Do you dream of rowing your family in a boat you have helped build?  Do you want to experience the joy of paddling your own canoe? We have a suggestion. Read on!

Building traditional wooden boats is in the DNA of the VCB. From its inception, the Village Community Boathouse has taken pride in building the boats that we row around the harbor every week. These are mostly large 25-foot, four-oared Whitehall gigs. But we also build smaller dories and kayaks and prams and canoes. All are graceful, safe and sturdy. All are constructed by volunteers working with experienced boat builders in our boathouse on Pier 40. 

While our desire to build more boats is unlimited, our space to store them is not. That’s where you come in. We are looking for groups or individuals who would like to commission — and help build — a beautiful wooden watercraft for themselves. We will work with you to pick a design, find the best materials, set up a form, construct the hull, and trim it all out shipshape. You will be responsible for purchasing the materials and making a modest donation to VCB. The end result will be a one-of-a-kind wooden boat for you to use, enjoy and take pride in. An equally important result might be getting to spend many hours working on a project with a happy and engaged crew of fellow New Yorkers. 

If this sound intriguing, please drop us a line or come by the boathouse any Wednesday or Sunday afternoon and speak with us. We have discovered that there is something magical about wooden boats, and we would like to share that magic with you.