The Wooden Ships website is the only place on the web dedicated to advertising and selling small traditional boats, dinghies and river launches. The team is very fortunate to have some of the world’s most beautiful small wooden boats for sale. We consider it both a pleasure and a responsibility to guide you in selecting the boat that is your perfect match.
Browse our portfolio of small wooden dinghies, yachts and rowing boats today, or contact us to find out more information.
Enquire about H.J. Mears and Son Motor Launch
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Newly built clinker motor launch from the east Devon yard of H.J. Mears and Son, not launched and ready for a her first owner as a brand new boat. Built to their traditional design based on the east Devon beach fishing boats, a very strong hull with high freeboard, generous beam and a sweet sheer line. Fitted with a Beta Marine 14hp diesel. Complete with galvanised road trailer ready to tow away. A very nicely built boat in as new condition, ready for her first owner to bestow a name upon her transom and launch her.
- Designer: H.J. Mears and Son
- Builder: H.J. Mears and Son
- Year: 2022
- Location: Devon
- Length on deck: 16'8"
- Beam: 6'11"
Enquire about Fabian Bush Cruising Dayboat
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Fabian Bush Cruising Dayboat
£25000
Designed and built by Fabian bush, a well respected very skilled boat builder. The boat was commissioned by a client but due to personal circumstances he is no longer able to take delivery and use the boat so she is being offered for sale as a brand new and complete vessel. Upon completion the boat was tested and certified under the RCD scheme and put afloat for sea trials, but otherwise she has been dry stored and unused. built using modern construction methods of epoxy glued plywood planking making her very durable and easy to maintain. complete with trailer covers and electric outboard engine this is an absolutely ready to go trailer sailer in as new condition.
- Designer: Fabian Bush
- Builder: Fabian Bush Boatbuilder
- Year: 2020
- Location: Essex
- Length on deck: 15'10"
- Beam: 6'4"
- Draft: 14" / 4'
Enquire about Beer Lugger
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Beer Lugger
£14000
Built by H.J. Mears and Son, East Devon in 1985 to the lines of the traditional beach fishing boats of the area. Major professional refit in 2021 including an engine rebuild, new trailer, replacement aft deck and sole boards and a complete cosmetic overhaul. Lug rig with a tan terylene mainsail. Beta Marine 10hp diesel in very nice condition, overhauled in 2021. An attractive motor launch with the benefit of a simple rig, perfect for river and coastal cruising. complete package with rig, cover and trailer.
- Designer: Traditional
- Builder: H.J. Mears and Son
- Year: 1985
- Location: Hampshire
- Length on deck: 16'
- Beam: 5'6"
Enquire about Motor Launch
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Motor Launch
£13000
Open motor launch built by a local yard in Mylor Cornwall with Honduras mahogany planking. Refitted by the current owner with a laid teak foredeck in 2014. Large open cockpit with accommodation under the foredeck. Perkins 3.125 3cyl diesel engine and tidy condition. A very elegant and head turning boat, perfect for days afloat with family and friends.
- Designer: Traditional
- Builder: Rustons of Mylor
- Year: 1964
- Location: Cornwall
- Length on deck: 21'6"
- Beam: 7'6"
- Draft: 2'4"
Enquire about Clinker motor launch
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Clinker motor launch
£12950
Clinker motor launch with pretty lines, a substantial and sturdy boat that has been professionally maintained in present ownership. Refitted in 2018 with a new Yanmar 1GM engine and systems, new covers, sprayhood, Snipe trailer and a refit of the hull. Current ownership has included a new foredeck and engine box, and a complete strip back and re-varnish of the hull. A lovely little boat in very tidy condition, complete with smart sprayhood and cockpit cover which are both very nice additions, giving protection in our unpredictable climate. All serviced and ready for the season.
- Designer: Traditional
- Location: Dorset
- Length on deck: 14'
- Beam: 5'10"
Enquire about Varnished Classic Day Boat
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A very pretty classic day boat rebuilt by a professional shipwright and finished in 2013. Attractive hull shape planked in mahogany with a new plywood deck. Open cockpit with enough space for camping under the cuddy and foredeck. Easily handled fractional bermudan sloop rig with very good sails including as new 2018 genoa. 2016 RM road trailer makes her a complete package and easily towed behind a moderate car. A very cost effective and fun way of getting on the water with minimal hassle and maximum pleasure. Very clean December 2018 survey available.
- Location: Cornwall
- Length on deck: 23'
- Beam: 5'9"
- Draft: 3'3"
Enquire about Racing Keel Boat
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Racing Keel Boat
£8000
Designed by Dave Hollom of Americas Cup fame and built by the owner in 2013. She is similar in many ways to the Flying 15 and will plane easily in 12 knots of wind. Strip plank hull with carbon fibre spars and a retractable lead bulb keel, this is a boat with excellent performance and good pedigree given her designer. The rig and sail plan was designed by the team at Goacher Sails will all Harken fittings, 2 sets of sail and spinnakers. Complete with a Bison electric outboard and custom road trailer. A fun and exciting boat to sail, fully equipped, tried and tested, ready for her next owners.
- Designer: Dave Hollom
- Year: 2013
- Location: Derbyshire
- Length on deck: 22'
- Beam: 5'
Enquire about Norwegian Sjekte
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Norwegian Sjekte
£7950
Built by Adrian Morgan of viking Boats, Ullapool to a 1934 design by Karsten Ausland. Based on the Norwegian fishing Sjekte but with finer lines and a fractional bermudan rig, she is a fast boat and extremely pretty. Planked in larch on oak frames, hollow mast by Collars and sails from North SE Sails. All in tidy condition and ready to go. Complete with trailer, rig and oars she is a particularly nice little boat.
- Designer: Karsten Ausland
- Builder: Adrian Morgan
- Year: 2002
- Location: Scotland
- Length on deck: 18'6"
- Beam: 5'8"
- Draft: 1'7"
Enquire about Yachting World Dayboat
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Yachting World Dayboat
£6750
Built by the current owner during his time at the Lyme Regis Boat Building school. Finished to a very high standard and hardly used since she was completed so she remains in excellent condition. This boat has a measurement certificate so is eligible to race with the fleets and is competitive against the GRP versions. Alloy rig with McNamara sails that have all been measured for conformity. Comes with an all over cover and a road trailer with piggy back launching trolley. A beautifully finished example of this very successful class, complete and ready to go sailing.
- Year: 2010
- Location: Hants
- Length on deck: 14'
- Beam: 5'8"
Enquire about Lug Rigged Day Boat
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Lug Rigged Day Boat
£6500
Built in 1998 at the Lyme Regis School of Boat Building, carefully overseen by a professional and finished to a high standard. Strip plank cedar hull sheathed externally in epoxy glass cloth for a strong and light hull. Very spacious and stable, she was given an RCD compliance ticket upon completion. Complete with cover, outboard and road trailer, a nice looking and capable day boat.
- Designer: Antonio Dias
- Builder: Lyme Regis School of Boatbuilding
- Year: 1998
- Location: Kent
- Length on deck: 17'
- Beam: 5'6"
- Draft: 18"
Enquire about Fowey River Pilot Launch
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Fowey River Pilot Launch
£6000
A substantial and capable motor launch built as a pilot lines boat for Fowey Harbour by Frasers of Mevagissey. Worked as a pilot launch out of Fowey for many years, owned by the current owners father in law. Pine on oak hull with new gunwhales and caping rail. Ford 55hp diesel engine with PRM hydraulic gearbox. Kept in smart condition after her major refit in 2014 and used for local pottering around the river and coast. A big volume boat, extremely stable with a lot of space and capable of passages on the open sea. Well documented history of her working life in Fowey.
- Designer: Traditional
- Builder: Fraser of Mevagissey
- Year: 1951
- Location: Cornwall
- Length on deck: 20'7"
- Beam: 8'
Enquire about Iain Oughtred Guillemot Sailing Dinghy
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A beautiful example of this Oughtred design, professionally built by Jamie Clay and finished to an exceptionally high standard. She has been little used and kept inside out of the elements so really is in superb condition. Glued plywood hull makes for a lightweight and rigid boat that does not dry out and leak like traditional clinker boats. Complete with oars and balanced lug rig plus cover and launching trolley. An immaculate and very attractive dinghy at a fraction of the new build price.
- Designer: Iain Oughtred
- Builder: Jamie Clay
- Year: 2014
- Location: Oxfordshire
- Length on deck: 11'6"
- Beam: 4'5"
People use small boats for sailing, rowing, and tenders for larger vessels. They are easy to transport, affordable, and a great way to get afloat. Small boats are perfect for fishing and popular for recreation and tourism. We have spent some of the best family days pottering up and down the estuary in our sailing dinghy.
Small classic sailing boats are great for people wanting to start sailing. They’re relatively affordable and classic in style, and you can often find older examples for a fraction of the cost of a new boat. Plus, they’ll still provide you with years of enjoyment.
Classic boats are also a great option if you’re looking for a project boat. Many of these boats have been well cared for and only need a little TLC to get them back into sailing shape. With a bit of elbow grease, you can often have your dream boat for a fraction of the cost of buying new.
Some of the smaller boats available on the Wooden Ships website include dinghies, day boats and river launches. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about any small boats featured on our website.
Wooden Ships classic yachts brokers have an extensive database of small boats for sale. With a wide range of sail boats, classic yachts, motor yachts and small classic boats, Wooden Ships has one of the largest selections of traditional wooden boats and yachts for sale in the UK.