor, so these boats had to be stable enough to fish in, but also seaworthy enough to manage those conditions. Our modern fiberglass version gives you a great deal of utility in a seaworthy ship-to-shore tender or easy-to-transport daysailer. Learn more at https://www.ghboats.com

People typically row facing backwards because our body anatomy makes it easier to pull the oars through the water rather than push them. When you row facing backwards, you can use the strong muscles in your lower body, back, and shoulders. But the tradeoff is that you can't see where you're going, and continually have to look to either side to keep yourself on course. This means you might end up rowing more strokes than you really need to, tiring yourself or straining your neck in the process. The Forward Facing Rowing System makes it possible to face forward while rowing, using the same motion and strong lower body muscles that you use when you row facing backward. Having your eyes on your destination makes it easier to row in a straight line, saving you physical effort and time. More about the Forward Facing Rowing System at https://www.ghboats.com/forwardrow.

The Lobster Boat is a versatile design from the 1930s that began as a working boat on the coast of Maine. As a rowing and motoring boat with an optional sailing configuration, the Lobster Boat is equally enjoyable under wind or motor power. Learn more at https://www.ghboats.com

The Jersey Skiff and Melonseed share a common lineage as working boats on the Eastern seaboard. Dave Robertson shares the features that made these functional designs so valuable to those who made their living from the sea, and how they've been updated for modern sensibilities. Learn more about these two boats here: Jersey Skiff: https://ghboats.com/our-boats/17-jersey-skiff/ Melonseed: https://ghboats.com/our-boats/165-melonseed/ Can't decide between them? Consider our new 17' Salish Voyager, our most adventure-loving variation that combines aspects of both: https://ghboats.com/our-boats/17-salish-voyager/