Inside One of Maine’s Most Historic Working Shipyards

Jun 3

Inside one of the wooden buildings at Sample’s Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor, hand tools that are more than a century old still hang on the wall as part of a museum exhibit. Some are museum pieces. Others are occasionally taken down and used by the crew working in the yard.

“There are boatyards,” Dennis Gunderson says, “and then there’s this place.”

Gunderson is the general manager of Bristol Marine at Sample’s Shipyard, a historic working waterfront that has serviced vessels along the harbor since 1869. Today, the shipyard is entering a new chapter, one that blends traditional boatbuilding with maritime preservation, public access, and community events.

Over the past year, the crew has been restoring the U.S Brig Niagara, the historic tall ship and official vessel of Pennsylvania. The project touched nearly every part of the boat, from the rigging and masts to the internal structure and decking.

“There aren’t many places in the world still doing this type of work,” Gunderson said.

That craftsmanship is part of what makes the property feel so distinct. Timber-frame buildings overlook the water. Wooden boats sit mid-restoration throughout the yard, while the railway system that has hauled vessels in and out of the harbor for more than 150 years remains in use today. Nearby, historic ship models, maritime artifacts, and collections of traditional tools help tell the story of the shipyard itself.

But Bristol Marine is also trying to make the waterfront feel more accessible to the public. In recent years, the property has quietly become a gathering place during Windjammer Days, hosting waterfront parties, classic boat displays, lobster competitions, fashion shows, and other community events. The team recently added a viewing deck for visitors to watch boat launches, and they are expanding the museum space so that families and cruise ship visitors can better understand the yard's history.

“We wanted people to come through, see the work up close, and understand what happens at a historic working shipyard like this,” Gunderson said.

That philosophy extends beyond tourism. Gunderson says the goal is to preserve the spirit of the shipyard while continuing to invest in the future of Boothbay Harbor’s working waterfront.

“There’s a real commitment to the community here,” he said. “Not just preserving the history of the place, but creating opportunities for people to experience it.”

For Gunderson, who spent years captaining racing yachts before eventually moving ashore to Maine, the draw is simple.

“It’s such a special place to sail,” he said of the coast. “That’s what brought me here.”

Famous For:
Preserving traditional boatbuilding while opening a historic working waterfront to the public.

120 Commercial St, Boothbay Harbor, ME | bristolmarine.com/boothbay-harbor