Sailboat Repair

Before outboard motors became ubiquitous, kids growing up near the water learned to row or sail skiffs at about the same age the training wheels came off their bikes. Whether your small boat is for fishing, transportation, competition or just enjoying a summer evening in good company, Saratoga Small Craft offers skillful small sailboat repairs and restoration.

Wooden boats

Why do we love wooden boats so much? Maybe it’s the pleasure of contemplating the boatbuilder’s skill in crafting each piece of wood and joining them artfully into a single, tight structure. Maybe it’s the extraordinary shine and smoothness wood is capable of achieving. Maybe it’s the spirit of the living wood that resides in each boat’s frame.

There are fewer of these lovely boats on the water these days, replaced by lighter, sturdier, less expensive and lower maintenance materials. We celebrate the romance of the wooden vessel and strive to contribute to the longevity and appeal of yours.

Normal use flexes, twists, stretches and strains a wooden boat’s carefully crafted joints, leading to a loss of tightness and stiffness over time. Swells lift the hull unevenly, forcing the sides apart a little at a time. Waves that come at an angle torque the hull forward and the stern aft. Every pound of cargo and passenger weight adds to the strain on the rigging as you sail. Hoisting it for winter storage and transporting it on a trailer can cause not only visible dings, but also increased moisture penetration and flexibility. A flexible boat absorbs power, making it harder to push through the water.

Saratoga Small Craft is skilled at restoring your wooden boat to its original rigidity and watertightness, as well as at adding finishes more beautiful than the original. We are certified small craft repairmen with West System Epoxy and experts at creating durable and brilliant finishes with Awlgrip, gelcoats, polyester and vinylester resins. We work with all nautical woods, including oak, cedar, cherry and mahogany.

From regular maintenance of caulked joints to accident and dry rot repair, contact us to bring back beauty and security to your sail.

Fiberglass and composite sailboat repair

Even if it is well above the waterline, broken frayed fiberglass is not just an aesthetic concern. Worrying about the sea-worthiness of your small sailboat or competitive sailing skiff takes some of the joy out of the wind. One of the advantages of fiberglass is its repairability. At Saratoga Small Craft, we don’t just graft lumpy Band-Aids to your dents, dings and gouges. We heal them from the inside with glass fabric, epoxy resin, skill and care. When we’re done, the new skin is as strong as ever and undetectable. Get rid of the rot in your transom, the weakness in your rigging and the butt scrapers in your rowing station. Call us for evaluation of your small craft.