Make the Most of It
Visitors to the WoodenBoat Campus are welcome to explore the grounds.
By Car: once you're in Brooklin (MAP) turn onto Naskeag Road (at the General Store), go about a mile, then turn right on Great Cove Drive. You pass the pond on your right (look for beavers) and the Store is the pretty building on the left. Park at the Store, or on the hill, where you see a bunch of the student cars parked.
By Boat: Head for LAT 44 14' 45" N, LONG 68 33' 25" W, to our float and pier.
MOORINGS:
You can pick up a guest mooring at our waterfront. You will pay at the boathouse or contact the School: 207.359.7702 or email school@woodenboat.com. First come, first served. We do not monitor a channel or phone line to tell you if there are open moorings. There are no shower/dumping station facilities, and provisions (the General Store in Brooklin) is about a mile away. This is not a public transport / UBER-type area. We generally have around a half dozen guest moorings available, depending on what's going on at WoodenBoat. These are mostly heavy granite blocks, in 8 to 15 feet of water at low tide. The bottom is mud, and anchor holding is generally pretty good. But the anchorage can be lumpy in a very strong southerly or northwesterly blow.
Although we don't have guided tours of the campus, we have a few tips to make the most of your visit.
When you come to our 60 acre campus, bring your lunch—our waterfront is a fabulous place to picnic. Add a pair of binoculars so you can see more of the boats and the wildlife. There are picnic tables and plenty of lawn if you want to spread out a blanket. On the School's site, you can see the FLEET OF BOATS. Take a look at that in advance, and you'll have a better idea of what you are looking at on the water and the dinghy dock. Also consider a light jacket (yes, we have hoodies at the Store) as the temperature can drop 10 degrees when you get down to the waterfront.
While you're at the waterfront you are welcome to walk down the dock. The boathouse is actually a classroom and private residence for staff. The lower section is where oars, rigs, and lifejackets are stored, as well as where you make your guest mooring fee payment.
The big white mansion-type building on the top of the hill is the magazine office... although that is closed to the public this year. It makes for ideal offices as there are so many rooms. More background on the office is below.
Before you visit the campus, you may want to check the WoodenBoat School's WEBSITE, to see which courses will be happening during your visit. When you visit the Workshop, you will see signs outside the School's Workshop about not going in during classes. You are welcome to stand outside and watch and eavesdrop. Walk around the Workshop to see outbuildings as well as a unique and massive cedar wood drying rack. And, if you are on campus at noon, you can go into the Workshops while the students are on their lunch break, and get a closer look at what's happening. You are also welcome to check out the campground, which is near the Workshop, and reserved for students—not the general public. Aside from the campground, students stay at Mountain Ash, the School's dorm / dining hall (mansard roof house on Naskeag Road—if you drove in, it was on your right a few houses down from the Brooklin General Store. See our Visiting Brooklin link below for local campgrounds, food, and places to stay.
Here are photos of the primary buildings, and a bit of the history of the place.
For other things to do in the area. click Visiting Brooklin