Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2024

Abbey Boat Builder.
Fight or Float
A story of true grit, passion beyond reason, scuffed knuckles, bruised knees and broken hearts.

Abbey started her career as an apprentice, following a fascinating but not easy childhood, homeschooled and sent to the wild by devoted and adoring parents. Exploring England to find what made her tick. She eventually found herself climbing the ranks of a prestigious boat yard on the River Thames in London where she lived and worked on the water. Being guided by a gruff father and son team who over the years carved her into somewhat of a boatbuilding machine. Living, training and learning the craft in a highly stressed and pressured commercial setting that had both bills to pay and excellence to deliver gave Abbey the drive and ‘fight’ to see the industry beyond its often dreamy fantasy… today she runs a busy yard. Taking on ambitious restorations, with her heart set on building an empire and training a small army of apprentices with a focus on capturing their passion early, regardless of their background, class or gender.