Custom boats built by us
–
-
We currently have room in our schedule
for boats to be built for this coming year.
-
Somes Sound 12 1/2
-
Our goal is to build your boat exactly the way you want,
with the woods, colors, details, and options that you prefer.
Every boat we build is a beautiful, elegant, delightful individual,
designed and built to the highest quality and craftsmanship.
John has been designing and building glued-lapstrake wooden boats
including the boats here on this page and throughout our website
since we began our business, Brooks Boats, in 1992,
and building boats professionally for more than thirty years.
He also has taught classes in the glue-lapstrake method,
fine joinerwork, design, carving, sailing, and other boatbuilding methods
at the WoodenBoat School for more than twenty years.
We’d love to talk to you about your ideas for your boat.
Email reaches us at most hours (including John’s very early ones)
or give us a call; if we’re working in the shop
and miss your call, we’ll call back as soon as we can.
Current designs:
-
8’8” Compass Harbor pram • 12’ Ellen 12 sailing and rowing boat
12’ & 14’ Sundog fisherman’s skiff • DragonFlyer 3.2. sailboat (kit or finished by us)
16’ Merlin fast picnic rowboat • Somes Sound 12 1/2 centerboard sloop
18’ Peregrine fast picnic rowboat • 20’ Rugosa ketch (new design; Rozinante-inspired)
26’ American Folk Boat (new design, first one being built now)
If you don’t see your boat in the group above,
John can begin with a custom design for sail, power, or oar.
Or, we can work with plans you provide.
We have many wonderful customers who have enjoyed years
with their boats we designed and/or built, and they are happy
to provide references and helpful information.
Somes Sound 12 1/2 at the dock
-
Shaping the coaming — Somes Sound 12 1/2
Please see our plans pages and others here on the site
for more photos and details on our designs.
LINKS
-
8’8” Compass Harbor pram • 12’ Ellen 12 sailing and rowing boat
12’ & 14’ Sundog fisherman’s skiff • DragonFlyer 3.2. sailboat (kit or finished by us)
16’ Merlin fast picnic rowboat • Somes Sound 12 1/2 centerboard sloop
18’ Peregrine fast picnic rowboat • 20’ Rugosa ketch (new design; Rozinante-inspired)
26’ American Folk Boat (new design, first one being built now)
-
Ellen 12, finishes done and ready for gunwale guard and rigging
-
The new 26’ American Folk Boat — laying out for the planks.
-
Somes Sound 12 1/2 — first sail
-
Ellen 12 with rig stowed, ready to trailer or tow.
-
Somes Sound 12 1/2
-
Carving detail, rudder — Somes Sound 12 1/2
-
Out for a quiet evening sail — Somes Sound 12 1/2
Astern, our Ellen 12, Iris, temporarily painted half white as model for a WoodenBoat article
on how to tape a waterline. Tape wouldn’t show up on the dark charcoal, so . . . . )
-
John — shaping a Somes Sound 12 1/2 skeg
-
Ruth — oiling the floorboards for a Somes Sound 12 1/2
-
Picking up the mooring — Somes Sound 12 1/2
–
-
DragonFlyer 3.2 — available as kit or finished boats
–
Somes Sound 12 1/2 out with her cousin, a Haven 12 1/2, in WoodenBoat harbor
-
Merlin 16 fast rowing and picnic boat
-
Out on the island — Ellen 12
-
A fine evening — Somes Sound 12 1/2
-
