About Conrad Boatworks

Conrad Boatworks is founded on a love of boats that goes back to a YMCA Indian Guide’s Mom & Me Fall Weekend in 1975 at Camp Soles. Friends and family in boats.

 

The love of boats became a lifetime love when I was graced with the opportunity to row a wooden Pocock pair in the fall of 1987 as a rower at Marietta College.

Since Marietta, boathouses have been my cathedrals and moving boats over water has been my meditation and favorite form of prayer.

After 25 years of racing rowing shells in one form or another, I decided to pursue a lifetime goal building rowing shells. In 2011 I built my first of four Pygmy sea kayaks (Qwalis, Forgiveness, Compassion, and Harmony) and in 2015 I enrolled in Seattle Community College’s Wood Technology Center. From there I converted a Chesapeake Light Craft Nor’Easter Dory (Grace) for rowing and fishing the waters of the Makah Tribe in Neah Bay.

amazing rowing around Alcatraz in custom wooden boats

My capstone study in boatbuilding was the fulfilment of the desire to combine the joy of sea kayaking with my love of rowing. Designing integrated riggers and converting a CLC Expedition Wherry (Patience) for the waters of the Salish Sea and expeditions around the San Juan Islands was my dream boat.

It would be an honor to build a family heirloom boat for you, or have you row and paddle our boats for an epic San Juan Island friends and family expedition.

Conrad BoatWorks Favorites

 

Sound Rowers
http://www.soundrowers.org/

South End Rowing Club
https://serc.com/

Washington Water Trails Association
https://www.wwta.org/

Center for Wooden Boats
https://www.cwb.org/

Northwest Maritime Center
https://nwmaritime.org/

Steve Chapin, Stan Pocock, Frank Cunningham
https://ratislandrowing.com/news/the-pocock-legacy/

Chesapeake Light Craft Expedition Wherry & Annapolis Wherry Tandem
https://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/rowboats/wherries/expedition-wherry.html
https://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/rowboats/wherries/annapolis-wherry-tandem-rowboat.html

Ruud von Heelen, Savo 650D (2x)
https://puuvenepiste.fi/en/boat_savo_650_double.html

Simon Watts Petaluma (1x)
https://www.woodenboat.com/boat-plans-kits/simon-watts-petaluma-rowing-shell

Ian Oughtred’s Snipefish (1x)
http://www.oughtredboats.com/

Clint Chase Drake (1x)
https://www.chase-small-craft.com/drake-raceboat

Ruth Marr, Rowing the World
https://rowingtheworld.com/

Julien Bahain
https://westcoastrowingadventures.com/