In the last 20 years, Dave Snediker says there's been a definitive shift in the world of antique boat restoration.

“It's moved from a middle-class, backyard kind of thing to a high-end luxury,” he says. “It's all about labor. The materials are expensive in and of itself, but it's about 80 to 90 percent labor. The scene has changed.”

With his partner Bill Taylor, Snediker runs a boat building and fine yacht restoration business called Taylor & Snediker, LLC. The pair work out of a warehouse on Mechanic Street in Pawcatuck where they've had projects that have taken as little as six months to as long as two years.

“You start off loving the artifact,” says Snediker, of the antique boats. “I'm intrigued by the big historical component and understanding the context of where the boat came from. It's also great helping my clients realize their dream of restoring a historically valued vessel.”

Rick Waters, owner of Rick Waters Boatbuilders in Mystic, says along with time, it takes an abundance of patience to work in the restoration field.

“You have to dismantle before you can do anything,” he says, “and the good thing about wooden boats is that all of the pieces are replaceable. I feel that old boats are precious pieces of floating art.

“It's wonderful working with wood. I am not at all drawn to fiberglass boats,” Waters continues. “It's the wood. It's important for me to have an element of art in what I'm doing. It's the high-end element of it that's important for me.”

Although the price tags vary depending on the size of the boat and the amount of work to be done, Hal Sanderson acknowledges that antique boat restoration isn't for the light of heart or wallet.

“I relate it to golf or any of these other hobbies,” says the New Hampshire resident and president of the New England Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, Inc. “Marine supplies are generally expensive, but marine varnishes, glues and all that state-of-the-art stuff is very good, so it's worth the price.

“You pay more for screws, for example, silicone bronze screws, but they are exposed to the water so it's necessary,” explains Sanderson.

The chapter has 300 members in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Many members own “user boats” which are put into the water each season, but Sanderson says many owners have vessels that are strictly “for show.”

“They'll put them in a trailer and go from one show to the next,” says the chapter president, who attends about three shows a season.

Snediker grew up on Long Island repairing and restoring traditional wooden boats and later worked at Mystic Seaport as part of the crew that restored the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship. He says some restorers prefer to work with boats that won't be put in the water because much of the original material can be reused.

“That is rare,” he admits. In his case, Snediker enjoys seeing the finished product, which if done correctly, is a balance of the client's wishes and a vessel that has the look and feel of its original self.

Waters, a 30-year builder and restorer, says antique boat restoration is such a refined field that he couldn't just “pull someone off the street” if he was looking for help. Not only must the restored vessels be beautiful, they have to stay afloat and be safe.

Outside of New England, Waters has worked in seven states and says that this region is home to many of the best boats, and the most knowledgeable owners of restored vessels.

“Down south there are worms and you're dealing with the hotter climate. Out west, people are generally not into yachting. There's no consciousness.

“Yachting is generally a sport for the wealthy and there are a lot of wealthy people living in New England,” Waters explains. “This area also has a consciousness for maritime preservation. It's a cultural thing. We can't help ourselves.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

RICK WATERS BOATBUILDERS

SEAPORT MARINE, WASHINGTON STREET, MYSTIC

860.460.9314

TAYLOR & SNEDIKER, LLC

22 MECHANIC ST., PAWCATUCK

860.599.0800

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