New and Used Wooden Boats for Sale

Wooden boats are timeless and often elegant, whether it’s a traditional sailboat or a sleek motorboat. Both new and used wooden boats honor age-old seafaring traditions, as well as offering one of the smoothest rides of any boat. Search for wooden boats for sale by style, age, price point, or length to find the perfect one.

Main Characteristics of Wooden Boats

Wooden boats have always held a special place in sailor’s hearts, and they’re steeped in tradition and heritage. Wooden boats come in all styles and sizes, from tiny wooden rowboats up to ocean-going galleons. While materials such as fiberglass and aluminum are today most widely used in boat-building, there are still manufacturers building new wooden boats combined with modern technology and engineering. And with classic models to be found on the used market, owning a wooden boat is certainly achievable.

While wooden boats often need considerably more maintenance than those built of other materials, they are renowned for offering a soft ride thanks to the natural shock absorbing and flexible properties of timbers such as teak and mahogany. The interior of a large wooden boat can also be much quieter than composite or aluminum boats going through the waves.

Types of Wooden Boats

Wooden Sailboat

Wooden sailboats run the gamut of styles and sizes, from 12-foot sloop to large cutter and everything in between. While the majority of wooden sailboats today are classics, there are still some companies building new models including boats ranging up to superyacht size (100 feet long) using a combination of cold-molded/epoxy wood construction with judicious use of carbon fiber. Large ocean-going cruising yachts will have cabins, galleys, and heads, as well as navigation equipment, while gaffers, with their long bowsprit, and sporty keelboats are typically day cruisers or racers.

Wooden Runabout

Sleek and elegant, wooden sport boats or runabouts glide effortlessly across lakes such as Michigan, Como, and the French Riviera. Whether made by Riva, Chris-Craft, or others, they are head-turners reminiscent of classic cars, often with twin or triple cockpits, long, slim lines, and high-end finishings and leather upholstery. Modern versions can be combined with electric engines for a quieter, smoother ride.

Wooden Cabin Boat

Wooden cabin cruisers were popular styles in the early 1900s, with brands such as Chris-Craft building models around 28 feet that allowed for protection from the elements in the small cabin. Other types, such as small clinker cabin boats can be found all over the world and are especially traditional in the Mediterranean countries where they were built as (and are often still used as) coastal fishing boats. They are ideal for coastal cruising as well as being popular features on rivers and inland waters.

Wooden Trawler Boat

Today trawler boats offer stability and comfort, with plenty of interior space and excellent long-range seakeeping abilities. Classic wooden trawler yachts are a slice of heritage, harking from a time when they were used as fishing vessels designed to withstand harsh sea conditions. Today they are often sought after as liveaboard vessels due to their modest prices, albeit a large amount of maintenance may be required.

Best Wooden Boat Brands

Wooden boats fall into two broad categories; classic models and new-build boats. Classic or used wooden boats can be highly collectible, especially those from prominent boat-builders. Brands such as Chris-Craft, who are still in operation today with their selection of luxury fiberglass bowriders and sports boats, were once one of the most highly regarded builders of wooden motorboats in the early 1900s. Century Boat’s classic mahogany runabout inboards are sought-after too, as are Italian brand Riva’s classic wooden models. When it comes to classic wooden sailboats brands such as Spirit and Herreshoff stand out.

There are a few dedicated brands still building wooden boats combined with modern engineering and innovation. Swiss brand Boesch builds a range of exquisite sports boats (some with electric engines), as do HackerCraft with their timeless sport and racer models. Other brands include Streblow, Grand Craft, and Shearline, whose unique range of custom wooden sportfishing boats stand out from the crowd. When it comes to new wooden sailboats, brands such as British-based Spirit Yachts, Artisan Boatworks (Maine), and Working Sail are just a handful of brands keeping the centuries-old traditions alive.

Why Choose a Wooden Boat?

The main reason to own a wooden boat is to honor the traditions it represents, and to be part of a group of people preserving that centuries-old seafaring heritage. They are often beautiful vessels, can offer a smooth ride, and turn heads wherever they go. It’s important to keep in mind that wooden boats need a lot more upkeep and maintenance than boats built from modern materials, and they also cost considerably more to purchase and insure.

Should I Buy a Wooden Boat?

Wooden boats are a commitment, and owning one involves ensuring it is well-looked after and has a very regular maintenance schedule. There is a prestige and joy that comes with owning such a beautiful and timeless vessel, but wooden boats, whether new or used, are best suited to experienced boat owners and not ideal first-time boats unless DIY work already comes easily to you.

This article was written by Samantha Wilson in February 2024.