Upcoming Events
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Intro to Coastal Navigation
This one-day introduction to Coastal Navigation will give you hands-on experience in understanding the symbols on the charts, learning about aids to navigation, plotting courses with a variety of plotting tools, using lines of position to find a fix, and taking and finding your latitude and longitude to give or find a position.
Tools and Woodworking: The Basics
Build a 2-step stool as a first project to practice a variety of new woodworking skills. The pace in the class will be relaxed and catered to your needs and questions.
Knots, Whipping, and Splicing with Arista Holden
Learn and practice your ropework skills. Tie some of the most essential knots for boating and other adventures with greater ease. Learn how to seize the ends with a whipping and a splice.
Row a Bantry Bay Gig: An Atlantic Challenge Boat!
Row a Bantry Bay gig on the Merrimack River with Arista Holden, Executive Director of Atlantic Challenge USA. Bantry Bay gigs are designs from the 18th century French navy.
Atlantic Challenge: Adventure, Seamanship, and Camaraderie
Come see a presentation of stories and beautiful photos from sailing and rowing events coordinated by Atlantic Challenge USA, a Maine non-profit. They are part of an international global community of boatbuilding, rowing, and sailing programs in Bantry Bay gigs with a mission to provide opportunities for personal development, community building, and intercultural understanding through the experience of gathering to race traditional open boats.
Road to Revolution Part II: Newburyport Braces for Attack by Sea
Join Graham McKay, executive director of Lowell’s Boat Shop, and Bethany Groff Dorau, executive director of Museum of Old Newbury, as they describe the ways Newburyport prevented attack by sea and became a refuge for rebels at sea. Registration is necessary.
Winter Speaker Series: Racing the Solstice to the Arctic Circle
Join us at Firehouse Center for the Arts for a presentation by Graham McKay with plenty of far-flung, high-latitude footage coupled with stories that you can only get one way: Sailing to the Sailing to the Arctic Circle
Winter Speaker Series: Sunken History—Hunting Shipwrecks in the Gulf of Maine
Hosted by Barewolf Brewing. Join us for a night of New England shipwreck stories. The people of Maine and New Hampshire have histories tied to the sea, and making a living at sea can be dangerous. The wrecks of fishing vessels, freighters such as SS William H. Machen, and warships such as USS Eagle 56 lay hidden beneath the waves just off our coast.
Winter Speaker Series: Maritime Trivia
Join us at Barewolf Brewing for five rounds of watery trivia involving boats, biology, weather, history, and more. Good times, free to attend.
SOLD OUT Build-Your-Own Charcuterie Board
Build your own Charcuterie Board at Lowell’s Boat Shop! It will make a lovely handmade gift… or a lovely centerpiece for your holiday gatherings.
2024 Holiday Open House: THE event of the year!
Shopping, food, music, art show, auction, and more! Come see the shop transformed for the holidays. Santa will visit each day at 1 p.m. for pictures and wish-making.
2024 Art Show
Local artists take over the lower level of Lowell’s Boat Shop with a spirited, curated collection of paintings, photographs, drawings, and multi-media pieces inspired by maritime themes and the natural world.
December 6 is the official opening party and Members Only Preview.
Member Preview Party! Holiday Open House
First dibs on the shopping, art show, and auction! Come see the shop transformed for the holidays at this very special, members-only event. Libations, oysters, desserts, and more.
2024 Tree Sale to Benefit Lowell's Boat Shop
Get your tree at Lowell’s, and you’ll be supporting our mission.
Build Your Own Plymouth Rock'r
Rocking horses step aside, it’s time for rocking dories! Learn boatbuilding skills while making this beautiful heirloom toy.
Traveling Tool Carrier with Till with John Harvey
Build a wooden tote with one removable till, practicing dovetails, mortise and tenon joinery, and a saddle joint pegged with wooden dowels. Monday and Friday are evening sessions, Saturday and Sunday are during the day.
Fall Haul and Mighty Merrimack Rowing Race
Register to race or come to spectate. Click through to see the schedule for the day. It's one of the best parties of the year here at Lowell's!
Annual Meeting and Arctic Presentation
Come for the snacks and meeting, stay to hear about Graham's big adventure. Last year's was fun, and we hope you come out to visit and hear about year we've had and the year we hope to have.
Winter Speaker Series: New England Ice Yacht Association
The Winter Speaker Series kicks off with this presentation from the New England Ice Yacht Association. Learn about Ice Boats and see some for yourself.
Member Lawn Party
Enjoy the waterfront with us. Not a member? Click through to find out how to join up.
SOLD OUT Timeless Elegance: Classic Dories and Vintage Cars
Lowells Boat Shop and the Industrial History Center (Amesbury Carriage Museum) invite you to come celebrate dories and vintage cars. Mingle with like-minded enthusiasts and create lasting memories against the backdrop of our rich maritime and automotive heritage.
Spring Launch and Mighty Merrimack Rowing Race
Launching boats and racing them. Register to race or spectate from our beautiful deck and lawn at the shop. May 11!
Winter Speaker Series: Voyage Among the Icebergs
Barewolf Brewing hosts this talk given by Bill Barton, who, with his brother, cruised to Newfoundland and Labrador among the icebergs. See the pictures and drone footage; enjoy Barewolf’s beer and bar snacks. BYO pizza, if you like.
Adult Class: Make Your Own Charcuterie Board, April Session
Make your own charcuterie board and enjoy some very good snacks at Lowell’s Boat Shop. No woodworking experience required, but you’ll get some while you’re here.
CANCELED due to weather The Ice Boats of the New England Ice Yacht Association
Location: Lowell’s Boat Shop
No ticket is required for this third of four events in our Winter Speaker Series. Join us for a casual presentation by ice boat experts about race boat construction, with stories about races and the history of race boats that, a century ago, were especially important along the Hudson River. Admission is free for LBS Members, a donation from non-members is appreciated.
Sailmaking with Harold Burnham
Join us for a half-day workshop where we’ll introduce the basics of present-day traditional sailmaking. During the class we will measure, design, loft, and layout vertically cut Oceanus sails for a Haven 12 1/2 built by Lowell's Boat Shop Apprentices.
Winter Speaker Series: Ice Ship to Calcutta
This slate deck log became, accidentally, a permanent record of the last moments of a man’s life, and revealed a gripping story of love, loss, murder, and bicycling in the Himalayas. Intrigued? Come hear the whole wild story and see this piece of ultimate ephemera for yourself. Join us for a Dark and Stormy evening with maritime-themed refreshments. Members of Lowell's Boat Shop and the Museum of Old Newbury are free, non-members are $10.