WoodenBoat

Woodenboat refers to vessels whose hulls are primarily built from timber. The category encompasses a wide range of craft, from small workboats and dinghies to full-sized sailing yachts and historic merchant ships. Wood is valued for its light weight relative to strength, ease of working with hand tools, and aesthetic qualities. Common timbers include oak, pine, cedar, and elm, chosen for durability, weight, and rot resistance. Construction techniques include plank-on-frame methods such as carvel planked hulls, where planks are fastened to a frame, and clinker or lapstrake designs, where planks overlap along the seams. Modern restorations may use traditional copper or bronze fastenings, sometimes supplemented with marine epoxy or other composites to stabilize deteriorated areas while preserving the wooden character.

Maintenance is ongoing and labor-intensive, involving caulking, varnishing or painting, protection from moisture, regular checks for rot and insect damage, and sometimes structural reinforcement. Preservation and restoration communities, boatyards, and museums around the world document and recreate wooden boats, share plans and techniques, and organize events and races that celebrate traditional seamanship.

WoodenBoat is also the name of a prominent American magazine dedicated to wooden boats and related crafts. Founded in the 1970s, it publishes articles on restoration, construction techniques, boat profiles, and historical features, serving builders, restorers, sailors, and collectors. The magazine contributes to public knowledge and appreciation of wooden boat heritage and supports a community of practitioners who uphold traditional boatbuilding skills.