Gig Harbor Boat Works: Traditional Rowing and Sailing Skiffs Built for Today

Small boats built at Gig Harbor Boat Works feel like a meaningful return to an older, simpler style of boating—and they may point to a future that values practicality and craftsmanship. Located on southern Puget Sound in Gig Harbor, Washington, the shop produces classic rowing and sailing skiffs that blend time-tested design with careful modern construction.

I visited Gig Harbor to try one of the Pacific Northwest–built rowing/sailing skiffs. As someone who long dismissed rowing as “sitting down and going backward as fast as you can,” I was ready for a change of opinion.

Rowing and sailing have been paired for centuries, well before internal combustion engines existed, so these boats feel instantly familiar. Gig Harbor Boat Works sits in a tranquil neighborhood off Peacock Hill Avenue. The operation projects the warmth of a family-run workshop: founder Dave Robertson, his son-in-law Falk Bock and two other craftsmen turn out roughly 100 handcrafted small boats a year. They range from 8 to 17 feet and are sold nationwide and overseas, largely through word of mouth and online presence.

The lineup includes classic types such as the Jersey Skiff, Whitehall, New England dory, Melonseed, Maine lobster boat, and a variety of tenders with a whimsical touch. “It’s a niche industry,” Robertson says. “There are perhaps 10 manufacturers in North America who are serious about this business and committed to craftsmanship.” The commitment shows in hand-laid laminates, thoughtful practical details, high-quality kit components and well-designed sails that update a traditional way of boating without losing its essential simplicity.

Simplicity and versatility guide the design. Every model can be rowed; most can be sailed; and many are configured to accept a small gasoline outboard or a rudder-mounted electric drive. What makes these boats distinctive is how well they do multiple tasks. Sliding bench seats roll on bespoke wheels set into grooves atop the buoyancy tanks, and for sailing the seats lock in place with pins. Are these rowboats that sail, or sailboats that row? Robertson’s answer is pragmatic: “They are what you want them to be, because they do both well.”

Designing a boat that rows efficiently and sails comfortably requires careful compromise. Efficient rowing favors a narrow, low-immersed hull, while comfortable, dry sailing calls for more freeboard and beam. Robertson works in the space between those extremes, resisting the label “hybrid” and instead emphasizing two enduring qualities: versatility and straightforwardness.

Robertson left a corporate career to turn a lifelong hobby—he started building small boats in his garage at age 12—into a livelihood. He intentionally avoids what he calls the modern “creep of technology,” choosing to emphasize muscle power and wind as primary propulsion. The boats are light enough to trailer behind a compact car and are designed for everything from a short row across a harbor to a day sail or a multi-day excursion.

Many customers are experienced paddlers or sailors looking to simplify; Robertson jokes that they are often “reformed kayakers” who have learned their preferences and come to the shop with clear ideas. Few buyers are complete novices—these boats tend to attract people who already love being on the water.

On the day I visited, we launched a 17-foot Jersey Skiff fitted with a sliding bench, oarlocks and a compact sailing rig. The rigging assembled quickly: a two-part aluminum mast, tie-down shrouds secured to hull cleats and custom mast hoops that attach the sail’s luff to the spar. We shoved off, lowered the centerboard and trimmed the sails. The skiff heeled gently and made steady hull speed, the lapstrake-style fiberglass hull thumping softly with each wave.

Near the shore the incoming tidal flow slowed progress, so we shifted modes. We furled the jib, doused the main and shipped the oars. With my feet braced at the footstop and the sliding seat working in sync with my legs, I felt the boat accelerate efficiently. When my stroke timing matched the motion of the seat, the power from my legs drove the skiff nearly as fast as a cruising boat running under power on a parallel course. That performance reflects lightweight composite construction (the skiff weighed about 360 pounds) and a hull with a fine entry and clean exit, a shape refined over centuries for purposes like fishing, surf rescue and even long passages.

Our modest aim was to outrun a strong current and exit the bay, which made for satisfying exercise without harsh strain on the back. As we cleared the sand spit and pushed toward the Tacoma Narrows, conditions became turbulent and rowing close to shore offered the best progress. On the return trip we set sail again and enjoyed a swift, peaceful glide back toward town, passing many larger cruising boats idle at their moorings—evidence, Robertson notes, of modern life’s scheduling pressures and shifting priorities.

Rowing and sailing a small, well-built boat feels like a nod to the past, but it also meets contemporary needs: light trailering, straightforward maintenance, and the joy of propulsion powered by wind and human effort. For anyone seeking a simple, capable craft crafted with care, the skiffs from Gig Harbor Boat Works offer a compelling blend of tradition and usefulness.

This article originally appeared in the Home Waters section of the August 2010 issue.