Gig Harbor BoatShop Community Classes Teach Hands-On Boat Restoration Skills

Master boatbuilder Tom Regan teaches hands-on restoration and repair each Saturday at the Gig Harbor BoatShop, 3805 Harborview Drive, with sessions running 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; “Saturdays 9am to 5pm | Call (253) 857-9344 to Register.” The program is built around in-shop instruction and project work that puts local boat owners and volunteers at the tools in a space the BoatShop advertises as historic.

The Community Boat Restoration Program lists a string of completed and active projects that demonstrate the shop’s scope: a 15.8-foot Lake George rowing boat built by volunteers, the restoration and electric re-power of two classic Puget Sound motor launches, the A.R. Fisk and the Gaylynn, and the canvas canoe-style Willy Reid, whose restoration began January 30, 2016. The BoatShop notes that the A.R. Fisk shows “before” and “after” the Community Boat Restoration Program, and site photos include the Gaylynn, A.R. Fisk, and the Lake George row boat.

The BoatShop also runs a midweek series aimed at women; GigHarborNow lists the offering as the “Community Boat Restoration Program for Women,” meeting Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon and described as “starting Wednesday, Oct. 11.” Those women-focused sessions cover rebuilding and refinishing techniques and other boat-care tasks, providing a concentrated three-hour window for maintenance skills that the broader Saturday program expands into full-day project experience.

The nonprofit structure underpins the hands-on work. Gig Harbor BoatShop is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN 20-5014377, and the site encourages involvement through membership, donations, volunteering and sponsorship opportunities. The BoatShop’s public pages invite support and participation and connect approved projects to the organization’s Get Involved navigation, “Become a Member, Donate, Volunteer”, which helps sustain tool access, materials and instructor time.

Some restored hulls feed back into the community through the BoatShop’s Livery Program; the site instructs readers to “Go to Boat Rental to learn more about renting these boats through Gig Harbor BoatShop's Livery Program,” indicating an operational link between restoration work and public access. The program’s combination of visible before-and-after restorations, documented project photos, and scheduled public sessions makes repair skills tangible for local owners at a time when Washington counts a large fleet of private vessels.

Programs led by Tom Regan combine traditional joinery and modern updates such as electric re-power to teach practical skills and preserve maritime heritage. With structured Saturdays and focused midweek offerings, the BoatShop aims to convert boat owners into hands-on caretakers while sustaining a volunteer-powered restoration pipeline and a livery that puts restored boats back on Puget Sound. Photo credit for project images: Photo courtesy of Gig Harbor BoatShop.