Q&A with IYRS Alum and business owner Andrew Robb of North Country Boatworks

What first brought you to IYRS?

After college I worked on private yachts and was docked at IYRS. Every day I walked through Restoration Hall and was intrigued. I spent the next year working on yachts in Florida and the Caribbean. When I decided to come back to New England, I applied to IYRS and was accepted.

What made you decide to start a business?

I thought I would work for myself in some capacity but I didn’t plan on starting so soon. In 2011 I was on my honeymoon, we were driving around the country visiting National Parks and friends for 7 weeks. During that time, by chance I found a classic wooden runabout for sale in Colorado. I knew somebody that wanted me to restore a wooden boat for them, and this boat was the perfect fit. At that moment, I figured I had at least 3 years of work lined up for several different customers. So we decided to start a restoration business as soon as we returned from our honeymoon.

What’s the most rewarding thing about being a business owner?

Learning the trade and craftsmanship is super rewarding on its own. For me personally, learning to build and design a business intentionally, pull the levers and test to see what works has been incredibly rewarding. Creating a team of employees and hiring other IYRS grads, supporting a workforce is rewarding as well.

What’s a challenge you’ve experienced recently?

Our biggest challenges are finding suitable shop space to purchase and finding employees. 

Tell me how you came to hire IYRS grads?

I know that an IYRS grad has that foundation for working with wooden boats that we desperately need in the industry. We also look for those who have a few years in the workforce. I don’t have to explain foundational concepts. I know what I’m getting with an IYRS grad.

Tell me about your organization?

We primarily focus on yacht woodworking and joinery. This has been a shift from wooden boat repair and restoration. In our Milford location we address everything from teak decks to custom furnishings to exterior trim.

What is your fondest memory of your time at IYRS?

I was part of the team who restored the Herreshoff launch Corsair when I was a second year boatbuilding student. It was fulfilling to work with that team and to reflect on the monumental amount of work we were able to accomplish. Launch day was by far the most exciting day I can remember while at IYRS.

What has been the biggest challenge so far in your career?

Educating myself to know how to run a business. I didn’t come from a business background, so learning how to be an entrepreneur was the biggest challenge for me.

Who did you admire growing up that contributed to where you are today?

In terms of my passion for working with my hands, my dad was really hands-on around the house when I was growing up. Every time I turned around, he was fixing something. In terms of my passion for boating, I grew up on a lake in New Hampshire near Muller Boatworks. They’re fantastic craftsmen, finishers, and restorers - the best in the country. Once I found out that was something you could do for a career, I was hooked. They were the pinnacle of the restoration world to me.

Where did your passion for the trades come from?

Like a lot of students at IYRS, a traditional education wasn’t a great fit for me. I needed something I could do with my hands, build something, figure things out. Building and creating gives me more satisfaction so I gravitated toward that kind of life. At the end of the day, having a physical object that you have created resonates with me.

What do you want folks to know about your business?

North Country Boatworks employs a dedicated team of skilled craftsmen and artisans specializing in custom yacht joinery and wooden boat repair. Our areas of expertise are concentrated around three primary services: Classic Boat Restorations,  Modern Yacht Woodworking, and Yacht Decking Solutions. We absolutely love solving complex woodworking problems that genuinely improve our clients’ boating experiences.