The Heritage
Boat Shop

Celebrating Tacoma’s rich maritime heritage by representing the past, present, and future of boat building.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Heritage Boat Shop, a vibrant community space where craftsmanship, creativity, and education converge. Nestled in the heart of Tacoma's downtown working waterfront, our wooden boat shop welcomes enthusiasts of all skill levels to explore the art of woodworking.

We offer a wide variety of classes to the public, led by experienced artisans and instructors. Our course offerings range from family craft events to intro-level adult woodworking, to advanced boatbuilding and marine technology. Join us to preserve Tacoma's rich maritime history, and discover the joy of woodworking!


~ A special thanks to our team of dedicated volunteers who make our work possible.

Boat Shop Schedule

Open Shop Hours

Wednesdays, 5-8PM
$30

Access our state-of-the-art facilities to work on your own self-directed project. Complete shop safety training and gain access to mentorship and supervision from industry professionals. Pre-registration is required.

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Boat Shop Gift Card

Prices vary

Our Boat Shop Gift Cards are a great gift for anyone interested in learning woodworking skills, or maritime repair and maintenance skills. Redeemable for any Boat Shop class!

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Intro to Woodturning: Making Pens

By Appointment
$65

Join us to learn the basics of woodturning and make your own custom pen! Please contact our Boat Shop Manager to schedule a one or two person lesson.

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Women on the Water

Tuesdays, 5 PM

We are collaborating with Tacoma Boat Builders to bring you a FREE rowing & maritime skills program for women, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people of all ages!

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Women's Woodworking Foundations

Saturday, March 15, 2025
Saturday & Sunday, 10 AM - 4 PM
$450

SOLD OUT Join our two-day foundations class for women and nonbinary folks to build confidence in woodworking. Craft your own wooden step stool using hand and power tools.

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Power Tool Basics

Thursday, March 20, 2025
3 PM - 6 PM
$150

Join us to gain confidence and proficiency using power tools! Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast, homeowner, or an aspiring woodworker, developing skills with power tools is an important first step.

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Intro to Marine Diesels With Meredith Anderson

Saturday, March 29, 2025
Saturday & Sunday, 10 AM - 4 PM
$475

Welcome to the world of marine diesels! Join us in this two day class to build confidence on the water and save money by learning how to repair and maintain your own diesel engine.

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Woodworking Foundations

Monday, April 21, 2025
Monday & Tuesday, 10 AM - 4 PM
$450

Join our two-day foundations class to build confidence in woodworking. Craft your own wooden step stool using hand and power tools.

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Woodworking Foundations - Adirondack Chairs

Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 10AM - 4PM
$650

Learn the foundations of woodworking in this three day class while learning to craft your very own classic Adirondack Chair.

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Music in the Boat Shop - Heartwood

Thursday, May 15, 2025
Doors 6:30 PM, Show 7:00 PM
Adults: $15-35 sliding scale, Kids: $5

Join us for an all-ages, immersive, participatory journey through song and story. The Well Tree is a three-person musical, illustrated by a ‘crankie’ - an illuminated, papercut, hand-cranked scroll. It is an original 'singing story' about wild journeying and remembering kinship -- the tale of a young woman moving beyond the fog of isolation to meet songbirds, snails and ancient trees as she travels through these unraveling times, finding her way home. The three members of Heartwood are the actors, musicians and the crew that runs the crankie —created by papercut artist Jennifer Jones – and audiences help sing pieces of the story.

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Beginning Woodworking - Charcuterie Boards!

Sunday, June 1, 2025
10 AM - 3 PM
$250

Join us to learn the basics of woodworking and make your own serving board!

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Family Boat Building

Saturday, June 28, 2025
Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM - 4 PM
Sliding scale payment options available

Join us this summer to build your very own rowboat! July and August dates to be announced.

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About the Instructors

Cori Shooter
Boat Shop Manager

Born and raised in Maine, Cori (she/her) grew up with a love for the outdoors and has worked as an outdoor guide and educator throughout the US, Central America, and Europe. Cori found sailing as a teenager, and was immediately hooked. She spent years working towards a US Coast Guard Captain’s license and has since dedicated herself to sharing the joy of sailing, cruising with folks ages 7 to 74! In her free time Cori enjoys having fun in the sun, rock climbing, biking, playing chess, backpacking, and tinkering.

Contact Us

To contact us with questions on our course offerings or about joining our team of hardworking volunteers, please email our Boat Shop Coordinator, at cori.shooter@fosswaterwayseaport.org.