Meet Graham McKay of Lowell’s Boat Shop in Amesbury

Today we’d like to introduce you to Graham McKay.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My journey to where I am today started with an inherent passion for boats….especially wooden ones. I grew up down the street from Lowell’s Boat Shop and it was always part of the fabric of my life. When I was in High School I was fortunate enough to take a class there which propelled me to building a boat of my own the following summer. After that, college (Harvard) got in the way for four years but I didn’t let it discourage me building boat models in my dorm room and sailing on tall ships in the summer. After graduation I worked various jobs as a commercial fisherman, research scientist, commercial diver, and sailing on tall ships. My life experience pointed me toward a master’s degree in Maritime Archaeology which I received from the University of Bristol (England). While writing my thesis for that I began working at Lowell’s in order to make some cash on which to live. That stopgap job came at a time when the shop itself was going through transition and had an uncertain future. I have been at Lowell’s ever since and during my time I have tried to instill the passion I have for boats, history, and the magical place that is Lowell’s in everyone who comes through the doors.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not always been a smooth one and I think anyone who can tell you it has selective memory. The main struggle all along has been money. When I started there were times when the bank account had $17 in it and the place was being kept alive through the private funds of the board members themselves. Persistence, communication, and opening the doors to everyone who wished to come in has turned that around. Money is still a constant concern and the nut has grown significantly over the last decade but we are in a much more sustainable place than we have been in decades.

Lowell’s Boat Shop – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Lowell’s Boat Shop is a non-profit working museum. The business was established in 1793 and turned big time in 1860 when the present buildings were built to serve as a factory to produce fishing dories. From 1860 to about 1930 the shop was turning out 1500-2000 boats a year. Mechanization and advances in fisheries technology led to a decline in the industry and Lowell’s kept itself alive building boats for the recreational market until 1972 when the Lowell family sold it after 7 generations. The Odell family kept it alive for another 20 years before having it designated a National Historic Landmark. Now Lowell’s is a working museum building boats for customers in a museum setting. In addition we have a static history museum and offer numerous education programs for youth and adults. Our flagship program is an after school apprenticeship program for high school students. Through that program we have built several boats for our own use and for other maritime museums. Lowell’s is different in that it is an active place, not the hands off museum that most people are used to. The exhibit changes every day depending upon what project is being worked upon. It is truly unique and authentic which is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I would say the two proudest moments of my career thus far have been when I first took command of the 125′ Schooner Spirit of Massachusetts. Having grown up aboard the ship when she was commanded by some of the people whose skills I respected immensely it was an unbelievable honor to myself be in that position. My second proudest moment was at the launching of a whaleboat that our apprentices had built for Mystic Seaport Museum. It was our inaugural apprentice year and the project was intense and difficult. The boat we produced was perfect and as true a replica as could be built these days. It was also the beginning of the programming that has made Lowell’s so successful to this day.

Contact Info:

• Address: Lowell’s Boat Shop
  459 Main St. Amesbury, MA 01913
• Website: www.lowellsboatshop.com
• Phone: 978-834-0050
• Email: info@lowellsboatshop.com
• Instagram: @lowellsboatshop

Image Credit:
Graham Mckay
Harvard Magazine
Little Outdoor Giants

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