A Wooden Vessel Looking for Its Restoration Team
Most dads love boats—or at least the fantasy of them. Families have stories about boating with dad: adventures that went sideways, weather that surprised everyone, moments of perfect peace on the water. Some stories are good. Some are complicated. But nearly all of them are unforgettable.
Our boat has a long history—and almost none of it involves being wet. Built decades ago with care and intention, it has sat in storage through marriages, moves, careers, and the simple wear of getting by in life. A childhood dream, deferred. A father's project, paused.
The metaphor is inescapable and universal: dreams in storage. Lives redirected. What if we actually finished it?
A wooden vessel with decades of history and authentic craftsmanship. Never launched, but preserved intact. The hull, structural components, original hardware, and mechanical systems all survive.
Condition: Sound hull structure; weathered exterior; original systems intact but requiring restoration.
Arriving September 10th from Albany to Sequim: wooden structural components, original brass fittings, mechanical systems, and specialized boat-building hardware. Everything documented and photographed.
Status: In transit and ready for assessment and work.
This boat carries three generations of connection to the water—from Lake Champlain to maritime heritage to boating culture. It's not just wood and hardware; it's a family legacy waiting to be finished. A story worth telling. A project worth doing right.
This could be a boat school, a heritage organization, a group of amateur builders, a maritime collective, or a professional restoration yard. The right match is more important than the traditional fit.
Most boats either get used or get scrapped. Rarely do you find one that's survived intact without ever serving its purpose, carrying the weight of unfulfilled potential like cargo. This boat is unusual—and so is the opportunity to restore it.
The restoration of Tally Ho—a 1910 gaff-rigged cutter purchased for £1 as a derelict hull—was rebuilt over 6 years (2017–2023) and launched in 2023. Leo Goolden plans to race her in the 2027 Fastnet Race, 100 years after her original victory. English fishing smacks like Excelsior (1921) have been restored to operating condition and now serve as sail-training vessels, proof that historical wooden boats can live again.
Your boat can too.
A restoration like this is a story worth telling—in publications like WoodenBoat Magazine, in documentary form, as it unfolds. It's a narrative about craftsmanship, legacy, dreams, and second chances. A team that takes this on isn't just restoring a boat; they're creating a living story.
If you or your organization have the space, expertise, and passion to restore this boat, we'd like to hear from you.
Send an inquiry to: seaton@surfincubator.com
Include: your restoration experience, available workspace, team composition, and your vision for the boat's future.