Foggy Bay Boats

Homer, Alaska boatbuilder Renn Tolman has spent the last 18-20 years developing and building the Tolman Skiff to answer the demands of commercial and sport fishermen in Alaska; from the Aleutians to Southeast. The boat is a robust, light, fast ocean skiff built of marine grade plywood, sheathed and sealed with epoxy and fiberglass. The result is a sturdy pickup truck of a boat, long on utility and short on flash. These 18 to 22 foot stitch-and-glue composite craft have become a familiar sight in Alaskan waters, carrying loads and operating in sea conditions that intimidate similar sized production recreational boats.

What sets these boats apart from all the others on the market is their strength and light weight. A Tolman Skiff weighs about one half of what the same sized fiberglass or aluminum boat weighs. This translates to one half the outboard power required, one half the fuel consumption for the same performance and one half the truck and trailer to pull it.

Renn has built over 70 boats for sport and commercial use, and many others have been built in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Europe and elsewhere.

For those who may want to try their hand at building their own Tolman Skiff, Renn's book "A Skiff For All Seasons: How to Build an Alaskan Skiff" is available for sale at Renn's website http://www.xyz.net/~mgrt. It has been reviewed by both WoodenBoat Magazine and National Fisherman. Also check out Renn's website to get a look at some of the boats.

In addition to Renn's shop in Homer, the entire line of Tolman Skiffs will also be available from Foggy Bay Boats in Bellingham, Washington. Foggy Bay Boats is a builder of and information contact for Tolman Skiffs in " the lower 48" and we offer his designs to any stage of completion from bare hull to finished boat. We provide one-stop-shopping for complete handbuilt boats, partially completed boats, and consulting services. Also, with Bellingham at the Southernmost port-of-call for the Alaska Ferry, it is easy to send a newly completed Tolman Skiff up to Southeast Alaska on a North-bound ferry. Historic Bellingham is also the gateway to the San Juan Islands, the Canadian Gulf Islands and the Inside Passage. Have your boat built here and spend the summer cruising the Islands or put it on the trailer and go anywhere! If you would like to talk further about Tolman Skiffs or have any questions, don't hesitate to call us at (360) 714-9386.

The boats we build are no-nonsense workboats and cruisers for people who want to go places in comfort and safety. They have been tested under extreme conditions in Alaska and have proven to be strong and safe workhorses. Customized with cabins and other options they become very comfortable cruisers.