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Everything You Wanted to Know About
Northern Yacht Restoration
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What is Northern Yacht Restoration?
a brief history
I suppose the proper question would more accurately be who is
Northern Yacht Restoration, since I am the sole employee. When
you call or email NYR, I am the person you
will talk or write to; I am the guy who sands the boats, builds the
woodwork, paints the decks, installs the systems, pays the bills,
sends the invoices, and maintains this website and other websites.
[
Check out some related sites>>> ]
My love for boats began in 1976, when
I was 9 years old. My parents moved the family to Maine and
bought a Pearson 30, on which I raced and cruised for several years
before my dad bought a C&C 40 in 1980. We had a backyard pool
in the early days after moving to Maine, and I used to float a small
fleet of homemade boats on moorings that I made from bricks and
string and bits of styrofoam. I even had a small dock and
boatyard along the edge where I'd haul these boats out for "repair".
So is it any wonder that I would eventually turn to a career in
boats? |
 Over
the years, I picked up boating and maintenance knowledge by osmosis,
and the passion for boats became stronger and stronger. I cut
my teeth in the boatbuilding world with a stint at The Hinckley
Company shortly after graduating from Maine Maritime, and then moved
on to work in the management team at two separate Portland, ME area
marinas and boatyards before striking out on my own in 1994 and
becoming a marine surveyor, a business I ran for over 10 years.
The marine survey business taught me a lot about what should
be--and, more importantly, shouldn't be--the standards of
construction and systems installation found on any boat.
After a couple years of enjoying
Glissando,
my rebuilt Pearson Triton, I realized that I missed the projects and
decided to seek out another project. Having admired the
sailing qualities and pleasing shape of the hull of my Triton, I
thought it might be fun to convert a derelict Triton into an
open-cockpit daysailer. I eventually found a candidate Triton
in such poor condition that I never had qualms about forever
changing the boat with my modifications. After buying the hulk
in late 2002, I formed Northern Yacht Restoration to support the
construction, marketing, and sale of this speculation project. |
 After
much of a year working outside on the boat, I came to the conclusion
that I needed a shop in order to construct her properly.
So with my wife's blessing--urging, really--I built a 30' x 40' shop
in the back yard, and moved the empty hull inside in late 2003. With
the
new shop purpose-built for the business, I forged ahead with the
construction of the Daysailor, which I hoped would help launch my
enterprise when she eventually sold. Along the way, I worked
on several other boats to fill out my repertoire.
[
Check out a listing of some
of the other projects I've worked on>>> ] |
 During a 2-year construction period
between 2003 and 2005, I completed this signature project. The classic styling cues, a huge open cockpit,
high-end systems, diesel engine, and
abundant varnished mahogany trim made her a truly unique offering.
After launching the boat for sea trials in August 2005, I found that
reaction to her appearance was extremely positive, and by October I
had negotiated to sell the boat to a discriminating buyer.
[
Click here
to view a detailed website covering the construction of The
Daysailor>>> ]
In 2005, we bought 50 acres of
hayfield and woods in central Maine, and I built a new, larger shop
and a log cabin on the property. The new shop is twice the
size of the original shop, and is optimized for the sort of custom
projects that I do, with three separate bays--two for boats and a
third housing the woodshop and workroom.
[
Click here to tour the new shop>>> ] |
What is the
Northern Yacht Difference?
or: why
you should hire me
What is it about us that
causes boatowners from locations as far away as New Mexico to bring
their boats to NYR for restoration? Why wouldn't you choose to
keep your boat closer to home and have the local boatyard work on
her?I think there are a
number of great reasons to bring the boat to me. Here they
are:
- Personal Attention
Your boat isn't just another job to me. I'll treat
your boat as if she were mine (or maybe even better). I
get excited about the project just the way you do, and this
personal connection helps make the project an even greater
success.
- Value
As a one-man shop, NYR avoids many of the expensive hassles that
larger yards have to deal with. I can pass these savings
along to you with a lower hourly rate than the fancy yards.
But you'll get a first-class job using only the highest quality
materials, coupled with all the advice--directly related to the
project or otherwise--that I can give you based on my
experience.
-
 The
Details
In the end, it's all about the attention to detail. I want
your boat to be beautiful and structurally sound, and you can
bet I'll do what I need to to ensure that outcome. The big
picture is important, but little details like labeled wiring,
carefully clamped hoses, rubberized clamp band ends, painted
bilges and lockers, and meticulous installations--even in those
hidden places--make all the difference. Let me show you
how these details can make your project be a step above.
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- Involvement in the
Entire Process
Working alone, I do it all, from the grunt work like grinding
and sanding, to priming and painting, to systems design and
installation, to repowering and woodwork. This enhances the
personal connection I have with your boat--heck, I'll likely be
crawling into places you've never even been. Plus, you get my
undivided attention to answer your questions, offer advice, or
discuss any aspect of your project--or even a possible project.
And I do the ordering, billing, and administrative work too, so
you can be sure it's all accounted for properly.
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-
 Progress
Updates and Communication
Have you ever been frustrated because the person or business you
hired won't or can't give you continual updates on the progress,
or seems to withhold information as if the process of working on
your possession was somehow a secret?
That won't happen with me. I document the process
thoroughly with photographs, commentary, and hours counts, all
right here on the web for you to view at your convenience.
While I find that other boaters with similar interests are
frequently interested in viewing this sort of documentation--in
fact, perhaps an existing project of mine is what led you here
in the first place--it is entirely your option whether to make
your project public, available with a link from this website, or
to keep it private for your own viewing only. Or, we can
dispense with the online documentation entirely; it's your
choice.
[
Click here to view an ongoing project documentation site>>>
]
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Best wishes,
Tim Lackey |
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