Visit Farley Boat Works

Established 1915. Re-established 2011.

Farley Boat Works is a living exhibit. The sounds of the boat shop can be heard as soon as you enter the building. Visit us to see the shop in action and watch boats being built.

Location

716 W Avenue C.

Open Hours

  • Tuesday – Friday:
    8 a.m. – Noon & 1 – 5 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Closed

Sunday, Monday & Wednesday

Join Us

If you’d like to take part in any of our projects, contact Frankie Cabrera, Boat Building Manager.

agsdix-smc-phone-2

Phone

(361) 416-1614

Boat in front of the Farley Boat Works building

Follow us on Facebook

Follow Farley Boat Works on Facebook

Boat Building at Farley Boat Works

Teaching Boat Building

We began the process of teaching boat building by training several teachers. Doyle Marek, who created and then ran the boat building program at the Port A schools, was our head trainer. He taught a select group of people to build a Port A skiff. These simple but highly useful boats are distinct and unique to our island.

Once the process was understood and we had built a boat or two to see how our shop functioned, we expanded and offered classes to the public who wanted to build a skiff for themselves.

Skiffs

The next step is to recreate the small rowing/sailing skiffs that were so common during the era of Tarpon, Texas. This fleet of boats will be available for use at the City Marina.

Scow Schooner

We are building a 60′ scow schooner like the ones that plied our local waters in the days of sail.

People standing in front of Farley Boat Works with two unfinished kayaks.
A woman and a girl work on a boat inside Farley Boat Works.
Chet Garner of Daytripper sits in a boat holding a fishing rod outside Farley Boat Works.
A man and two boys work on a boat inside Farley Boat Works.