Businesses we've worked with, our grade from A to F for each in parenthesis. Since only one company managed less than an A, we won't spend a lot of time explaining the grading system.  We were very happy with almost everybody. Of course, there's one other marine company not listed here which needs some negative publicity, Schaeffer Marine.

Portland, Oregon

• Rodgers Marine, Portland, OR (grade: A+) - Recommended by Jay and Danica on Alkahest, Marty Kirk is an invaluable resource for marine electronics. He checked out our slightly used ICOM 710 (apparently the victim of a bad install), sold us our antenna tuner, pactor modem, and everything else we needed for the SSB. Made sense of the web confusion regarding ground planes, he explains the pluses and minuses of various options insteading of subscribing to one of the 'religious' views. His phone support has been fabulous. Highly recommended.

Seattle Area

• Auxillary Engine Service (grade: A) - Mark is the best diesel machanic with whom I have dealt. He's been our mechanic since 1997 and installed the new Yanmar when we repowered. It was completely painless, definitely a check I didn't mind writing when we finished.
• Bristol Marine Fabrication, Bainbridge Island, WA (grade: A) - Alan Phillips built our arch, sheet guards, raised our dodger frame, and modified our bimini mounts. His stainless welding is some of the best I've seen and he's a master at engineering workable solutions. Very fair and reasonable!
• Ballard Sheet Metal (grade: A) - Made our fuel tanks and stainless refrigerator liner. Very good work built to supplied drawings, everything was made exactly as I requested. Union shop - a little pricey but worth it.
• Hayner Marine, Fremont (grade: A) - The Cullens recommended Kenneth Dreewes to us for windlass work and after I stopped by and saw the shop and spare parts on hand I happily brought our Muir Cheetah in for some wiring repair and maintenance. Excellent work, highly recommended.
• Lafferty's Pharmacy, Ballard (grade: A) - Michael Lafferty hooked us up with the UW Travel Clinic, handled all prescriptions and provided our offshore first aid kit. Very professional.
• Emerald Harbor Marine (grade: A)- See Larry for all your fresh water woes, he'll set you up with new Spectra Watermaker. Of course, if you're in the same area as Yohelah, I'd be more than happy to do the same.

Port Townsend, WA

• Port Townsend Sails (grade: A+) - Both of us have taken Hasse's sail repair seminar and absolutely adore her. Hasse has made all our sails except our original staysail, which she rebuilt and repaired. Again, not the cheapest sails around but certainly the best quality and fabulous customer service. I wish other marine trades businesses would act as courteously and responsibly.
• Port Townsend Rigging (grade: F-) - This was quite possibly the worst experience we've ever had with someone working on the boat.  From poor communication to unprofessional attitudes they made every step of the re-rig unneccessarily painful.  Read our rigging pages to get an idea of the problems we had with them.
• Fleet Marine (grade: A) - I've never really liked a boatyard before, sort of like going to the dentist, but Fleet is a very professional and painless. We used them off and on throughout the overhaul with the boat inside their building and also renting workspace when it was on the dock. Good people, great expertise. Some of the best paint jobs I've ever seen on boats.
• TAKU marine (grade: A) - We needed a couple of new doors made that would somewhat match the interior without exact, bank-breaking duplicates. We found Diana Talley at TAKU in Boat Haven, next to the traffic light by Safeway. She worked on wood projects off and on for over a year. Doors, shelving, the engine panel/Radar box, boxes for the nav station, etc. Good work, good value. I'd look up Diana and Rick if I needed a shipwright.
• Brion Toss Rigging (grade: A+) - Even though we didn't give the re-rig job to Toss Rigging they did some very good work for us this spring before we left. We had a sailing date with Hasse, needed the rig tuned and Brion was right there. They also installed some nifty preventers and, after we hoisted our trysail for the first time and realized the track had been installed too short, came down the day before we left and installed a workable solution. We spent the past winter at Point Hudson with Toss Rigging working on boats around us, it was very impressive watching them work. Good value and I don't think there's anyone more knowledgable than Brion when it comes to rigging.
• Peter's Marine, Boat Haven (grade: A) - Peter did some great welding for us, very good at engineering solutions. Grant Seran did some hydraulic fittings for our vang - very good
• Anchor Canvas, Boat Haven (grade: A) - Tracy made our bimini, sailcover, and provided expertise on our dodger rebuild. Very good value, excellent reputation.
• Electrical Panels by Phil Andrus (grade: A+) - we used Phil for engraved labels for the new engine panel. Like many Port Townsend  businesses Phil was very professional and concientious, even to the point of remaking one label plate he had made exactly the way I asked, because  he thought  it would look better. Of course he was right.  If I needed panels, I'd call him. Highly recommended.
• Port Hadlock Marina, Port Hadlock (grade: A) - we summered in Port Hadlock since monthly moorage is difficult around Port Townsend. Very flexible, easy to work with. They sublease slips of regular tenants who are gone for more than one day - if you're ever looking for transient moorage in the Port Townsend area give them a call.