The Spaulding Wooden Boat Center, established in 2004 as a living memorial to boat designer and builder Myron Spaulding, has a three-part mission: (1) to preserve the Spaulding Boat Works building on the Sausalito waterfront as a working boatyard and living museum; (2) to restore historically significant wooden boats to active use on San Francisco Bay; and (3) to preserve traditional boat building skills and educate the public about the history and culture of boat building and boating.

Description:
The Spaulding Wooden Boat Center (SWBC) operates in an historical building at the Foot of Gate 5 Road in Sausalito. This boat yard was built in 1951 by legendary sailor, boat designer and builder Myron Spaulding so that he could build his own designs, many of which still ply San Francisco Bay waters.

On site, the Spaulding Boat Works has been maintaining and repairing boats continuously for over 50 years. Beginning in fall, 2007, we will be the home of the well-respected Arques School of Traditional Boatbuilding, which trains apprentices and amateur woodworkers in the craft of plank-on-frame boat building. We are also currently restoring FREDA, the oldest remaining recreational sailing vessel on the west coast - built in Belvedere in 1885. Upon completion, she will be the flagship of our fleet of sailing boats. The current flagship, Polaris - built in 1906, is conducting day sails and youth sail training trips from our docks. Our fleet also includes small boats that can be rented by the public.

SWBC has become one of the premier centers for wooden boat activity on the west coast, and includes activities of four maritime nonprofits: SWBC, the Master Mariner's Benevolent Foundation, the Arques School of Traditional Boatbuilding and the Richardson's Bay Maritime Association.

History:
Myron Spaulding is a Bay Area legend - San Francisco Symphony violinist, champion sailor (victorious skipper of Dorade in the 1936 TransPac race to Hawaii), and self-taught boat designer and builder. He built the Spaulding Boat Works on the Sausalito waterfront in 1951 in order to built his own designs. He operated the Boat Works until his death in 2000 at age 94. His wife, Gladys, left the Boat Works building in trust to be established as a nonprofit memorial to her husband and with a three-part mission: (1) to preserve the Spaulding Boat Works building on the Sausalito waterfront as a working boatyard and living museum; (2) to restore historically significant wooden boats to active use on San Francisco Bay; and (3) to preserve traditional boat building skills and educate the public about the history and culture of boat building and boating. The Spaulding Wooden Boat Center (SWBC) was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity in 2004. SWBC's first restoration project is the FREDA, the oldest remaining recreational sailing vessel on the west coast - built in Belvedere in 1885. The educational mission will be accomplished in part with the arrival in fall, 2007 of the Arques School of Traditional Boatbuilding to SWBC.

Contact people:

Mark Welther, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Michael Wiener, Boat Works Manager, (phone), (email)

Address:

Foot Of Gate 5 Road Sausalito, CA 94965 (See a map)

Directions:

From Hwy 101 South: take the Sausalito/Marin City exit; at the exit, turn left toward Sausalito and proceed under the freeway. At the light, turn right onto Bridgeway. On Bridgeway, the third light is Harbor Drive - turn left (Molly. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: Golden Gate Transit Route 22, 2, 10 or 60, 5 minute walk