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Classic and Antique

Boat Restorations

We love an old boat, the gray skeleton of a battered wooden hull, scarred by wind, water and sun, bleached and broken bones that most would deem scrap wood. We look beyond the flaws that time has rendered to her and see only her graceful lines, careful craftsmanship and our minds immediately go to what it would take to rightfully bring her back to the classic beauty that she once was.

Why restore with Brightside?

  • A combined 80 years of woodworking experience – we’ve seen everything!
  • One of the only antique / classic boat restoration specialists in New England
  • Not just wooden boats! We also work on fiberglass, composite aluminum, and metal
  • Custom solutions
  • Unprecedented attention to detail
  • Highest quality finishes
  • Storage and continuing services
  • Financing available
  • Locally owned and operated in Belgrade Lakes, Maine
  • We love what we do!

Classic Boat Restoration

Your boat is a point of pride and we know how important it is to you because we’ve been helping people with wooden boat restoration for decades. Brightside Marine works closely with each customer because we know your boat is as unique as you. These are no cookie-cutter cutouts but hand-crafted personalized crafts designed to create new memories from years of service.

Classic boat restoration requires more than the right tools and materials—it requires expert knowledge. An understanding of form and function is paramount when undertaking boat restoration. Whether you’ve purchased a boat in need of an overhaul or you want to restore a beautiful lady of the sea to her full glory, Brightside Marine will make your vision a reality.

Wooden Boat Restoration

We know how important your boat is to you. We know that a boat incorporates sound design and construction. Perhaps more importantly, we treat each vessel that comes through our doors as a work of art—some just need a little bit of love to be brought back to their former glory years.

One of the major advantages of entrusting your boat restoration to Brightside Marine is that we know exactly which steps need to be taken from start to finish. We also recognize that in some cases, a boat owner may come to us for help with a specific aspect of their restoration in which they don’t have the resources or expertise to do it themselves. In these cases, Brightside Marine will take the conn and work with you to bring your vessel to its fullest potential.

We treat each vessel that comes through our doors as a work of art—some just need a little bit of love to be brought back to their former glory years.

Experience You Can Trust

Another advantage is our team’s accumulated experience. Brightside Marine has expertly performed hundreds of antique boat restorations – we know the nuances of boat building, especially antique boat restorations. Our staff is also familiar with the latest equipment for boats and we can add virtually any modern amenities that your craft may not have had originally equipped back in her younger years (who would have thought that a Bluetooth-enabled stereo wasn’t stock on a 1935 Chris Craft?!).

There are many factors involved in restoring wooden boats. A savvy boat owner may decide to attempt a classic boat restoration themselves. However, they may not consider factors such as proper boat storage, acquiring the right equipment, or understanding what requirements may be imposed by their insurer. These are the types of mistakes that can quickly lead to frustration, and worse, unanticipated expenses.

Expert Service

Brightside Marine has an expert staff who keep up to date with the latest developments in wooden boat restoration, while tastefully honoring the traditions that make our wooden boats true classics.

We have the latest tools and equipment to ensure your restoration is second to none. When it comes to antique boat restorations, Brightside Maine strives to ensure that your boat looks like it did when it first splashed the water.

Take a look at the gallery below where we have examples of wooden boat restorations of various shapes, sizes, and ages. We don’t discriminate! Whether you need to replace a transform, replace an engine, or go with a full restoration, Brightside Marine is here to help with your classic boat restoration. Get in touch and let’s talk boats!

Financing Available

Featured Project:

1963 Old Town

Four Gulls, a 1963 16′ Old Town outboard runabout is in for a keel up restoration over the winter! This pretty little bit of floating Maine history is owned by the Rob and Susan Spofford of Cohasset, Massachusetts. Four Gulls is so named in honor of their four daughters.

Featured Project:

1934 Chris Craft

This 1934 18′ Chris Craft Runabout owned by Grant Spate of Vermont, came in this fall for a new bottom and some additional work. Dark Amber’s name is derived from the Spate family’s love of sugaring. We love the graceful lines of this period and it is a pleasure to have Dark Amber in the shop!

From Our Shop to Your Shore

A peek behind the scenes

Let’s talk boats!

Get in touch today