San Francisco Boatworks

Took my 32 Carver in to have my engines replaced. Boat failed three separate times open taking delivery. Ending in catastrophic damage, endangering my passengers and myself. Third time attempting to get the issues fixed I was "ghosted". For lack of a better term. Spent 37000.00 and all I got was another blown engine. STAY AWAY.

I have good luck with the people here. I have used this Boat Yards services on a few occasions with solid outcomes. I also tow boats into there and the staff is always aware and on the job when it comes to recieving and securing boats (TowBoatUS).

Great job getting it prepped cleaned and ready. I also appreciate the time you took to help load the boat just the way I wanted for the trip to Washington. It was a difficult trip but thanks to you guys helping out it went well. I know I should have posted this a while ago but just got busy. Thanks again.

This was my third experience at San Francisco Boat Works and while the service was great before, it is even better now. Our boat was hit at Jack London Square by a pirated boat last summer, and it took time to figure out the details with insurance. So far, so good on that front. The yard was timely, fair and transparent with the repairs, they worked closely with insurance, and kept us updated regarding the progress. BONUS; front office and yard staff actually work together and communicate about the progress of the work! I am ecstatic about the quality of the work and their willingness to quickly address any issues we find. Props to Jeff, Sandy and Sam for their superior work and making the process as easy as possible.

I was very happy with the work performed (seasonal special haulout and bottom paint). Jeff was a great project manager and got the job done over a week earlier than expected. I also met quite a few of the employees in the yard and every single one was extremely friendly and helpful. Great community, highly recommend!

SF Boatworks has been very good at explaining issues and getting my boat back to me on time for many years. The new crew of Ian, Sam, Joaquin, and others will clearly explain the problems your boat faces and give you options to fix it over the phone if you can't come in. They really are super helpful and will fix your boat problems!

After one year trying to get my sky fixed with others boat services I finally found this place . Sam it's awesome guy . Expert knowledge,, estimate accurate.... ViP customer services.. I recommend go to him before going anywhere else.. They are pretty good 👍 Claudio Souza

Ruby, Jon, Rick, and other friendly staff at SF Boat Works, thank you for the prompt attention and communication. I especially appreciated Jon's time on the phone going over repair options and advice on what work was worth making and which repairs were not.

Took my 32 Carver in to have my engines replaced. Boat failed three separate times open taking delivery. Ending in catastrophic damage, endangering my passengers and myself. Third time attempting to get the issues fixed I was "ghosted". For lack of a better term. Spent 37000.00 and all I got was another blown engine. STAY AWAY.

They bent the shaft having teenagers working on it. They break stuff and then ask you to pay for it

Sam and his Team are the best! I can't tell how much they have helped me with ship repair and maintenance. Their schedules are tight, but they always manage to deliver Quality service, on time. You can have all of your boating needs taken care of by them. Tim A.

My 1987 Bayliner 3270 needed two new 100 gallon diesel fuel tanks and a complete rebuilding of the wood and fiberglass platforms these heavy tanks were supported on. Sam Middlehurst and Jeff Lindsey and their mechanics/techs, Tory, Ryan and Momo pulled the two Hino diesel engines, completely rebuilt the tank support structures, cleaned and rewired the engine compartment, reinstalled new OEM Bayliner fuel tanks that were identical to the originals (35 years later!), and reinstalled the engines, in the meantime upgrading all the little things that wear out but you never get to in the engine compartment of an older boat. The decking over the engine compartment had to be cut out to accommodate removal of the large fuel tanks, and the SF Boatworks crew did a seamless job of rebuilding and glassing the new deck. This was a big job requiring lots of patience and team communication to complete, because you never know what you're going to find when you open up a boat this way. Sam and Jeff always stayed in close communication with me, and when there was a little bad news as the project proceeded, they were always up front about what was needed and reasonable in the additional cost needed. I highly recommend SF Boatworks, not only for the regular haulouts for hull painting and maintenance all boatowners need periodically, but also for larger projects that require expertise and a will to perfection to complete. Mac McConnell Il Passatempo, San Francisco South Beach Harbor

I've taken my Ericsson 35 mk I here several times, always with great results. the new manager Sam is amazing, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the project managers are on the case to ensure a turnaround that is as quickly as possible. I can honestly highly recommended this boatyard for anything, from a bottom job, to rigging, to a repower.

I am super happy with SF Boatworks. My boatyard experience is minimal, but considering the only other boatyard I reviewed charged me over $5k to do my own work, SF Boatworks was a deal in comparison. The staff was attentive giving me timely updates. I had several things that needed to be done to my Sabre 30. Seacocks needed servicing Bottom Job with keel bolt tightening Prop replacement Zinc replacement Exhaust leak fixed Fairing between the keel and hull Grinding of the strut for the new prop. Not only did they do all of this, but it was well well well under $5k, and I didn't have to lift a finger. My only downside with them is the no weekend hours (I had to take a day off work to pick my boat up) but that's OK, weather was great today. On top of doing all of this well under my projected budget of $6k, ($4300) they even swabbed the deck when they put her back in the water. I will be coming by again soon I think.

I got a hull paint quote, email responses were prompt, I had some questions to try and understand the quote as I've never gotten a hill paint, rang reception and she couldn't explain, she tried to put me in contact with project manager who was out so I left a message, then emailed explaining my confusion with quote, got an email this morning literally saying I should take my boat to KKMI to get the work done. The impression I now have is that they couldn't take the time or be bothered to help answer a question in order to win a client. I'm confused and disappointed - I really wanted to support a local business still operating in the city. It's also local to me so was ideal to start a long term relationship with my new to me boat.

Unless you know a lot about boat repair and maintenance, don't use SF Boat Works. They are fully capable, but if they can cut corners, they will cut corners. And you will be invoiced for said cut corners at twice the rate any of the other boat yards around the area would have charged you to do it right. Two experiences with them to the same effect. There are lots of other options - literally any would be better. If you know what it should cost and how it should be done, then maybe you can talk them into doing it right. If you don't know, don't risk it. The owner is slick and has no problem taking advantage of newbies.

The quality of services is top shelf but too pricey better deals at Alameda/Richmond Boatyards. They are 35-50% higher than others in Bay. Sf Boatworks project approx $3400.00 others $2100.00 same work. Leave Sf Boatswork for overpaid Techies.

I needed a repair shop that could handle masts and rigging after finding the spreader broken from age and high winds. I called first thing Tuesday morning and after explaining the work needed, and that I didn't need a bottom job, he said he would have the shop manager call me back. They only remove masts on the hard now, not while in the water. Also, they don't have a "protected" area to keep boats in the water after pulling a mast. Since I had the bottom done last year, this was apparently a concern. I hadn't heard back, and was in the neighborhood the same afternoon so I stopped by. After having a talk with two people in the office, they went to look for the shop manager and they were unable to locate or get the manager to come and speak about scheduling the work. I was told I would be called back. A day later still no call back. I guess they are too busy, or the job isn't big or important enough? I would have listed this a no star, since they didn't do anything other than never calling me back, but it's Yelp. Edit: One week later and still no call back.

I hired San Francisco Boatworks to perform multiple tasks on my 1979 C&C 30 sailboat in December of 2022. Included was a bottom job with ablative paint, standing rigging replacement, chainplates pulled and inspected, mast lights replaced by LEDs, and insulators installed on my back stay. I spent substantial time at the yard performing DIY tasks and was able to observe the work being performed by the staff. Every job was performed with high quality skills. I was nervous about having the mast pulled and replaced, but I should not have worried as a large crew was involved in the job and were very careful with my boat. I would absolutely recommend San Francisco Boatworks for your boat projects. The staff were friendly and always answered my questions. Great Boatyard!

I have a 22' Boston Whaler Outrage I use for commercial fishing and had SF Boatworks Paint the Bottom of My Boat and the Engine Mounts. I have had My Boat bottom painted before but I have to Say That SF Boatworks has Out done anyone around the Bay area with Both Quality Craftsmanship and a Fantasic Job in Looks. If you need Your Boat worked on Use them 1st You won't be dissapointed. I was in such Awww I forgot to take pictures lol

SFBW could do a good job if they wanted. I believe they have the experience and expertise. However, I have used them twice and they never did complete the job at once. I had to bring the boat back in both occasions to finish a job that they should have finished the first time... And they charged more every time I had to bright the boat to finish their previously unfinished job. I found them offensive, insulting and they tried to lecture me on a patronizing way. I was also told that I should be thankful that they made space for me and my minor job when they had half a million dollar customers they could be working with. Additionally, they basically accused me of lying when I complained about unfinished work and contradicted them. Needless to say, I will not go back nor will recommend them in any way.

Took my boat in for a new toilet install. They found holes in the main sanitation hose. Any other boat yard would have replaced that hose right then and there, but this one chose to splice the hose and did a Mickey Mouse plumbing job for $520 and sent us out of there as quickly as possible. 24 hours and 4 flushes later, the shoddy splice job dislodged decades of caked-on waste and clogged the hose. I called EVERY SINGLE DAY for a week to get another appointment. They finally changed the 2-foot hose, which they should have done in the first place, for -- wait for it -- an ADDITIONAL $560!! So, basically, I got ripped off TWICE. Also, the owner or foreman (an old dude with an Australian accent) appears either senile or demented (or both) and is incredibly rude. Anyone considering this boat yard should think twice. The folks at the boat yard in Sausalito are much more competent and treat customers with more respect. They have the common sense to REPLACE a defective part (yes, what a concept!) instead of putting it together with gum and spit just to get you off their dock as quickly as possible.

The best boatyard this side of the bay. I had my sailboat hulled out and a double coat of paint applied. Professional and respectable atmosphere. Don't pay attention to the negative reviews below. Potholes, dirty bathroom, rude staff? This is a working dock with heavy machinery and blue-collar folk, if you want a tourist experience, go to Pier 39. Reasonable rates that are on par with the caliber of work that is completed. I will be back in a few years to do it all again happily!

I have used the Boat works on several occasions. Their process ate always reasonable and the work comes on at within the estimate. They installed a new windlass for me a couple years ago. They did a very clean and Thor rough job solving some tricky installation challenges. Though month they may did a beautiful complete bottom job stepping many layers of old paint that has built up over 20 plus years and doing a g great job on new paint. A great place for boat work in the city!

I knew I was in trouble the minute my Formosa 51 was "on the hard". The front desk person approached me saying they had to use two straps so my haul out price would increase by $400.00. They knew exactly what my haul would require when the reservation quote was made a month earlier. This was pure "bait and switch" thievery. Sure enough they padded the bill at every opportunity. The materials used were marked up 50% to 200%. The Mexican man working on my boat destroyed a hull fairing block while removing the old transducer. It took him 12 hours to fabricate a new one. Upon my complaint the yard master simply said "well this was his first fabrication." So I was charged $100/hr for their employee's o.j.t. The yard was filthy, dangerous, the equipment rusted and broken and the restroom facilities atrocious (see pix). In the end I was handed a bill as if I were at Mc Donalds, and it was $1K to $2K higher than it should have been. So, boaters beware.

Had my outboard engine serviced and two coats of bottom paint applied by SF Boatworks. The work they did was excellent, and they did a good job of keeping me informed of progress and completion. Reliable, capable people. Highly recommended.

I would characterize SF Boatworks as competent boat yard, although my last visit there for haul-out and bottom job took over a week before they even give me an estimate. Then the repair took over 5-1/2 weeks because they were extremely short-handed at the time. The management felt a bit embarrassed about the time it took them to do the work, but hey that's 5-1/2 weeks out of my sailing time in the middle of the summer! In the end, the work was done competently, although we had some discussion on the charges. if they had communicated about the scheduling a little more pro-actively, I'd feel much better about using them again. At this point, I'm going to try another yard for my next haul out.

Had a similar experience to Robert H here. My boat broke down as I was attempting to dock at The Ramp so I left it with them. They quickly diagnosed the problem and prescribed an entirely new outdrive. Uggh. I've since found that is their default practice - have the customer simply buy an entirely new part. It took about 3 weeks of phone calls and bad communication until I realized they hadn't even ordered the part. I had to reason and explain with the parts manager than...duh...the part isn't going to be shipped unless he actually orders it! So he did. 2 months of bad communication later, a part arrived. The Mercury dealer fitted it on a Sunday himself since it had taken so long to arrive. SFBW told me I was good to go, so I booked a slip for the following weekend. They didn't bother launching or testing the boat until Friday when they found that the new outdrive was broken - which ruined my plans of course for the last event of the summer. They ordered another outdrive and again the dealer came to fit it himself. This time I insisted they do a sea-trial before I needed the boat! When I picked it up, the boat was covered in oily fingerprints, the upholstery was irreversibly damaged from oily 'something' that had been sat on it (for months?), and the fiberglass had been cracked near the engine housing. The outdrive ran OK but they'd charged me for the installation labor when they didn't even do the work! The toilet became blocked that weekend so I took the boat back to them and asked them to fix the cracked fiberglass and unblock the toilet. They suggested that I put in a new toilet... sounds familiar? I had several bad conversations about simply wanting the toilet unblocked and they suggested I needed to replace several components on it instead. They had a week to work on it and told me it was unblocked. I went to pick up the boat Friday, and guess what... the toilet still doesn't work, and some of the snaps on the carpet had been broken. I'm done with SF Boat Works. I'm going to pick up the boat today, drive it somewhere else to get the head fixed, and never go back. It's a real shame because the location is so convenient for me. They all seem nice enough and also showed sympathy for the huge inconvenience, but it ultimately boils down to bad management and careless engineers when you return a damaged boat and don't even mention it. Like I'm not going to notice!?

I was originally happy with my first encounter with SF Boat Works and their service on my Bayliner, but after the second encounter I'm less than pleased. I left numerous email messages and phone messages with the receptionist only to be ignored. After requesting a quote for services, and not hearing anything for weeks on end, I think I've completely given up on this place. 6 weeks with minimal response and I still don't have an estimate for requested service, I guess you don't want my business, so I'll gladly take it elsewhere...

I have a wood commercial fishing boat built during WW2, so its over 70 years old. I've been hauling out at SF Boat Works for decades, although infrequently. They always do a good job, but can be pricey. Before getting critical about pricing, look at how much it costs to run a boat yard. You have big insurance costs, toxics galore, and it's located in SF which is known to be hostile towards this kind of business preferring instead for everything in the city limits to be trendy clean software or VC type businesses. The regulatory maze that this business has to navigate must be daunting and expensive. Do you know how lucky we are to have a boat yard in the SF city limits that allows owners to work on their own boats? VERY LUCKY. Their haulout prices seem fair to me. They have not skyrocketed over time either. Commercial boats get discounted rates which pleases me. I'm sure they get less hassles from commercial boat owners than they do from yacht owners. They are actually very careful with old boats and offer a modestly up-priced four strap haulout option that puts less stress on the hull. Some snooty yacht-focused yards despise old workboats and treat them carelessly. Not here. The workers at SF Boat Works respect old workboats and don't treat them as second class yard citizens. Their people know the difference between yacht work (which has to be right and cosmetically beautiful) and workboat work (which just has to be right), and can do either. They have good subcontractors too. If they send your prop out for repair, pitch or balance work it comes back done right and priced fairly Personally I don't care if someone gets hand prints on my boat. It's a workboat. I've got nothing against yachts, but the freedom from fastidiious obsessive worry I get from having a scruffy workboat is truly liberating. I dont care what kind of shoes people wear when they come aboard my fishing boat. Visible brush strokes or less than perfectly flush repair seams? No problem. I dont want or need yacht style work and they "get it". Don't get me wrong, they can do superb yacht style work if needed. Several folks have criticized SF Boat Works for recommending entire new units (such as outdrives) rather than repairing things at a component level. If I ran a boat yard I'd do exactly the same thing, even though personally I keep old stuff running forever. My engine is a Navy surplus 671 diesel made in 1944. Partial repairs on critcal items is risky and SF Boat Works plays it safe by recommending replacement. It's just a recommendation that they make. You can take the unit somewhere else for repair while hauled out if you wish. They also don't use scare tactics to sell stuff. I asked about possibly replacing a 70 year old bronze seacock. They took a look and said keep it, it's fine. I give them 5 stars because even though they aren't perfect, they are very competent and best of all they are HERE, right in SF. I hope they stay forever even though Larry Ellison is probably eyeing their land for a waterfront uber-house with a private dock. Location location location! Mark M.

I was referred to this place by the guy at Presidio Boat Works. They told me to speak with Craig and was very happy I did. I had my boat come of the trailer and need some fiberglass work. They were able to finish the job before fleetweek and I was on the water on Saturday. Thanks again to the teem who work on my boat. -Rob

Run away from this place - there are other boat yards that actually care about the quality of their work and how their customers are treated. No followup, parts not ordered, work that was confirmed as having been done over the phone - only to show up and find it was not done. Parts installed upside down - and I was the only one who noticed! If you have an older boat - don't even bother talking to them, you're treated like your boat isn't worth their snot. Every time their name is mentioned on my dock or in my yacht club - I hear stories that are very similar and owners who swear they won't go back again. For every back review you see here - there are dozens more boat owners who just haven't taken the time to yelp --- they just want to be done with the place and not ever go back.

I'm reading these bad reviews and it is not my experience at all. I confess, bedside manner is not their strong suit, but Craig sent me to a small shop in LA as the person who actually built my broken old window--amazing he knew that (mark's Plastics in corona if you are interested--another great guy to do business with). They did everything they said they would, never tried to sell me anything I did not need, gave me good advice on how to approach certain issues and seemed very concerned about my money. they even dug out a crusted broken winch and fixed it rather than have me spend $200 for a new one. And Phil in the chandlery is very helpful. I plan to take my boat back any time I need service

I have been using San Francisco Boat Works for over ten years, and have had nothing but positive experiences there. From bottom jobs to custom part manufacturing, Rick Dawson has made sure that all work is quickly executed and fairly priced. I will continue to take my 50' motor yacht there for the foreseeable future.

The owner of the chandlery, Phil, is incredibly helpful and friendly. No experience with the boat repair shop, but if you want anything from a marine / boat orientated small old-school hardware shop / chandlery, this is a good place to go, and also (one of the) only place(s) to go in San Francisco. Limited inventory, but will special-order anything you need.

Thank you Staff at SF Boat works for making things easy for me in my first boat and first time in dry dock for repairs, I was referred by Lloyd brought in introduced to the staff and made me feel right at home,

I just got my boat back after extensive repairs (result of a collision). SF Boatworks are very competent. it was a difficult repair in certain areas and I contacted the architect/designer for advice. Turned out that SF Boatworks found the same solution as recommended by the architect for the repair. They've been very helpful with the insurance paperwork and the quality of their work is really good. People are really friendly, knowledgeable and willing to do the extra detail to help. Repair took longer than expected but it might be due to the long lead time to get some spare parts.

They don't replace parts and then charge you. Paint blisters that should be replaced. The manager has a bad attitude and doesn't follow up. Better option elsewhere. Miss some of the obvious things.

I used SF Boatworks for the first time last month. I will definitely use them again! The staff was awesome, friendly and helpful. Ruby in the office was very responsive and thorough. The work they did for me was excellent and done in a very timely manner. The cost was reasonable. They worked with me along the way with estimates and suggestions. Great place!

I just can't say enough good things about SF Boatworks ! I'm new to the West coast and was looking for a good boat yard who could take care of my boat work including hull, engine and electronics. SF Boatworks does it all. Their engine guy found and fixed the source of a small water leak that has been bugging me for a year. I just dropped the boat off at the boat yard for bottom paint and zinc replacement. I was on a conf call for work so I couldn't stick around long enough to watch the haul out. Saturday morning I drove to the yard to put the seat cushions and flag away as well as clean up my lines and fenders. I was shocked to see that everything was already done. They are taking care of my boat the way I would. This is a first class boat yard.

I can't say enough good things about this place. My boat became disabled by a failed prop shaft coupler on the Sunday of Fleet Week. I had Vessel Assist tow the boat to the yard, even though they were closed. When I called them early Monday morning, they had no issues with me tying up without prior permission. Phil at the parts department found and ordered the replacement part for me. That afternoon, Craig called and spent about twenty minutes offering advice on how to perform the repair. He then made some calls and was able to get the part delivered a full week earlier than initially scheduled. There was a storm moving in, so I headed to the yard to add lines, only to find they yard folks had already moved the boat to a more secure dock and tied it fore and aft, port and starboard. When the coupler arrived, Craig custom cut me new key stock from their inventory and gave it to me. When I completed the installation and went to pay the bill, they only charged me for the coupler. To be clear, I've been doing business with SF Boat Works for several years. I have two sailboats and haul them out here every couple of years, so I know many of the people. It's reassuring to see the same people year after year. This tells me the people like working here and like the work they do. I've always gotten great advice and honest information about issues with my boats. They have NEVER tried to sell me something I didn't need and have always kept my budget in mind. Rick has helped me plan work several years in advance, so I can budget things. It's this kind of care and continuity that keeps bringing me back.

I have taken my Catalina 30 there several times for a bottom job, the work is done quickly and competently for a competitive price. I have had them do some thru-hull work and a couple of other things and have never been disappointed with their work.

We've taken our 36' 1970 Cheoy Lee to SF Boat Works twice, and both times our expectations were exceeded. Getting yard work done is never fun; it's almost always expensive and sometimes you get surprises that you weren't expecting. I really trust the way these guys do their work - they are welcoming, communicative, and invested in doing a thorough job. I always felt like we were given various options when problems did arise, and the opportunity to save money where I was able to do part of the work myself. If you want a cheap job that's done half-right don't go to SFBW. If you want a fairly priced job with mechanics and painters that will stand by their work, then I highly recommend these guys.

Grossly over charged for a fuel filter, then overcharged for shipping. Cost $25 dollars for a $5 filter and a $1.50 o-ring. Would not buy parts from these guys unless I had to, (which I did).

. Brought my boat in for a bottom paint, zincs and stuffing box's to be re packed. Then got a call from the mechanic saying the packing nuts were frozen and the driveshafts would need to be pulled to get the nuts off,told me it would be Six hours of labor! Did the job in about two hours myself with no experience at all and without pulling the shafts! Maybe a new mechanic? Not sure but seemed pretty shady! The bottom paint turned out fine and the front desk person was very helpful.

Phil at the Chandlery is AWESOME! Very knowledgeable and totally fun to talk to, plus they have great inventory. Five stars all around.

I have been a customer of the SF Boat Works for 16 years now. I keep returning because the yard does a great work, has skilled employees and is enjoyable to work with. I have used 3 other boat yards and only the SF Boat works has earned my loyalty. The work has ranged from simple annual bottom jobs, to modifying the keel. The SF Boat works has prepared my boat for racing in the Big Boat Series to getting it ready for two trips to Mexico. I had the boat trucked back from Mexico, twice, and both times the SF Boat works handled receiving the truck, stepping the mast and other work. Currently the boat is getting new non-skid on the decks and the price is reasonable and the work is of excellent quality. The staff at the Boat Works is very reasonable and will work with owners to meet their needs. I am not the only boater who is a regular at the SF Boat Works. I recommend them based on years of being a satisfied customer.

Admittedly, the diver who scrapes the bottom of my boat is picky, but -- in my experience of several years -- he is thorough, straight-forward and impeccably credentialed in this area . He believes the bottom paint job performed my boat received here was a 3 out of 5, even in spite of my paying up for super high quality anti-fouling paint and providing detailed instructions for how multiple coats should be applied. The diver reported the paint was sluffing off under a sponge since the first dive after the haul-out, and he advises me -- 6 months later -- that I probably won't make it for more than a year on this job (Prior job got 2.5 years using his same criteria). Although I have no way to tell, diver strongly suspects I did not get the high-quality paint I requested and paid for. What I DO know is that the job took longer that it should have because props weren't pulled and sent for off-sight refinishing right away as they should have been. We had to wait days to get them back, but the work should have been done simultaneously. Never again for me. Good luck to you.