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.

See what we’re doing at any time by clicking on Projects, then Current Projects.   A click on each picture will open up the story of that boat’s construction, from beginning to end. Our projects since 2004 can be viewed in Past Projects.

Two launches the summer of 2010:  
     Above: Elita, the 45' sloop under construction for 3½ years, went into the water July 10 and will have Vineyard Haven as her home port.  Great slideshow of the festivities at www.mvtimes.com - "Gannon 45' sloop Elita Launched."   More on G&B website under Current Projects.
     Below:  Naima, the 28' Marconi-rigged,keel/centerboard sloop, was launched in June. In the lower picture, she is at the Wooden Boat Show in Mystic at the end of that month.  Naima will remain in Vineyard Haven through the summer, then sail for home in the Chesapeake.
 
To mark G&B’s 30th anniversary this year, a handsome new book about the building of Rebecca, with photos by Alison Shaw and text by Tom Dunlop, has been published by Vineyard Stories.  It hit bookstores in mid-May.  See also June 2010 issue of Cruising World.

The Holmes Hole 29--Wave--launched in 2009 is the cover story in Wooden Boat, May/June 2010 issue

Cruising World, June 2010 issue already on the web, has a short piece and pictures from the book Schooner: http://www.cruisingworld.com/cruising-life/a-pair-of-wooden-boat-celebrations-00083101

Click here to see our Gallery of G&B Boat Designs.                Boats for Sale