Spaulding Wooden Boat Center

What Spaulding Wooden Boat Center does

Spaulding Marine Center (also known as Spaulding Wooden Boat Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a historic boatyard, education hub, and living museum on the Sausalito waterfront at 600 Gate 5 Road, California. Founded in 1951 by Myron Spaulding, a concert violinist and legendary boat designer who won the 1936 TransPac race, the center transitioned to nonprofit status in 2000 following his death and his widow Gladys's charitable trust. The organization stewards Freda, an 1885-built sloop that is the oldest active private wooden sailing yacht on the West Coast, and maintains the Woodrum Library, a community-accessible maritime reference collection of nearly 2,000 volumes.

The center's core operations span five integrated lines: (1) Spaulding Boatworks, a full-service boatyard offering hull repair, bottom painting, electrical, rigging, gelcoat/fiberglass, woodworking, and emerging electric motor conversion (partnered with Electric Yacht); (2) Boatworks 101, an ABYC-registered, 12-month paid apprenticeship now in its fourth cohort that places graduates into the local marine industry; (3) education programs including Summer Sea Camp (ages 10-16, $675 per week), homeschool sailing and woodworking, and adult classes in woodworking, navigation, and boatbuilding ($60-$250 per session); (4) Freda Charters offering public sailing on San Francisco Bay; and (5) event space rental for weddings, corporate retreats, and concerts. The underlying technology is traditional marine craftsmanship combined with conventional boatyard service capabilities, supplemented by a growing electric propulsion installation capability.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model combining boatyard service fees, education tuition, charter fees, event rental income, and a multi-channel donation program (one-time and monthly donations, Friends of Spaulding Circle, corporate sponsorships, donor-advised funds, gifts of stock, charitable gift annuities, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, and bequests). Customer segments are fragmented across individual boat owners, young adult apprentices, youth and families, adult hobbyists, community event guests, and charter guests. Distribution is exclusively direct, with no channel partners or resellers. Geographic reach is confined to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Name

Spaulding Wooden Boat Center

Legal name

Spaulding Marine Center

Website

https://spauldingcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Spaulding Marine Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a historic Sausalito boatyard, marine trade apprenticeship (Boatworks 101), youth and adult maritime education, and charter of the 1885 yacht Freda, serving Bay Area boat owners, apprentices, families, and the maritime heritage community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Boatyard Services

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Outfitting & Interior Refurbishment (TLAKAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accommodation & Interior Outfit (Cabins, Galleys, Sanitary, Furniture) (IMAJAIAF), Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains) (IMAJAIAK), Marine Engineering & Engine Room Operations (EDAOANAB)

Keywords

• Boatyard services
• Marine apprenticeship training
• Wooden boat restoration
• Youth sailing education
• Historic vessel charter

Headquarters

HQ city

Sausalito

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Boatyard Services: Full-service boatyard providing hull repairs, bottom painting, electrical, gelcoat/fiberglass, rigging, systems/equipment, and woodworking/carpentry. Revenue is generated from service fees charged to boat owners for maintenance, repair, and refit work. This revenue directly supports the center's mission and educational programs.
2. Educational Programs: Revenue from paid programming including the Boatworks 101 apprenticeship (paid to apprentices, funded by donors), adult education classes (e.g., woodworking at $250, navigation at $60), youth Summer Sea Camp ($675), and boatbuilding courses. Class tuitions support youth programs and the BW101 apprenticeship.
3. Freda Charters: The historic 1885 sloop Freda operates as a charter vessel, offering the public sailing experiences on San Francisco Bay. Charter fees contribute to the Freda Sustainability Fund and overall center operations.
4. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 75-3079357), the center relies heavily on charitable donations. Multiple giving mechanisms: one-time and monthly donations, the Friends of Spaulding Circle monthly giving program, corporate sponsorships, donor-advised funds, gifts of stock, charitable gift annuities, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, in-kind donations, and bequests/planned giving.
5. Event Space Rental: The historic boatyard and loft spaces are rented for private events including weddings, birthdays, corporate retreats, reunions, concerts, and workshops, providing rental income and community engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Spaulding Marine Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community-centered education hub and historic boatyard on the Sausalito waterfront. It provides full-service boatyard repair and maintenance (hull, rigging, electrical, fiberglass, woodworking, electric motor conversion), an ABYC-registered 12-month paid apprenticeship (Boatworks 101), adult and youth maritime education classes, charters aboard the historic 1885 yacht Freda, event space rental, and operates the Woodrum maritime library.

Product overview

Spaulding Marine Center is a nonprofit community-centered organization operating as a historic boatyard, educational hub, and living museum on the Sausalito waterfront. It offers a full-service boatyard (Spaulding Boatworks) for boat repair and maintenance, the Boatworks 101™ apprenticeship program for marine trade training, adult and youth education including Summer Sea Camp and homeschool programs, Freda Charters aboard a historic sailing yacht, event space rental, and a maritime library. The organization preserves maritime heritage while providing hands-on learning experiences and supporting the working waterfront community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Boatworks 101 Apprenticeship Program: A paid, 12-month apprenticeship program that introduces young adults to the marine trades through hands-on training and an ABYC-registered curriculum, preparing graduates for entry-level careers in the marine industry.
• Freda

Products and services

• Spaulding Boatworks (Full-Service Boatyard) Full-service boatyard offering hull repairs, bottom painting, rigging, electrical, gelcoat/fiberglass, systems/equipment, and woodworking/carpentry services to individual boat owners and vessels ranging from small wooden boats to cruising sailboats. Revenue supports the nonprofit mission.
• Boatworks 101 Apprenticeship Program Paid 12-month apprenticeship covering woodworking, rigging, marine electrical, painting, and metalwork with an ABYC-registered curriculum, placing graduates into entry-level careers in the marine industry. Targets young adults including women and nonbinary individuals from non-traditional backgrounds.
• Adult Education Classes Hands-on educational classes in woodworking, boatbuilding, navigation, rigging, sailing, and electric motor conversion offered to adult learners and hobbyists seeking tangible maker skills. Examples include Galley Cutting Board (2 evenings, $250) and Navigation in the Modern Age (1 session, $60).
• Summer Sea Camp Weekly youth day camp for ages 10-16 combining sailing instruction on Pelican sailboats, woodworking projects, daily lunch, and marine ecology lessons. $675 per child per one-week session with a maximum of 10 campers per week; sibling discounts available.
• Homeschool Sailing and Woodworking Program Semester-long educational program for homeschool students covering sailing, woodworking, and marine science fundamentals at the Sausalito waterfront.
• Freda Charters Public sailing charters aboard Freda, the historic 1885 sloop, on San Francisco Bay. Charter fees contribute to the Freda Sustainability Fund and overall center operations.
• Event Space Rental Rental of the historic boatyard and loft spaces for private events including weddings, birthdays, corporate retreats, reunions, concerts, and workshops. Pricing provided via rental brochure on request.
• Woodrum Library Maritime reference library with nearly 2,000 volumes on boatbuilding, maritime history, sailing, and navigation, supporting the center's educational classes and available to the community during working hours.
• Community Events and Storytelling Series Year-round public events including concerts, lectures, history talks, boat shows, and seasonal celebrations (e.g., 75th Anniversary Summer Party, Winter Open House). Tickets priced from $20-$25 for select ticketed events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates of Boatworks 101 are successfully placed into entry-level careers in the local maritime industry
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Call of the SeacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall of the Sea is a maritime education organization operating aboard schooner Seward. Spaulding partners with Call of the Sea to deliver hands-on sailing experiences for Summer Sea Camp campers, giving Spaulding youth program participants access to larger vessel sailing experiences while Call of the Sea gains co-programming opportunities with Spaulding's camp population.
• Corinthian Yacht Club (CYC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpaulding Marine Center participates in Corinthian Yacht Club events including the Master Mariners Wooden Boat Show, where Freda and Dixie are showcased. CYC provides a venue and audience for Spaulding's public engagement, and Spaulding contributes heritage vessels and community presence to CYC events.
• Sausalito Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSausalito Historical Society co-hosts history talks at Spaulding featuring speakers like Michael Weiner on Myron Spaulding's legacy. The society provides historical expertise and an audience of history enthusiasts, while Spaulding provides the venue and maritime context.
• Sausalito Sustainable Waterfront AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpaulding Marine Center participates in the Sausalito Crab Festival, hosted by the Sausalito Sustainable Waterfront Association, a community event celebrating maritime heritage and the working waterfront.
• Fish Restaurant (Sausalito)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFish Restaurant of Sausalito provides daily lunches for Summer Sea Camp participants, enhancing the camp experience. This is a local community partnership supporting youth programming.
• Modern Sailing SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral and educational partnership: Modern Sailing School in Berkeley prepares sailors for Bay conditions and some students go on to engage with Spaulding for boat services and classes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Apprenticeshop: A Bath, ME-based nonprofit boatbuilding school and community boatyard offering youth and adult programs in traditional boatbuilding, restoration, and seamanship. Direct peer combining vocational training with on-the-water and shop experience in a community-centered model.
• Galilee Harbor: A Sausalito-based nonprofit community sailing center providing waterfront access and on-the-water programming primarily for underserved youth. Direct peer in the Sausalito maritime nonprofit ecosystem with overlapping youth sailing education mission and shared local audience.
• The Landing School: An Arundel, ME-based nonprofit marine vocational school with Associate degree programs in boatbuilding, yacht design, and marine systems. Compares as a direct peer in marine trades education with industry placement focus.
• IYRS School of Technology & Trades: A Newport, RI-based nonprofit marine trades school offering programs in boatbuilding, marine systems, and composites with industry placement. Closely comparable educational mission and apprenticeship structure to Boatworks 101.
• Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding: A Port Townsend, WA-based nonprofit vocational school offering hands-on programs in traditional and contemporary wooden boatbuilding with comparable apprenticeship-style curricula. Direct peer in the wooden boat education and craftsmanship niche, though operating from a different geography.
• Call of the Sea: A Sausalito-based nonprofit maritime education organization operating aboard schooner Seward and co-delivering sailing experiences with Spaulding for Summer Sea Camp. Direct local partner with overlapping youth maritime education programming and shared Bay Area sailing audience.
• WoodenBoat School: A Brooklin, ME-based hands-on boatbuilding and seamanship school run by WoodenBoat magazine, offering immersive multi-day courses for amateurs and professionals. Closely aligned educational model centered on wooden boat craftsmanship and traditional skills.

Broad incumbents

• Mystic Seaport Museum: A Connecticut-based maritime heritage museum encompassing the country's largest sailing vessel collection, an active boatyard (the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard), formal boatbuilding programs, and extensive educational offerings. Larger and broader incumbent combining boatyard, education, and historic preservation in a manner comparable to Spaulding's integrated model.
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum: A Maryland-based maritime heritage museum with an active boatyard, boatbuilding apprentice program, and a historic working fleet. A larger-scale broad incumbent that integrates boatyard operations, maritime apprenticeship, and heritage stewardship comparable to Spaulding's combined education/boatyard/preservation model.
• KKMI Boatworks (Sausalito): A large full-service commercial boatyard on the Sausalito waterfront offering hull repair, rigging, painting, and marine systems for Bay Area boat owners. Operates in the same local market and competes for the same pool of repair customers, but as a larger commercial operator rather than a nonprofit community-centered yard.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spaulding Wooden Boat Center