Welcome to
Craftsmanship
The School serves as a repository of knowledge that is preserved through active practice. Boats built in the program reflect strong craftsmanship - quality construction, efficient methods, and effective project management.
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Pacific Northwest
The Boat School is located in the heart of more than 100 maritime businesses on Port Townsend Bay and surrounded by the stunning natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
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Hands-On Education
In an increasingly digital world, we provide experiential education to teach time-honored skills to new generations of craftspeople.
View ProgramsOur Programs
Traditional Wooden Boatbuilding
This comprehensive program trains students to build a variety of traditionally constructed vessels both large and small.
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Contemporary Wooden Boatbuilding
This program teaches students how to build wooden boats using strip planking, stich-and-glue, plywood, cold molding, and laminating techniques applicable to both small and large vessels.
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Marine Systems
This program covers tasks integral to boat building and repair, such as electrical systems, corrosion, diesel and gas engines, propulsion, hydraulics, marine plumbing, and marine HVAC.
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Who We Are
Welcome to the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding located in Port Hadlock, Washington. The Boat School is an educational institution accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Colleges and Schools (ACCSC), and attracts students from around the world including such countries as Japan, Australia, England, South Korea, Austria, Canada, Taiwan, Ireland, Mexico, Scotland, France and Tanzania.
Founded in 1981, the School has taught traditional and contemporary wooden boatbuilding skills to more than 1,500 students. We offer a full-time 12 month Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) degree in Traditional and Contemporary Wooden Boatbuilding as well as a 6-month diploma program in Marine Systems.
Our Campus
The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is located along the waterfront of the seven-acre Port Hadlock Heritage Campus on…
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Admissions Open House
Virtual Open House: Friday, July 24, 2020 We have moved our scheduled July Open House to an interactive virtual…
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Admissions Process
Enrollment is open for all programs. Students are accepted on a rolling basis so applicants are encouraged to submit…
Read MoreTestimonials
Hands down the most educational I’ve done in my life. It’s led to great things. It definitely made me competitive in the workforce.
Misha Bogart
Class of 2017 & 2019, State of AlaskaHappiness comes from solving problems and boatbuilding is problem solving. The amount of confidence I built was transformational.
Ginny Wilson
Class of 2018, Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-OpI could not have asked for a more fulfilling year and a half at the School. As a student, and then as the Prothero Intern, I learned from incredibly talented instructors and gained a…
Logan Sampson
Class of 2015, Boatbuilding, John's Bay Boat CompanyWooden boatbuilding is challenging and mysterious because you can’t just follow a plan. You have to trust your eye and ability to judge whether something’s going to fit or what needs to happen to…
David Klco
Class of 2016, Van Dam Custom BoatsBoat School gave me the skills, approach, and practical knowledge in one year that many aspiring craftspeople take decades to gain. I left Boat School with great confidence in my abilities to build, solve…
Tucker Piontek
Class of 2017, Haven BoatworksSign up for our E-news
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About Us
Founded in 1981, the school offers a full-time 12 month Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) degree in Traditional and Contemporary Wooden Boatbuilding and a 6-month diploma program in Marine Systems.