Situated on Vineyard Sound in Vineyard Haven harbor is a small but flourishing boatyard whose mission--and passion--is designing, building, repairing, maintaining and sailing wooden boats.

Established in 1980 by Nat Benjamin and Ross Gannon, Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway has built over 50 substantial vessels, mostly to Nat’s designs. With design inspiration from classic yachts and traditional boats, and built with the highest quality materials and meticulous craftsmanship, our boats are intended to take owners, family and friends sailing in a comfortable, safe and seamanlike fashion. Built in plank-on-frame construction (lapstrake or carvel, steam bent and sawn frames), our boats range in size from an 8 foot dinghy to a 65 foot schooner.

We oversee every step of the process from design to selection of wood, construction, rigging and outfitting so that construction moves forward in a harmonious, cost-effective, quality-controlled manner. We can build you a boat to row around your pond, take you cruising along the New England or Patagonian coast, or to sail around the world.