Summer 2025 Registration is now open!

Building Kids
with Boats

Building Community
with Boats

Building Opportunity
with Boats

Building a Future
for Maine's Working Waterfront

Welcome to Islesford Boatworks! We’re a non-profit community-based boatbuilding program for folks of all ages situated on Little Cranberry Island, Maine. Through our programs, services and events, we strive to accomplish our mission to build opportunity, community, and a future for Maine’s working waterfront.

Summer Youth Boatbuilding

We offer three different levels of programs, teaching kids from 7-17 the fundamentals of boatbuilding. Working together, we [launch a new boat] at the end of the summer.

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Community Events

Music jams, lecture series, our morning coffee club, ladies night and more, we have events for all ages and interests. All our events are free and open to all.

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Maker's Night

Too young for our boat building programs? No problem! Kids 4 and up can join us on Maker’s Night, where we learn shop safety and tool basics by creating fun crafts.

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School Year Woodworking

Serving our local K-8 school, kids join us weekly in the shop as part of their school day, where we provide real world applications to support concepts taught in the classroom.

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Community-based Boatbuilding on Little Cranberry Island, Maine

More than just boatbuilding, we serve as a community hub providing a place for all ages to gather, to share, and to learn throughout the year.

In 2018, Islesford Boatworks moved into its new home on the shore, The Blue Duck, a historic waterfront building from 1852 that had been derelict for many years and was brought back to life for Boatworks through community support.

Each summer we launch a new boat, built with the combined efforts of our island’s kids and adults. From supporting the working waterfront, providing access to our waterways, to preserving local history, all of our boats serve the community in some way.

The Courtney Cup is a summer-long ongoing rowing competition inspired by island legend, Courtney Chaplin and his love of boating and rowing. The Cup is open to anyone and everyone of any age and skill level.

Help us build

Islesford Boatworks is a passionate community of supporters, neighbors, and friends; we are family. Thank you in advance for your donation of time, money, encouragement & support. We couldn’t do it without you!

Volunteer

We are always looking for volunteers to join us in the shop, either during classes with our students or behind the scenes helping with prep work. We also need help coordinating our community events and making improvements to our waterfront home.

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Make a donation

You can make a huge impact in our organization and community. Your donation keeps the lights on, tools running and ensures everyone can participate. If you are able to support IB financially, we truly appreciate it. We wouldn’t be here without your support.

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Support the Chandlery

Our Chandlery is more than a hardware store. We sell handmade wood crafts, unique items and IB Merch, all in support of our programming. You can help through shopping at our chandlery, or by donate items for us to sell.

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