Maynard Bray

Maritime Historian

Few people in the world have devoted as much time and energy, or have become more knowledgeable about classic boats, than Maynard Bray. After a dozen years of marine engineering at Electric Boat and Bath Iron Works, Maynard began to pursue his passion for traditional boats by heading up watercraft preservation at Mystic Seaport in 1969. Among the major projects he tackled was the creation of the Henry B. duPont Shipyard and refloating the whaleship Charles W. Morgan  and turning her back into a living vessel. Since then, Maynard has had a hand in reviving many notable classic boats as well as finding caring owners for others. In 1973 he moved with his family to Brooklin in his home state of Maine and began building and restoring boats in his own shop, at the Brooklin Boat Yard and at the Newbert and Wallace Shipyard in Thomaston, Maine. A prolific writer, Amazon lists Maynard as the author or co-author of 10 books on the subject of wooden boats. He also writes the text for the Calendar of Wooden Boats and serves as Technical Editor for WoodenBoat Magazine.