At a wharf where oceangoing yachts tie up for repairs, Paul Baskett — a boatbuilder and owner of Lunenburg's Old Town Boatworks — says his craft is showing signs of renewal amid challenging times.
"Lunenburg in the boatbuilding repair world is bustling," he said, standing alongside a varnished wooden mast from a vintage sloop he's carefully restoring.
Baskett, 53, came to the community to be part of what he called "the working waterfront" about 20 years ago, after becoming an avid sailor in his teenage years, and apprenticing as a shipwright in England.
But survival in this industry hasn't been easy in recent years, as boatyards have had to shift to a creative mix of filling niche markets — ranging from rebuilding classic sailing yachts to fabricating uncrewed research vessels with laser-cut sheets of aluminum.
Here are some scenes from the historic waterfront of Lunenburg, N.S.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2025.
The Canadian Press
