PLACES
Photos by Alison Langley
Alec Brainerd speaks about classic wooden boats with a mix of philosophy, practical experience and business sense. As founder and owner of Artisan Boatworks in Rockport, Maine, he oversees a shop that builds, restores and maintains wooden vessels with an emphasis on craftsmanship and historical fidelity. The shop has become particularly noted for carefully executed replicas of classic daysailers, especially designs by Nathanael G. Herreshoff.
The attraction of wooden boats goes beyond nostalgia. Their lines, the sheen of varnished wood, the scent of cedar and teak, the tactile feel of hand-fitted joinery and the graceful motion under sail all combine to create an experience many owners consider irreplaceable. Even through economic cycles, interest in well-built wooden boats persists; for Brainerd and others in the field, demand has remained steady because the boats are as much art as transportation. Artisan Boatworks balances aesthetic priorities with durable construction techniques so that vessels look authentic while standing up to regular use.
Brainerd’s approach highlights two complementary aims: respect for historical design and openness to improvements that enhance safety, longevity and ease of ownership. In restorations, the goal is often to return a boat to its original character, honoring the choices of the original designer and owner. In new builds, clients can commission faithful, museum-quality replicas or request thoughtful updates that retain classic lines while taking advantage of modern materials and methods. The shop’s philosophy is simple and uncompromising: whether replicating a century-old daysailer or building a contemporary interpretation, the craft must be excellent and the result must be beautiful. “You don’t want to build anything ugly,” Brainerd says.
One example of that philosophy is Murmur, a modified Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 15 built by Artisan Boatworks for Bernie Gustin, a retired management consultant from Newport, R.I. Murmur is a cedar-planked sloop derived from Flicker, a 1907 variant of Herreshoff’s original 1898 Buzzards Bay design. While Murmur preserves the classic silhouette and sailing character of the earlier boats, she incorporates several purposeful changes that make her better suited to modern practical use.
Unlike many daysailers that use a centerboard, Murmur carries a full keel, which contributes to directional stability and a traditional underwater profile. The boat also features more lead ballast and heavier scantlings than the original plans, increasing overall stiffness and safety under sail. In an effort to reduce maintenance and improve dimensional stability, Artisan Boatworks substituted laminated mahogany for the solid white oak that would have been used historically for the backbone and keel. Laminated wood resists warping and seasonal movement better than single-piece timbers. Inside the hull, mahogany bulkheads are epoxy-bonded for strength and longevity.
Brainerd and his team also modernized the rig. Murmur’s mast is built from glued, laminated sections rather than a single heavy spar. The hollow, glued mast is roughly 40 percent lighter than a comparable solid wood mast while delivering greater strength and stiffness; the lighter rig reduces weight aloft and improves handling. The rig design eliminates the need for running backstays, simplifying sail handling and making the boat more manageable for a small crew or singlehanded sailing.
These changes illustrate the shop’s pragmatic approach: respect the original design language while using contemporary materials and construction techniques to improve performance, reduce maintenance and extend the life of the boat. Clients working with Artisan Boatworks have the option to choose a historically exact rebuild or a thoughtfully updated interpretation—each choice tailored to how the boat will be used and how true the owner wants the restoration to be to the original.
Artisan Boatworks combines traditional woodworking skills with modern adhesives, laminates and structural practices to deliver wooden boats that look authentic and perform reliably. For those who value beauty, craftsmanship and a connection to maritime history, well-built wooden boats remain highly desirable—not merely as objects of nostalgia, but as finely crafted, functional vessels that reward ownership with enduring satisfaction.
This article originally appeared in the August 2011 issue.