In Lunenburg, N.S., boatbuilders carve out niche markets in challenging times

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LUNENBURG — At a wharf where oceangoing yachts tie up for repairs, Paul Baskett — a boatbuilder and owner of Lunenburg’s Old Town Boatworks — says his craft is showing signs of renewal amid challenging times.

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“Lunenburg in the boatbuilding repair world is bustling,” he said, standing alongside a varnished wooden mast from a vintage sloop he’s carefully restoring.

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Baskett, 53, came to the community to be part of what he called “the working waterfront” about 20 years ago, after becoming an avid sailor in his teenage years, and apprenticing as a shipwright in England.

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But survival in this industry hasn’t been easy in recent years, as boatyards have had to shift to a creative mix of filling niche markets — ranging from rebuilding classic sailing yachts to fabricating uncrewed vessels with laser-cut sheets of aluminum.

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Twenty-three years ago, a 2002 study for the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association noted, “this sector has the potential to create significant benefits for rural Nova Scotia. From a strategic planning perspective … the sector is a star performer.”

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However, Transport Canada data compiled by the association shows new vessel registration in the province peaked around 2003 at about 200 boats and declined to less than 50 boats in 2023. Boatbuilders have moved increasingly to repairs and refits as new construction lagged.

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Jan Fullerton, executive director of the association, said in a recent email the hurdles have included rising costs during the pandemic, persistent labour shortages and increasing regulatory requirements.

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Lately, there’s also been the rise of tariffs and trade barriers, which “impacts manufacturing costs (and) … affects the affordability of custom and semi-custom boats,” she adds.

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But part of the answer appears to lie in combining the town’s favourable geography with its reputation as a hub for marine industry expertise.

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“Lunenburg is on the way to everywhere if you’re on a boat,” said Baskett. “This is where people stop in.”

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Last week at his dock, the arrival of a seagoing yacht from the southern Caribbean drew a network of boatbuilding tradespeople, including riggers, sailmakers, diesel mechanics, marine electricians and shipwrights.

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The specialists will spend months refinishing teak wood decks, adjusting stays and upgrading sails. Baskett says each job varies in scope and revenues, with some bringing in $80,000 over a few months, while larger jobs may provide up to $2 million to the local tradespeople over two years.

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“The money all stays in (Lunenburg) county. It’s quite amazing actually,” he added.

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As he speaks, Doug Theobalds, a retiree who spent about 30 years in the marine paint and varnish industry in Maine, strolls into the yard where he has several wooden boats being meticulously restored.

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Theobolds said he expects repairs to his William Fife III double-ended sloop — named for the Scottish boat designer who conceived its elegant proportions in 1938 — will be true to the first version of the yacht.