Today we are visiting an absorbing place. I have mentioned the Farley Boat Works in a couple of posts and have featured the Farley Boat planters sponsored by the garden club. Today though we are going to the mother ship. The actual Farley Boat Works and Museum.
Farley Boats set the standard along the Gulf Coast for fishing and sport from 1915 to the mid-1970s. Three generations of the Farley family designed and built the Farley Boat in the back of their home in Port Aransas, Texas.
Here is a shot of works taken in the sixties.
No Farley Boats were made from the late seventies until The Port Aransas Preservation, and Historical Association (PAPHA) opened the restored Farley Boat Works building to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. Boat building lessons for the general public commenced the same day.
Here is how the building looks today
The Boat Works Manager Frank Coletta supervises the activities which include, boat building lessons, restoration,, and fundraising. Behind Frank is a partial view of the workspace.
Above where Frank is standing is a sign that captures the essence of the boat works.
The next photo shows a bench with every kind of clamp needed to hold pieces of wood together.
The next shot is a skiff under construction
I mentioned earlier that Frank supervises fundraising for the boat works. A man project is the construction of a handmade kayak which is sold at auction. The last one sold for thousands. Here is the next one being made.
One project of the boat works is the design, fabrication, and launch of the first Texas Schooner in over one hundred years. The sign below welcomes donations for spars and sails on the finished craft.
Here is the schooner being built under a tent outdoors. You can see the rudder laying on its side on the concrete blocks
There are other exhibits on the grounds. Here are two. This room gives you a history of the works and contains an example of an outboard motor powered boat.
This room has a more classic Farley Boat.
There is plenty more to see including a collection of old outboard motors and other artifacts. If you are in Port Aransas a visit to the Farley Boat Works is a must. The museum and boat works is located at 716 W. Avenue C, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Fiction Favorites 
Great pictures and explanations, John. Those are beautiful boats. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you, Suzanne. I enjoyed my time there. Frank is a very nice man. 🙂
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Wonderful tour, John. There are a number of wood artisans in the Ozark area. Walking through the Farley exhibit, I felt the same pride of workmanship – of which I am in awe. Thank you! 🙂
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Thank you, Gwen. These folks do have a lot of pride and they are volunteers to boot. 🙂
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It’s almost a lost art and nothing cuts through the water better than a wooden boat!!
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Thanks, GP. These ere especially crafted for the rough seas of the Gulf. Very stable too. 🙂
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What a great tour, John! The boats are fabulous and so beautiful. Thanks for sharing this with us. Happy Sunday!
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Thank you , Jill. Happy Sunday to you. 🙂
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My favorite is the “classic Farley boat” — love it. The Texas Schooner project sounds great. I hope you can keep us updated on their progress. I’d love to see the finished product.
Thanks for another fun stroll around the neighborhood, John. Have a sublime Sunday. Mega hugs.
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I think it would be fun to take a sail and some photos after it ti launched. Thanks for the idea, Teagan. Hugs.
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Oooh yes, that sounds like huge fun!
Applesauce, too bad there aren’t more jobs in that area. LOL. But then I’d still freak at every storm, worried about a hurricane. Oh well.
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Naw. You get used to the possibility of a hurricane and don’t forget there is a five day warning period. You just have to be resolved that your life’s treasures have to fit in a to go container. 😀
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I love virtual time travel…
Thanks, John.
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Always a first class seat waiting for you, Hook. Here, have a cookie.
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Very cool. I hope Sue Coletta finds this today. Maybe they have a distant relative somewhere.
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My son, Dominic has his own sailboat in a marina in Bayfield, Ontario – along Georgian Bay. He would absolutely love a tour of that Boatworks! Great pictures, John!
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Thanks, John. I’ll bet he would like to see there wooden boats for sure.
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Very interesting!
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Yes it is. 🙂
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Interesting post. Who knew I’d give a fig about boats. These days, I’m interested in everything–must be to make up for lost time during my eye-rolling youth.
Superb photos, John. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Thank you , Tess.:-)
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You are more than welcome, John. Thank YOU.
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Great pictures, John. I love the old cars in the first picture. A nice view of bygone times and how things have changed.
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Thank you, Julian. I hope all is well with you and Ionia. Bless you both.
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I’d love to tour the museum (and the shop). Beautiful work. Thanks for this one, John.
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Thanks for the visit. You could also work in the shop. They take volunteers and you would be a gem.
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I might never leave. We have a air museum and a trolley museum around here that take volunteers. I’ve been giving that some thought.
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Here though you actually BUILD boats not repair stuff.
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That would be cool
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I agree.
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Thanks for the info, John. Something tells me I’d have to be crazy to take a ride in a kayak like that, though. It’s pretty enough, but oh my, it doesn’t look sea-worthy, ha!
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It is good for the bay. That is all you need.
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Thanks for the tour, John – I’m learning so much about boats from your blog!
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You are welcome Teri. BTW I’m scheduled on Rebecca’s blog.
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Good – look forward to reading your interview!
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🙂
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Grand to see the old boat-making techniques haven’t died off completely. Fiberglass was the best thing that ever happened in boating maintenance. They’re beautiful crafts, but I wouldn’t want to own one…unless I had it on display in my million dollar museum…after I win the lottery.
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There you go. When you win come on down and we’ll set you up with a boatbuilding crew.
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Great! I want a 72 foot Hatteras with a 12 man crew (okay, really 13) but I’ll take what I can get.
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On order. 2.5 million
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Amazing craftsmanship….ship…see what I did there? 🙂 Sorry, bad pun, but seriously beautiful work.
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I liked it. Thanks for the stop.
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…and you found the guy to build the boat! 🙂 Great tour, and pretty little boats too!
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Yup. He’s right here.
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Not many craftsmen like that around any more. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, John, for sharing this fascinating tour and history of the Farley Boat Works.
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You are so welcome, Michelle. Thank you for coming along. 🙂
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🙂
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🙂
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I’d spend hours talking to Frank. We’ll take a few beers with us. He’s livin’ the dream.
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I think he could throw back a few beers ole Frank
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I know his breed. 🤓
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Yup.
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I absolutely love this post… the pics, the history, the boats. I’m fascinated and so wish I could plan a trip to Texas just for this!! (I’m an admirer of boats and wood-projects, thanks to my family.) Thanks so much for sharing, John!!
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Thank you, Mar. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 😀
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