The Center for Wooden Boats

Thank you, Caroline and team for an unforgettable field trip — that my students still talk about to this day! Our field trip to the Center for Wooden Boats was an unforgettable experience for my students—one filled with hands-on learning, joy, and discovery. From scavenger hunts, to exploring maritime history, to the hands-on building boat kits — every moment sparked curiosity and connection to our learning standards and more. For many of our students, this was their first time experiencing a program like this. The meaningful, real-world learning will stay with them for years to come. Thank you for investing in our students and helping bring classroom learning to life. See you again, soon!

This is a very small museum with paid parking only. Most of the exhibits were closed when I visited. While the facility was clean, the staff didn’t offer a warm welcome, which made the experience feel a bit awkward. Honestly, there’s more to see outside on the water than inside the building.

The Center had a variety of boats to choose from. We went with the rowboat for the first time but didn't enjoy it as much as kayaking. However the employees made us feel very welcome and was friendly. We arrived early on Sunday to try for the free boating but the line was way too long so we decided to rent it. Be mindful of the current. We were padding for a while and realized we were in the same place. We had a great time though.

We had an exceptional experience at the Center for Wooden Boats. This is a small museum but a true treasure, showcasing the rich history of wooden boats with beautifully restored vessels and fascinating exhibits. The staff and volunteers are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable, offering insightful tours that bring the stories of these boats and their craftsmanship to life. I particularly enjoyed the hands-on opportunities to explore the boats up close, and even try some rowing on our own. The museum's waterfront location is stunning, providing beautiful views as you learn about the history of boating in the Pacific Northwest. Not being deep into maritime enthusiasm, we were simply looking for a unique and immersive experience, this visit gave us a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the boats and rowing..

A great place to rent a paddle boat and take it to a romantic getaway at the Lake Union. They restore and produce wooden boats so you could find some unique boats to try!

The sailing classes there are not good. The instructors are friendly. But there is one big issue of the sailing class there. For the beginner's session, there are 5 classes in total, but each class has a different instructor. And each instructor has his/her own sailing methods! As a result, their teaching is very confusing since I am sure whose methods I should follow. Also sadly, in the last class (i.e., the exam), when the instructor asked me to do reefing, I even had no idea what reefing is, since no instructor taught me before! Also I even had no idea how to turn around the head of boat to cast it off, because no one taught me. Overall I did well in jibing, tacking, and docking. But I still failed the class due to "safety concerns" (since the instructor did not think I maneuvered the boat safely). Moreover, when I tried to do docking, the instructor kept telling me "it is time to turn", "do parallel" etc. Then after the class, I received feedback that I did not do well because he provided too much guidance. I feel disappointed, because I did not ask for guidance, and in my previous classes when the instructor did not talk much, I can do docking very well. So my suggestion for this class is: (1) can you make sure that each student would have one fixed instructor assigned throughout the classes? I find other sailing school does much better in this. (2) Is it possible to not guide / talk too much when the student is operating (maybe starting from 3rd class)? Please only talk / guide when it is necessary or something dangerous would happen.

You can check out some of the row boats by the hour and you can get private sail lessons. There are classes for adults and youth camps. The youth camps are primarily in the summer. It's a fun chill place to learn more about wooden boats or chill on the water in a small boat.

Clean and well maintained facility right by Lake Union. We did a 1 hour free pea pod row on a sunny weekday and the lake was beautiful! They made us sign a waiver and gave a quick demo on maneuvering the boat. There’s a small cordoned off area where you can first practice with your boat before you go off into the wider lake. Folks at the facility kept an eye on us during our practice session and were very helpful! You can reserve these free pea pod sessions directly on their website. Beautiful views of gas works park, SLU and lots of people paddle boarding/kayaking/sailing. Also saw quite a few sea planes!

What a fun experience! My husband too me here as a little surprise for our anniversary and it was so much fun. He made advance reservations and we went ahead and checked in. I really love that pups are allowed on the boat. We took our senior pup Pablo with us (we made sure to bring his life jacket!) They have a few for dogs onsite, but they're for bigger pups. I would recommend bringing your own. We got our human life jackets, signed the waiver and boarded our boat. They gave us a quick little intro on how to row and we were off on our way! We only rented for an hour, which was more than enough for us since it was a bit windy. We didn't get very far since the wind was so strong but it was still a fun experience to see the Lake Union sights. We really liked seeing the sea planes take off and land around us. We highly recommend coming to visit, explore, and learn! They offer tons of activities and information about all things boats and sailing, so check them out if this is of interest!

I took a trolley from my hotel room to the nearby drop off for this particular public place. I had checked its opening times and when I got there, it was within the normal time but there's a sign on the door said closed and not even a note of when they might be back. Super cold in Seattle so I decided instead of waiting half an hour for a trolley to Uber back to my hotel. If you're going to go to this place, I'd recommend you call First otherwise it's not worth the effort.

We are a small elopement planning company and we reserved the MS Wolf for a recent couple to host their ceremony and picnic with the Center for Wooden Boats. Our clients and team had a great time with Allen on the MS Wolf! Allen was so professional and helpful. He really helped me organize a great experience for our wedding couple. The booking process was easy and he offered us an indoor location as a backup for their ceremony in case of bad weather, which put my couple at ease. We happened to have a gorgeous day on the water and Allen even officiated the ceremony on the boat for them! We will definitely be booking again for future events!!

I wish we had more time to spend here and it will definitely be on the list next time I'm back in Seattle. There was a youth program in progress, great to see them engaged and seemingly enjoying the experience. The buildings are not yet open to visitors with CV19, so hopefully another time. But interesting to just walk around the docks and admire/read about some of the old boats there.

This place is beautiful and the free hr rowboat experience was amazing. Dustin was a huge help since we've never been in a rowboat before, but have done other aquatic activities. He talked about the various classes they offer, as well as boating making lessons. The views were amazing on the water as you can see all around the Seattle skyline from Lake Union. Truly a hidden gem of Seattle!

Sunday free sail. What can I say other than what a nice find. Came here around 9am as I read and took me a bit to find the proper line up spot. My husband and I ended up being about the 15th in line. There were 7 boats available on this date. By 10am the line was long and wrapped around. I knew I wanted a sail boat. We were lucky and opted for the Sea Mew, a small sail boat that seats only 4 passengers. We set out at 10:45am. The other smaller 4 passenger sail boat (the Betsy D) didn't sail until 1:30pm. Other sail boats were the Sea Fever and the Admirable which held 12 passengers each. We waited inside the center until 10:30 and set out with two other passengers and Fred. Super nice dude. You can see all these volunteers that spend their quality time because they love it. It was a great experience. 45-60 mins on the water. Learned some history. Has some nice talks. I liked the smaller boat so I felt we could get a more personal, intimate experience. Weather was forgiving on this date. Don't forget to donate if you can! Also...don't eat the volunteers' food in the clubhouse. I saw two people do that (grabbed and ate the volunteers' bagels and smears even though there's a sign)...totally not cool!

Maybe it's because I'm totally in love, but my experience at The Center for Wooden Boats was my #1 highlight of my most recent trip to Seattle. There's nothing quite as romantic as taking your special person out onto the water and rowing a rowboat, surrounded by beautiful views and the intimacy of just the two of you away from everything. And if it doesn't work out, you can push them overboard. I'M KIDDING! I would never do that! I also would never bring cans of rosé to sip while on the boat, because that would be against the rules. So yep. No murder, and no drinking of contraband. Not for THIS guy. But real talk. Lots of places allow you to rent kayaks or paddleboards, but this is was the only option I could find that allowed you to get a boat where you actually faced each other. And to row in a 100+ year old boat is pretty cool, too. It's also a great workout. The process was quick and easy, the staff was friendly, and at $40 an hour, it's not totally unreasonable. We were out there for only one hour and I don't think I would have wanted to double that up. Super romantic, super interesting, and a pretty good workout, too! I highly recommend.

Baci's favorite! And now it's mine too. We walk the lake union loop every morning. Mohai, center for wooden boats, the marina, the park and then some. Center for wooden boats being our favorite. You can buy wooden boats! You can go on them! There are high tea on wooden boats! As well as free sunday tours! So many beautiful wooden boats! Across the lake from fancy boats. The little bridge, the boats, the house boats! You can rent it for events too! They have classes here often! it's just a very cute little oasis in the middle of sky scrapers and ever over crowded/growing Lake Union! And right next to where we live!! We love coming here!

My dad and I came here on the 11th of September in 2011 after reading in the newspaper that the Lady Washington was docked here and open to visitors. The Lady Washington is the ship that was used as the Interceptor in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Not all of the ship was open for exploration, but we did get to see some of the bunks and a galley. We also got to explore the deck, which was fun to roam and look around and think about wild escapades and rampages on. Yee see I got some pirate in me... We also decided to venture and take a look around the Arthur Foss, an old tug boat. Other boats/ships docked at the center on that day included the Virginia V and the Swiftsure. Seeing how small the living space was and how large rooms like the boiler room/engine room were was amazing. Them be some tight quarters on these boats (ships)! Even in the bigger rooms, there was lots of equipment that when tended to would be nice and cozy. A thoroughly enjoyable experience through and through.

Always love time on the water, and am still blown away they continue to offer free sailing to the public every sunday yearround. Sign ups open at 10am but plan to get there a little early to make sure you can get the boat and time you want. There are usually 5-6 different boats with various time slots and # of people they can take. I've gone 3x now and each time with a different guide who tells you different aspects of Seattle, lake union, etc. So cool and a nice thing to bring guests to do. They moved the bathroom access to the actual museum a building away, which is a good move since it encourages people to visit this beautiful space. It is so cool to see the history of sailing, boats being carved down, and past and future designs behind the boats. All round great place to visit, whether as a resident or out of town guest!

I recently became a volunteer for the Center for Wooden Boats, but I promise this review will not be biased. Prior to the tour I took during my volunteer orientation, I had not been here since my first visit to Seattle in June of 1995. I can say without hesitation that I wish I had come here more often because it is really something special. You don 't have to know anything about boats or even have ever been on one to enjoy this place. The history is really incredible and interesting and there are so many things to see in such a beautiful setting. The museum is free but if you want to take home a souvenir, they have a small but well-stocked gift shop located in the Wagner Education Center. Even though I have a different connection to this place, I'm excited about coming here more often and learning as much as I can about boating. The museum offers lessons and excursions for those who are interested.

A fun and interesting place to explore! The best part is the free Sunday rides and the Tugboat Story Time on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. (Though make sure to call or something, as the website isn't updated regularly, and we have shown up two times, at least, to find that the boat is closed or covered and no story time is taking place.) The history of boats, the look and feel of the boats and the knowledge and passion of staff is wonderful! It looks like they are building a new space, so we are eager to see what comes of it once it's ready and open.

The Center for Wooden Boats is a fabulous find in SLU. Volunteers and generous boat owners offer Sunday Sailing to people who are interested in supporting marine activities. It was fun to help raise the sails and to hear about the almost 100 year old boat we sailed upon. I recommend joining which gives you priority for booking reservations on Sunday. Members actually have access to a limited number of spots released on Mondays. Your contribution to this not-for-profit helps support programs at the center. They even have a popular summer STEM program for youth and other programs for adults and children.

Didn't rent a boat....but came here for a private event. Came here a few years ago when SLU was going through all the changes. Never would've realized this place could hold a private event but this was a perfect place with a lovely view. Our party was about 40 + and there was still enough room for about double that. The back patio leads out to the dock where you can take a little stroll along to admire the boats and views. I didn't set up this event but the place had good amenities for us to have food, grill out, bathrooms, space for us to mingle about, sit and enjoy the fresh air. It's located next to MOHAI so just look for the wooden boathouse. Parking....well it's SLU, so parking can be limited but there are parking lots near it so just park there or park at the neighboring lots, but it's a nice little walk to the boathouse. Our event was able to be rented from 530pm until past 9pm. Overall, it's a nice place to hold an event. Definitely will recommend it and come back to rent a boat.

This is a really awesome place especially on a sunny day but the workers at the boat rental are just really awful. Four of them were standing in a group chatting and did not acknowledge me when I walked up to them. I waited for them to finish their conversation and when I got their attention, the young woman was very snarky with me. I was taken aback but continued to be very nice wondering if she had a bad day. She seemed even more hostile as the conversation progressed and her tone was sharp when informing me that my row boat would be given away, if I am not present. Be forewarned of the Bad vibes!! The larger boats are open on the weekend and you can go in to browse. It's really cool to see the inside and learn the mechanics of a boat. There is one boat that is a hotel and seems like a great unique experience. I would definitely return on a nice summers day... but i will avoid the rental area.

This review is for the Sunday public sail. We got in line just after 9am to sign up for an afternoon sail. It was a beautiful day and 60ish people were already waiting in line on the docks. The doors open promptly at 10, however, it still took about an hour to get through the line. By the time we were allowed to pick out our boat/time not much was left for a group of 4! We scored a 2:00 sail time on the Dora, giving us the morning to relax before our sail. Upon returning that afternoon, (make sure to check in at least 20 min early or they will give up your spot) we got to hang on the docks and look at the various boats out on the water. We totally lucked out as the air show for Sea Fair was happening right at that time! The blue angels flying over us was an amazing sight! Our boat driver, Ed, safely navigated lake union on the newest of the wooden boats. The "Dora" was not a sail boat but a 7 person motor boat. At first we were bummed not to be sailing. But, the motor allowed us to tour all of lake union in 45 min and really get to see it all! Ed was extremely knowledgeable about Seattle's marina history. My favorite part was touring around the house boats and floating houses on the east side of the lake. I would highly recommend the Sunday public sail. The event does take some planning and waiting in line, but it is free! And of course, if you have a wonderful experience like we did, there are plenty of donation boxes. The center is mostly run by volunteers so donations are always much appreciated!!

I cannot tell you how much fun I had here! This place is not only charming but a jolly good time. They came recommended for the Sunday public sailing as a tourist destination. Disclaimer: I was not super excited about this trip activity until we went and boy am I glad I did!!! I highly recommend this experience. It was freezing when we went so the line was reasonable and we were able to pick the boat that we wanted. Super short wait. The location is everything you could ever want in a Seattle port. Clean and full of beautifully cared for sport and fishing boats. It was fun just admiring all the different historic and handcrafted wooden boats. We took out the SeaMew and it has a top speed of exactly 7 miles per hour. Not hardly enough to put a breeze in your hair but it was a great time none the less. Our boat held 5 so we got to meet new people and make friends. Our skipper was an awesome dude whose name tag read "wharf rat". His personality matched and I could not have asked to have met with a more authentic Seattl-ian on our trip. He was like a cross between a rugged Canadian fisherman and one of the Duck Dynasty guys. He made the entire trip for sure. Gave us tons of great food recommendations and options of additional things to do. Our fellow cruisers were local Seattlites which I thought was cool because it showed that even the locals appreciate this activity. In conclusion, if you are on the fence, just do it! This is a unique, Free, and fun thing to do in Seattle. Put it on the list!

Upon arriving, I was confused about what the "Center" was, but soon found the "Boat House" which serves as a source for visitor information. Basically, the Center for Wooden Boats encourages you to walk along the dock and look at a few boats (free) or rent a boat and go out on the water ($$). There were a few signs with information about sailing, but overall there isn't much substance if you're hoping for a museum-type experience. Though they do offer the experience of sailing on a larger boat with an employee, I wish they offered it some days other than Sunday.

Walked through here randomly to discover this fun living exhibit. This had previously been unavailable to me because they were doing work on the facility. They have ships there you can visit and see in their traditional wooden glory. Many small boats are moored up to the docks that The Center floats on in Lake Union. This location hosts events, rents boats, and provides a really great visiting point if you're into aquatic travel. If you're tired of all the technology in Seattle, and just want to connect back with wood and water, this is the place for you. The Center For Wooden Boats is definitely a gem in Seattle that probably gets overlooked too many times. Check out their website for details. There is a lot to see and do here. My next visit I will be sure to have time to visit some of the boats and buildings.

As a dreamer of dreams and a traveling man I have chalked up many a mile. Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks And I learned much from both of their styles. Free hour long boat cruises on Lake Union. What an amazing experience this was! The Center for Wooden Boats has a lot of displays and various kinds of crafts for you to explore. However, we were here to get out on the water. Sundays you can sign up to take an afternoon ride on many of the different boats. People were already queued up when we arrived at 10am to get our names on the list. No worries about that, when they opened the doors we had our pick of vessels. We chose the schooner that was visiting from Mexico. This is a non profit organization run by volunteers and we were happy to make a donation to CWB. We returned in the afternoon and got fitted for our life vests. The captain introduced himself and his mates and we were welcomed aboard. The schooner was beautiful. It was a thrill to see a working ship and the lake was buzzing. There was action all around and the seaplanes were taking off and landing around us during our cruise. It reminded me of Rodney's adventures in Caddyshack. It turned out to be one of the nicest days we spent in Seattle and I couldn't have picked a better way to spend it. Lil buddy Squirrel even got the chance to work the boat. Haul the sheet in as we ride on the wind That our forefathers harnessed before us.

I learned to sail here and take out their sailboats quite often. It's a really great place, and the staff are always more than willing to help you out. If you're coming more than once, their membership is well worth the price since you get pretty great discounts on rentals and lessons. Nancy is my favourite sailing instructor there, her approach really helps to hone your skills until you can do things without even thinking about it!

This cost nothing, but there are generally charges for boat rentals, classes and workshops. On Sundays, visitors can take a FREE sail in a classic boat. Show up 30 to 40 mins before hand to stand in line. Free boat rides on Sunday. First and foremost I should warn folks if the weather forecasted to be beautiful. Arrive early. It's suggested you be in-line at 10am to "book" your free sail. I arrive at 9:30am the line was already wrapping the building. While you wait in line there will be sheets passed through listing which boats are available to ride that day. There's usually several boats ranging from small wooden canoes to gorgeous antique sailboats plus steam powered boats and motorized yachts. The sailboats tend to be the favorites and fill up fast so you really do need to get there early for these. Once you get to the front of the line you will sign up for the boat and time you want to go on. There are usually several times during the day starting at 10:15am and going until 4pm. Once you have your boat and time scheduled you're free to go and explore the little museum and marina. You will need to be back at the marina 10 minutes prior to your departure time when you will sign in and grab a lifejacket. Sign up starts at 10 am every Sunday of the year. However if you want to be sure of getting onto a boat I'd advise getting there about 9:00 am - 9:30am as the line up starts early, especially on a nice day. The center has few exhibits about wooden boats which are fairly interesting. We enjoyed a quick tour of the Lotus, a very cool wooden boat circa 1909 which they rent out for special events. Theres not a whole lot to see, but it was a nice way to spend a short visit. Once on board your hosts will take you on tour of beautiful Lake Union. When your tour is over be sure to thank your hosts both on shore and on the boat as they are all volunteering their time just out of love for the Wooden Boat Center. Fantastic photography opportunities.

We booked the boathouse for our small wedding (~30 people, though we could have fit several more), and it was the perfect space for us. Even with uncooperative weather, the indoors was charming and cozy with great views of the water. They had just refreshed the paint and it looked great. Jen really went above and beyond in making it a great experience for us, from helping us sort out issues with our reservation to making sure we got perfect photos with the boats. I'd book again for similar gatherings in a heartbeat.

For Public Sail only: If you're like me and unwilling to pay for the ferry or water taxi experience, but still want to be on the water, this is a unique option to see the other side of the city skyline. Fortunately, I had a friend generous enough to get up early and line up by 9:30 am. She said there were about 50 people ahead of her by this time - but it was a holiday weekend, so maybe this is more than usual. Try to get a list of the boats to look at while you're in line, because you have to make a quick decision for which you'll sign up for before the first slots fill up. I don't know anything about boats, so I preferred whichever sailed earliest. The Dora was later, but looks more stable and has "commentary" on whatever you boat by. Unfortunately, I don't remember the others. It didn't make much of a difference to me. The water is calm enough that even I wasn't nauseous after a night of heavy drinking. You're out for about 45 minutes. Our captain wasn't very chatty, but I didn't mind because it was nice to get away from the noise of the city and lay back chatting with friends. Parking was easy to find only two blocks over, and of course free because it's on Sunday! If you end up with a chunk of time before you sail, the Center for Wooden Boats has a lot of cool stuff docked for you to look at, and miniature boats for kids (I wish I could have gotten on one, but I probably would have sunken it immediately). Make sure you're at the gathering point 15 minutes ahead of time to get a life jacket. All in all, a perfect leisurely way to spend Sunday morning.

Come here on a Sunday! They have free boat rides for the first 175-200 people on a first come first serve basis. Sign ups start at 10, but I'd say get there at 9 am so you can have the first pick. Otherwise you might not get the boat you want or at the time you desire. I road the Dora boat. It's a cute little boat, but unfortunately if you look close has spiders on it. So I ignored it. It was a lovely tour of lake Union. The tour guide was very informational as well as the skipper. There's a lot of Seattles rich history told throughout the tour guide. My favorite part was the floating houses that they have on lake Union. I'm so glad I went on this boat tour. It was definitely worth the wait!

T and I really wanted to take advantage of the lake without committing to buying a kayak and found the Center for Wooden Boats as a unique place to both learn about the legacy of wooden boats in the pacific northwest and rent a boat. We arrived around noon and we happy to find that a number of kayaks and canoes were still available - it was a fall afternoon so might recommend getting there when they open at 10 if you want to rent a boat in peak summertime. The staff was super friendly and helpful in identifying what we should rent (kayak) and getting us set-up with life jackets and someone to help us unmoor the kayak. They were super flexible about our return time and helped us estimate roughly how long we might expect to be gone given where we wanted to go on the Lake and our level of expertise. The kayak itself was great, the paddles were well made and it felt very steady on the water. We had a great time paddling around and enjoying the warm weather and upon returning, were happy that the staff rounded our time out on the water down to 1.5 hrs even though we'd gone about 10 mins over that time. We then walked a bit around the visitor center and learned more about wooden boats and the other options that the Center for Wooden Boats offered. Would happily come back and recommend it to friends as a unique way to experience Lake Union if you don't own a boat yourself!

Awesome experience, surprise you get to choose your own boat. Sign up early and come back. We had a wonderful skipper named Fred who had such great knowledge of the area. Weather was superb!

We went on a Sunday for the free sailing. Got there about 9 and there was already a line of about 20 people. Luckily there were 6 boats available. Once 10am came around we signed up for which boat and which time you wanted to sail. We chose the Betsy which was a small sailboat. Only fit 5 people all together. Came back at 1:30 for the sailing. Sailed for about 40 mins while the captain talked about everything surrounding the lake and about sailing. It was the perfect day and was so much fun. We will deff be back again!!

Let me start by saying that the CWB is overall a wonderful organization. Their contributions to grow, educate and raise awareness of the sailing community have been and continue to be amazing. If you have an opportunity to stop in and check out the boats and their new building, you will not be disappointed. If this review were based solely on the facility and the boats that they showcase, they would get 5 stars. But, this is written from the perspective of a former student of the SailNOW program, which was truly disappointing. The program is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom lack the skills to adequately train others in how to sail, as well as skills to interact appropriately with paying customers. The SailNOW program is approximately an 8- week program that includes one lecture and numerous sessions on the water, which end with a final session in which the student demonstrates proficiency and earns a livery pass if successfully completing a test of their sailing skills. One volunteer instructor made several unwelcome comments about the issues that he was having with his marriage, laced with profanity. Another volunteer instructor treated myself and the others during our sail as though we were incompetent and unintelligent whenever we asked questions with smirks and sarcastic replies. And another literally yelled at me for not following an instruction fast enough. To top it off, I tried to reschedule my final session in which I would take the proficiency test, but there were no open sessions in the Sign-Up Genius tool that they use for scheduling. I sent two emails to Ned, the program coordinator, to ask to set up another time since Sign-Up Genius has no open slots. I also called four times, and left messages for him with others asking for a call back, but I never received a call. I gave up on getting my last class, or a partial refund, since I literally can't reach anyone who can help, including the program coordinator. I have heard that some of the other professionally run sailing programs are fantastic and am hopeful to look into them. The CWB is a great asset for observing a variety of wooden boats and learning about their history, but the SailNOW course (and likely the other courses) cannot be run effectively and competitively by the volunteers that are running the program today. I'd advise you to go somewhere else if you want to learn how to sail.

This has to be one of the "best kept secrets" in Seattle!! I'm so glad our daughter discovered the Center for Wooden Boats. We went out on Lake Union on a beautiful morning in late August. Our Skipper Peter was terrific and made the hour long ride a lot of fun. I never knew you could enjoy a ride on a sailboat, steam powered boat or other antique wooden vessel at no charge! This organization is operated by volunteers and funded by donations. I highly recommend a visit.. Be sure to get in line at least an hour early!!

This place is defintiely a local gem in SLU and is a great for activities/to hang out with family and friends. You can stop by to check out some cool looking wooden boats at the dock, take classes if you live around the area...or you can even kill time at the nearby museum/walk around Lake Union, too. This is a really great, genuine place that I hope lasts in Seattle forever...the people/volunteers there were just so nice and helpful! They even offered me free hot chocolate, muffins even after I insisted on paying for them. Every Sundays, the center also offers free wooden boat tours (all run by volunteers) that will take you around Lake Union. On our ride, we got to stop to check out boats around SLU and, of course, the boathouses in the area. If you'd like to take a free boat ride, sign up ahead of time, especially if you plan to stop by in Spring/Summer or early fall. I stopped by at 1pm and all the slots were already filled up for the day even on one of those winter days!

FREE boating? Canoe rentals? Awesomeness. As a bonus, there's a small maritime history museum, a yard with old boats, engines, etc otuside, and really, it's just a beautiful way to spend a Sunday. I'm so glad I did this with my friends when I was here!

Amazing center run by volunteers. My parents were visiting and we had so much fun going out on a steamboat​ around the bay. Our captain is a retired Navy man and had a great sense of humor. The weather was a little rough, but the trip was very memorable.

Totally unprofessional, rude and unqualified staff. I am loathe to writing reviews -- I believe good service speaks for itself. But this is one of those occasions where my word is more than necessary. Something must change. The Center for Wooden Boats evidently has much training and re-staffing to do. Upon approaching their dock to retrieve a family member, I was met with incessant profanity and threats from two of the Center's staff. I was under sail with limited maneuverability. I was told that I could not momentarily tie up, let alone come close to their dock. This defies various principles and ethics of seamanship and, more generally, being a good steward to the public. Irrespective of one's preference for their dock usage and patrons, it is unacceptable to prevent a boat from tying off. As a matter of necessity, we could have had engine troubles and NEEDED to dock to assess our options. As a matter of safety, we could have had a medical emergency and NEEDED to dock. Any number of harrowing scenarios can be conjured up. The standard practice is to allow a vessel to dock, inform the skipper of your policies about when docking is permitted, and then assist the vessel's departure. This is not the treatment I received. The treatment I received was a power-trip from the Center's unqualified, undignified personnel. I DO NOT recommend going to the Center if you wish to experience good seamanship and small vessel instruction. There are numerous other sailboat rentals, sail-schools and sailing tours in the Seattle area. The Center is a travesty and should not be considered among them. Those of us lifelong Seattle boaters agree that there is a certain courtesy, a certain sense of decency and responsibility along the shores of the lake and sound, no matter what docking rules lay below the surface. The Center should take pride in the fact that it is recognized as somewhat of boating institution, and try to legitimize that by not souring the taste in the mouths of its past-advocates. The Center has lost my business, my good word, and I hope through some restructuring that they can make good and not totally destroy their reputation with the buffoons they hire.

Definitely not worth the free ride on Sunday. The two of us showed up at 9:30 and were probably 80 people from the front of the line. The doors opened at 10 to sign up and took us an hour just to get our names on the list. The process was very unorganized. Only one person is allowed to enter the building at a time to sign up. We tried to get the earliest time but they only had 1 spot on two boats at noon available so we signed up for the 1 o'clock ride. Boat took off about 15 mins late and only went a few hundred yards out into the lake. If you're going to waste half your day on this, be there by 9:15.

Boats look pretty but this place is expensive to rent boats and lacking in customer service. I was excited to go there, but the person behind the counter seemed uninterested in helping with my very complicated question: "So, how much do boats cost to rent?". You can do better - in terms of price and customer service - for renting boats (e.g. NorthWest Outdoor Center or Agua Verde).

Come on a Sunday, and you'll get to ride for free! We showed up around 11:30am on a Sunday, over Columbus day weekend, and we signed up for the 12:30 sailboat ride around the lake. And would you believe it, the sun was UP, not a cloud in the sky. To kill time, since you only need to show up 20 mins before you sail, we grabbed some brunch cocktails nearby. The wait was much longer than 20 minutes (in reality), but I still think it was worth it. The sail was very smooth, and this from someone who gets easily seasick. This was the perfect activity on a (rare) sunny clear day in Seattle.

Pros: - No wait time for renting a boat - $35 per hour for a 3-person row boat isn't too expensive Cons: - One staff member yelled commands at a friend who was new to rowing. - Using a row boat on Lake Union is stressful, especially when it's windy. I wouldn't recommend it unless you've rowed before and it's your thing.

I've always wanted to learn to sail and when I do it will be here. Not only is this place fascinating with beautiful boats, it's FREE! Not only free to visit, but I recently learned you can go on a FREE 1/2 hour boat ride on Sundays, year round, weather permitting. What better way to spend a cheap day? Kids and adults alike love this place and climbing in the boats is a such a cool and authentic way to acquire an appreciation of an art that's been around almost since the dawn of mankind. The gift shop has a clothing, posters and a few other things that are NOT priced at usual gift shop prices but are eminently affordable. With workshops, events and more, it would be harder to find a more worthy place to support.

I love writing super positive reviews about local businesses - so I'm glad my 299th (so so close) review is a super positive one for the Center for Wooden Boats. It's one of those "only in Seattle" type places that perfectly embodies the history of Seattle without feeling stale at all. I've been by here a million times (used to work right around the corner), but only recently checked it out during the Wooden Boat Festival - which is a fantastic (and manageable) festival all about the history of wooden boat building and sailing in Seattle. Tons of restored old sail and motor boats to climb aboard and learn about. They also sponsor (i.e. the rides are mostly free) rides on a variety of restored boats (water craft?) on most weekends (not sure if year round or just the summer). Since it was the festival we waited for a while in line but got a great ride around Lake Union on a small wooden motor boat (I thought it was all old, but turns out it was a replica). All the volunteers are super knowledgeable not just about the boats but the history of the area and Lake Union too. You can always see people here working on restoring a boat they own, or taking classes to learn about how to restore boats - or even teenage kids doing sailing/boat camps in the summer. It's pretty awesome that this slice of Seattle history is being preserved in such an active way. Then there's the history museum, which I'll actually have to get back to. Now that there's a model boat pond near by and soon MOHAI going into what used to be the Naval Armory next door this is going to be one hopping joint. Take the whole family, you won't regret it.

This is a neat spot and definitely worth walk-around if you are in the area. As well, there are workshops, classes, and boats for rent. We didn't do any of that but it seemed like it would be a pretty cool place to hang out.

Luckily for me, the Center for Wooden Boats takes part in Volunteer Appreciation Week-- where volunteers from various non-profits can go visit other places for free! We indulged in our one-hour free boat rental on a sunny Sunday, when Lake Union was as calm as a bath tub. The staff and volunteers at the CWB were similarly chilled-out, and getting into our boat was a breeze (a very gentle breeze). An hour sped by quickly, but we had time to gawk at the houseboats, gaze at Gas Works Park, and gander at downtown. Hurray for the Center for Wooden Boats, where you can go on the free community sails, or rent the Haida canoe carved from a 700-year-old log. One tip: park in the public parking lot to the west of the CWB for 2 hours of free parking.

Free wooden boat rides Sunday afternoon! This place is awesome. Come here to take a ride around Lake Union. We got an electric boat but I kind of wish I got the steam boat! I don't know the cost on normal days but like I said, it's free on Sunday! The captains will take you around and give you a pretty cool tour of the lake and the history of the ships. Well worth the $0.00 we spent there. Okay we donated at the end but that's because it was so great. If you live in Seattle make sure to check it out. If you are visiting... make sure you check it out!

Visited this place over the weekend and wish I had known about it sooner. It's a great place to check out some awesome wooden boat designs. You can watch the carvers working on the boats, take a sailing class, rent a boat, or just enjoy the view. They also host a cool program on Sundays where they have free 45-minute rides on classic boats throughout the day! It's also located in a great area as they've really developed Lake Union Park overall. The MOHAI is awesome, the Sunday ice cream cruise is only $11 for adults for a 45-minute guided tour cruise around the lake, the mini sailboats are fun, and the fountains provide an easy urban water park for families with young children. I love that our city has fun finds like this and would encourage people to come out and enjoy/support them!

I am a volunteer sailing instructor and sometimes skipper of the Public Sails that everyone is so enthused about. I love the Center for Wooden Boats more than just about anything in this town. The CWB is a working museum. The boats are museum pieces, but they are also used for recreation and for instruction. The volunteer community is one of the best I have ever encountered, and I consider the staff of CWB some of the best people in Seattle. Come down to CWB. Go for a row or a sail. If you really like the environment, come to a volunteer workshop and get involved. Being on the giving end of CWB is about the most rewarding thing that there is. See you out there!

**** I got a really nice email from the director.. he understands about the balance of size and mor epeople. I am going back to volunteer. This entire place is the vision of a few men who have remained with it for a logn time.. and through their tireless efforts have benefitted Seattle, sailing, safe boating, teens at-risk and much more than we can possibly know until we are there regularly. ** It has gotten so big that administratively things go wrong. Iit has gotten so big that your calls can be ignored. It has gotten so big that the good small group feeling of people who work together well is not always apparent. I do wish them well.

The Center for Wooden Boats has done what I never thought possible: make a sailor, nay, a skipper, out of this land lubber. Whereas my partner seems to have a natural affinity for all things sailing, I felt like I was a cat being brought to water. So I always felt like I would make good crew if you told me what to do, but I won't actually be able to take a boat out by myself. Well, here's what worked for me. When you become a member of the Center for Wooden Boats, you can rent, for a very reasonable price, a little cabin that they manage at Cama Beach, which is north of Whidbey Island. I had already taken the basic sailing course before and still didn't feel confident. Our little family booked a half week trip to stay at Cama Beach and we had private lessons for 3 days straight. Half day each for me and my partner, while one of us was on land with the kids. Our instructor, Ryan, was an incredible teacher, who understood that he was teaching technical skills and also instilling confidence. He was so patient and supportive! On day one I could only focus on one small thing (trimming the jib), to the last day where I was tacking confidently and practicing safe jibes. At the next opportunity, I had a practice sail and then passed my livery test at South Lake Union, single-handing the boat. I really didn't think I could progress that quickly, and was kind of giving up on myself. So thank you to Center for Wooden Boats, and Ryan, our volunteer instructor, for bringing the joy of sailing to me and so many others.

Love going here! If you check in on Yelp you get an hour free of rowing or paddle boating. We went paddle boating. The people are really nice, friendly, and quite willing to help. On Sundays you get a free ride on a sailboat around south lake union! We paddled all the way to Gas Works and back. It was really nice just to relax and look at all the cool boat houses.This was a great find because I will definitely be back on those sunny days.

Years ago when I first moved to Seattle, my sister made arrangements to charter a 19' Lightning, a small day racing and daysailing boat, from the Center for an afternoon. I was very excited because after a lifetime of sailing, much of it in Lightnings, I hadn't been in a boat for a while. And what a wonderful way to see the Lake Union lakefront! I could not wait for our day to come! We arrived at the center full of anticipation only to find the boat had a carpet of grass on her bottom at least four inches long. I was both horrified and enraged. Clearly this boat, this wonderful boat, had been neglected for years. For you non-sailors, imagine making an appointment to rent a horse only to find upon arrival an emaciated, starving beast, his coat dull and full of mange, tail fouled with feces, standing in a slush of urine and feces on hooves that had gone years without attention. You would probably want to call the authorities and press charges. That is how I felt. To allow a wood boat to languish for months, years, is inexcusable. For an organization that promotes itself as caring about wooden boats not even to apply bottom paint is criminal. I have had nothing to do with them since, twenty three years. If they were drowning, I'd throw 'em an anvil. Paul J. Nolan. (The Center received a star only because the software demands a rating. My opinion:. Five negative stars!)