Protecting & Preserving
Restorations ♦ New Custom Boats ♦ Repairs ♦ Re-Finishing
Led by Paul Brackley with 30 years of experience as a boat builder, our team of skilled craftsmen at Brackley Boats isn’t just about protecting and preserving vintage wooden boats for generations to come; we’re also strongly motivated to keep alive the old skills and workmanship that went into building these distinguished watercraft in the first place. That legendary artisanship helped to make Muskoka the boat-building capital of Canada in the late nineteenth century and into the twentieth century, when the rich and famous came from across North America to purchase from pre-eminent builders such as Minett, Greavette, Duke, and Ditchburn.
Our clients are typically knowledgeable classic boat enthusiasts who are as motivated as we are to pay homage to the rich history of their wooden watercraft through careful restoration. They want to know that for us, “keeping it real” means something. It’s a challenge we embrace not by rigging parts to get by, but by restoring our clients’ boats with handcrafted replacement parts that are historically accurate and impeccably made. If you’re nervous about putting your treasured mahogany launch into someone else’s hands for maintenance or restoration, bring it to Brackley, because we’re going to love it as much as you do. Every boat we work on is our business card.
Maintenance & Restoration
Brackley’s has restored many famous and award-winning Muskoka boats, including the Q.M., The Jolly Roger, Flying Lady, Lady Barbra, Vic II, Lady Lux, Little Susie and Iconic, in addition to boats once owned by Orville and Wilbur Wright, Al Capone, and Rita Hayworth, among other notables.
We can maintain, repair, or restore wooden boats up to 50-feet long. With each project, we take pride in achieving a dual purpose: helping our clients achieve their vision for their fine wooden watercraft, and working to preserve and further historical boat-building skills for current and future generations.
Whether your boat needs a bottom replacement, some maintenance work, or a full restoration, we don’t take the responsibility lightly. From varnishing to flooring to upholstery, our aim is clear and simple: to bring your dreams to life.
We can maintain, repair, or restore wooden boats up to 50-feet long. With each project, we take pride in achieving a dual purpose: helping our clients achieve their vision for their fine wooden watercraft, and working to preserve and further historical boat-building skills for current and future generations.
Whether your boat needs a bottom replacement, some maintenance work, or a full restoration, we don’t take the responsibility lightly. From varnishing to flooring to upholstery, our aim is clear and simple: to bring your dreams to life.
Bring Us Your Dream
From varnishing to flooring to upholstery, our aim is clear and simple: to bring your dreams to life.
See what other services we can provide:
STORAGE
We can maintain, repair, or restore wooden boats up to 50-feet long. With each project, we take pride in achieving a dual purpose: helping our clients achieve their vision for their fine wooden watercraft, and working to preserve and further historical boat-building skills for current and future generations.
MECHANICAL
Brackley’s full-time marine mechanic is qualified to take on all mechanical elements of your wooden boat restoration or maintenance, including total or partial engine rebuilds, propeller and shaft repairs, rigging, seasonal maintenance, and more.
PROCUREMENT
We bring the wealth of three decades’ worth of experience working with fine wooden watercraft to our procurement services. Drop by and tell us about the vision you have for your next (or first) purchase, and we’ll be happy to help you find what you’re looking for.
Lady Lux
Few boats combine the elegance, power and grace quite like the Chris Craft Sedan Limousine Sedan Runabout. Chris Craft built only 180 of the 1929-1931 28 Foot Runabout, and far fewer with the optional sedan top. The boats bottom was replaced, sides and decks were refastened, many bottom and deck frames were replaced. The A-120 went through a full rebuild. Chrome, gauges, wiring, fuel tank and system, interior and much more were done during restoration. According to Chris Craft only 32 were built with the sedan top and only handful exist to this day. This is superb example of an early Chris Craft Sedan Runabout.
Iconic
Watch our water test on the Iconic – the largest Greavette Streamliner ever built.
High Tea
See the stunning High Tea being launched by crane. A Ditchburn Cabin Cruiser, this boat is 58 feet in length.
Chaynemac V
Chaynemac V, originally Iona III with new bottom installed and painted with marine Bronze enamel. Time to roll her upright.