Boatshop Reports
Captain Rick Franke's monthly Boatshop Reports feature news on new boat builds, maintenance, and boat restorations from area boatbuilders and shops across Maryland and Virginia.
January 10, 2022
As we say goodbye to 2021, it’s tempting to reflect on some of the trends we saw this season.
January 4, 2022
The John D. was designed and built in St. Michaels by the Higgins Yacht Yard in 1981 and used to shuttle guests to and from the The Inn at Perry Cabin.
December 15, 2021
The triumphant Annapolis Boat Shows have come and gone, signifying the end of the boating season.
December 14, 2021
In 2022 an iconic American design, the grandaddy of the modern American runabout, the Boston Whaler, wil
November 17, 2021
The record-setting fall boat shows are behind us, the long lazy days of summer are a fond memory, and
November 9, 2021
Tari-Ann is a 48-foot motorsailer ketch based on the design of Chesapeake buyboats. She was designed and built in Nova Scotia.
October 25, 2021
It’s October and the fall boat show season is just behind us. The second season of the pandemic boating boom was very busy. Supply issues, while not all fixed, are beginning to ease.
September 13, 2021
It seems hard to believe but summer is slowly slipping away.
August 30, 2021
Over the last few years, it seemed as if we had been receiving Boatshop Reports of work being done on a 55-foot 1950
August 9, 2021
As the “new normal” rapidly transitions to the real normal, two themes stand out: the good one is that the boom in interest, and participation in, recreational boating seems to be continuing.
July 12, 2021
It is beginning to look and feel a lot like a normal summer on the Chesapeake.
June 14, 2021
Area boatshops report that demand for their services continues to be strong.
May 6, 2021
Spring has definitely arrived. Boatyards and marinas are buzzing with the beginning of the spring relaunch rush.
April 18, 2021
The design of a modern boat is often a combination of tradition and the demands of a specific trade or lo
April 7, 2021
Spring is an optimistic season. At the time of this writing, winter’s grip has finally loosened.
March 4, 2021
As we make our way through the dark days of winter, there are a few hopeful signs on the horizon.
February 9, 2021
As the tumultuous year 2020 recedes in the rearview mirror, the mood in area boatshops remains optimistic.
December 10, 2020
As winter approaches after this hectic and unprecedented boating season and we look back on 2020, we can all agre