Celebrating 20 Years of Boatworks

This year marks 20 years of Islesford Boatworks on Islesford. From the beginning, our mission has been simple and steady: build community with boats by creating hands-on experiences where young people learn real skills and discover what they’re capable of. Along the way, the Blue Duck has become a place for islanders, seasonal families, visitors, and artists to gather, share knowledge, and contribute to something lasting. We hope you’ll join us throughout the year as we celebrate the work, the tradition, and the people behind it.

Celebrate with us!

20th Anniversary Special Events

Twenty years calls for more than one celebration. We’re marking the milestone with a lineup of events all summer long. Come meet up, cheer on friends, and be part of the next chapter.

Jun 27

Unveiling the New Chandlery

We’re transforming the former bathroom space into something useful and lasting, inspired by the island tradition of practical craft and neighborly problem-solving.

Aug 1

The Blue Duck Derby

Hundreds of rubber ducks race to the abutments. Big prizes and bragging rights. Adopt a duck and help fuel the future of Boatworks.

Aug 1

The 20th Anniversary Party

The boat launch and end-of-season party is the Boatworks at its best. For our 20th anniversary, we’re adding a few extra touches to mark the milestone.

Aug 2

Run 20k for our 20th!

It’s our classic half marathon, with a little extra anniversary energy. Technically it’s 20K plus a bit, but we won’t tell if you don’t.

Aug 8

The 2026 Harbor Showdown

Teams will row or sail (no motors allowed) to checkpoints around the harbor, collecting stamps at each stop. It’s part race, part strategy, and all fun.

The Legacy Fund

Blue Duck Expansion & Anchoring Our Future

As Islesford Boatworks celebrates 20 years of building kids with boats, we are launching a generational initiative to strengthen and expand our work across the Cranberry Isles.

The Legacy Fund ensures that our next 20 years are even more impactful than the first — for the islands, for our young people, and for the wide community our work continues to reach.

A Local Program With Global Reach

Though our home is on the Cranberry Isles, the impact of Islesford Boatworks has traveled far beyond the shores of Maine.

Over the past two decades:

Young builders have gone on to become engineers, educators, designers, mariners, scientists, artists, and craftspeople — taking the ethos of IB into careers and communities around the world.
Seasonal families and volunteers have carried the lessons of the Boatworks back to their home towns and countries, sharing our philosophy of hands-on learning, attention to craft, and community collaboration.
Our boats, stories, and teaching approach have inspired programs far from the Cranberry Isles — from youth boatshops modeled on our methods to arts and leadership programs that adopted our “real skills, real trust” foundation.
The Artist in Residence program has connected Islesford to a global creative network, sending island-inspired art, craft, and storytelling to exhibitions, publications, and audiences well beyond Maine.
Alumni and friends of the program now live across the U.S. and internationally, yet remain anchored to the formative experiences they had in the Blue Duck.