East Hill Boat Shop

Keeping alive the traditional ways of working with wood to build fine wooden boats by hand, we restore and build new boats with attention and care to the smallest details.

East Hill Boat Shop is part of the well known craft community, the Rochester Folk Art Guild. Located on a 350-acre working farm in the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region, the Rochester Folk Art Guild has received wide recognition for its fine handcrafts for over 35 years.  Known for its creative integrity and distinctive quality, Guild crafts are included in museums, private collections, shops and galleries throughout the United States and abroad.

For over twenty years the East Hill Boat Shop has used sound traditional methods to repair, restore, and rebuild wooden paddling, rowing, and sailing craft. Now the same fine craftsmanship is seen and felt in the construction of our new build specialty, the Catspaw dinghy.

Our New Build Specialty: the Catspaw Dinghy

The Catspaw Dinghy is an extremely stable and versatile craft, which can be rowed or sailed. Seating up to four people makes this design a natural choice for family or individual outings. It can be used for fishing, sailing, or swimming off of in the middle of the lake. The popularity and ease of use of the Catspaw is why we have chosen this exceptional craft as an East Hill Boat Shop specialty. Find out more about our Catspaw dinghies.