Our Team
Chris Brignoli
Chris Brignoli has been building boats, solving systems problems, and quietly mentoring younger shipwrights before lithium batteries existed. After ten years at the Port Townsend Shipwright’s Co-op, Chris became a member-owner in 2003. He is appreciated for his calm approach to intricate rebuilds, with particular depth in propulsion systems, electrical design, and corrosion diagnostics. He invites unconventional solutions while preserving the authenticity of a project. Chris is often part of the crew that sea trials, readies, and delivers boats for long passages, and has personally logged thousands of ocean miles… often solo, with a cattle dog named Max. Chris is a shipwright who listens first, asks thoughtful questions, and brings the best suited minds into the fold when a challenge asks. For him, the joy is in the collaboration—when a team gets to build something seaworthy, thoughtful, and built to last. (Oh, and… you should see this captain on a horse.)
Arren Day
Arren Day puts the AD in ADHD — and that’s exactly what makes him a producing force in the yard. A member-owner at Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop since 2014, Arren brings a unique blend of kinetic energy, creative problem-solving, and an engineer’s sense of precision to every project. Before joining PTSC, he built guitars, ran two shipwright businesses, and collected enough heavy machinery to start his own grown-up sandbox. He thrives on complex builds, fast-paced days, and finding elegant fixes over a good cup of coffee. Ask him what he's currently fixing, sailing, or restoring. Arren’s answer will be “yes.”
Arren Day puts the AD in ADHD — and that’s exactly what makes him a producing force in the yard. A member-owner at Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop since 2014, Arren brings a unique blend of kinetic energy, creative problem-solving, and an engineer’s sense of precision to every project. Before joining PTSC, he built guitars, ran two shipwright businesses, and collected enough heavy machinery to start his own grown-up sandbox. He thrives on complex builds, fast-paced days, and finding elegant fixes over a good cup of coffee. Ask him what he's currently fixing, sailing, or restoring. Arren’s answer will be “yes.”
Back Row: Pete Rust
, David Griswold
, Chris Sanok
, Chris Brignoli
, Jeff Galey
, Arren Day
, Matt Henderson
Front row: Todd Lee
, Anders Kulin
, Tim Hoffmann
, Tim Lee
, Brad Seamans
Back Row: Pete Rust
, David Griswold
, Chris Sanok
, Chris Brignoli
, Jeff Galey
, Arren Day
, Matt Henderson
Front row: Todd Lee
, Anders Kulin
, Tim Hoffmann
, Tim Lee
, Brad Seamans
Pete Rust
Pete Rust brings a designer’s eye, a musician’s response, and a craftsman’s touch to every project. A member-owner since 2005, Pete specializes in fine interior joinery, structural woodworking, and challenging hull repairs, with an affinity for traditional wooden boats, Alaska fishing vessels, and classic wooden yachts. He’s known for creative, efficient solutions — drawing on decades of experience to tackle complex shapes, structural challenges, and interior layouts that maximize impact, performance, and utility. Clients trust him with their legacy boats year after year, valuing the rapport he builds as much as the work itself. His style is laid-back, accessible, and collaborative, connecting easily with boat owners, crew, and colleagues. Outside the shop, Pete channels his creativity into drumming, painting, and making art for friends, keeping regular music nights as a standing date. For him, the work and the art share the same foundation: human connection, creativity, and the satisfaction of shaping something that will last. Pete thrives where the blueprints end.
David Griswold
David Griswold is all-in . A welder, woodworker, and lifelong rigger, he came up in the trade the traditional way—starting with tools in a pickup and learning by doing. He became a member-owner in 2000 during a pivotal transition for PTSC and played a key role in expanding the co-op to include the sail loft. David has worked on everything from high-end yachts to hard-run fishing boats, with a deep respect for clients who rely on their vessels to make a living. He is also committed to mentoring the next generation, sharing what he has learned across decades of hands-on problem-solving. When “Griz” is not in the yard, he’s probably not on the ground either—he’s a licensed pilot, a paraglider, and embodies “full sail” whether you are launching a project or chasing lift.
Chris Sanok
Chris Sanok is PTSC’s resident augur: part problem-solver, part keeper of the long view. A member-owner since 2017, Chris runs the back end of a 50-person business with the same precision he brings to designing an electrical system. In the office, he’s the go-to for contract fine print, a diplomatically worded email, or a budget puzzle, and in the shop, colleagues call him first to unravel an electrical mystery — the kind you can’t find online because the only answer lives in the head of someone who has been doing this for decades. Chris loves complete rewires, removing forty years of “history” and installing clean, modern systems that give owners peace of mind for the next generation, and the satisfaction for him is both practical and philosophical: designing something that will last, add value, and make life underway easier. That long view also drives his life’s central project — raising his children to be “spartan warrior scholars,” equipped with life skills, discernment, and the confidence to forge their own paths — and outside the yard, Chris pushes his own limits through Jefferson Search and Rescue, 100-mile ultramarathons, paragliding, backcountry runs, and dives into deep, cold water.
Todd Lee
When function, torque, and some traditional “get ‘er done” converge– you will find Todd Lee. A fifth-generation Olympic Peninsula local, he started working on boats as a teenager and launched his own marine repair business by his twenties. Todd became a member-owner in 2007 and currently focuses on mechanical and propulsion systems, with a reputation for diagnosing problems quickly and giving clients the honest, straight, and direct answer—whether it’s the one they expected or not. After decades of engine work up and down the coast, Todd desires to pass along his legacy by mentoring new technicians and assuring his longtime clients are taken care of for the next generation. After he is satisfied with a job well done, Todd is usually outdoors: hunting, fishing, gold panning, or restocking the freezer. He says he might retire someday, but no one’s holding him to it. Yet .
Anders Kulin
Anders Kulin specializes in turning complex challenges into clean, reliable systems. A member-owner since 2018, he leads many of PTSC’s rigging, design, and layout projects — especially when a client’s ambitions need to be aligned with structural logic and long-term value. Whether he’s reworking a cruising vessel or training civilian responders for backcountry rescues, Anders brings steadiness, clarity, and a deep well of experience to the job. He grew up hunting, fishing, and climbing, and now channels that lifetime of skill into volunteer SAR work across Jefferson and Clallam counties. If you’re lucky, he’ll tell you how to unf*ck a rig — and if you’re smart, you’ll let him.
Chris Brignoli
Chris Brignoli has been building boats, solving systems problems, and quietly mentoring younger shipwrights before lithium batteries existed. After ten years at the Port Townsend Shipwright’s Co-op, Chris became a member-owner in 2003. He is appreciated for his calm approach to intricate rebuilds, with particular depth in propulsion systems, electrical design, and corrosion diagnostics. He invites unconventional solutions while preserving the authenticity of a project. Chris is often part of the crew that sea trials, readies, and delivers boats for long passages, and has personally logged thousands of ocean miles… often solo, with a cattle dog named Max. Chris is a shipwright who listens first, asks thoughtful questions, and brings the best suited minds into the fold when a challenge asks. For him, the joy is in the collaboration—when a team gets to build something seaworthy, thoughtful, and built to last. (Oh, and… you should see this captain on a horse.)
Jeff Galey
Jeff Galey is a marine electrician and fabricator with a charmed instinct for diagnostics and a calm approach to complex jobs. A member-owner since 2010, he works across trades—wood, metal, systems—solving problems as they “Whac-a-Mole” and stepping in where he is needed. Jeff has an affinity for boats with history and heart, especially when the owner can spin a tale for each hard earned scratch. He’s drawn to the challenge of projects without obvious answers: the kind that demands patience, creativity, and a few moments of discovery as the solution reveals itself. Outside the yard, Jeff volunteers with Olympic Search and Rescue, climbs alpine peaks, and keeps his 1948 troller through various stages of ready for the long run north. For him, work is about learning, service, and staying in motion, especially if he is avoiding being called out for letting his website homework slide.
Arren Day
Arren Day puts the AD in ADHD — and that’s exactly what makes him a producing force in the yard. A member-owner at Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop since 2014, Arren brings a unique blend of kinetic energy, creative problem-solving, and an engineer’s sense of precision to every project. Before joining PTSC, he built guitars, ran two shipwright businesses, and collected enough heavy machinery to start his own grown-up sandbox. He thrives on complex builds, fast-paced days, and finding elegant fixes over a good cup of coffee. Ask him what he's currently fixing, sailing, or restoring. Arren’s answer will be “yes.”
Matt Henderson
Matt Henderson doesn’t just rewire boats. He rewires expectations. A member-owner since 2014, Matt specializes in marine systems that are anything but simple: think multiple voltages, interdependent components, and onboard tech that needs a translator, not just a technician. He’s a sleuth with plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and steering systems, spotting the hidden flaw in a setup before most people find the breaker panel. Customers trust Matt to fix the problem and explain it in plain English, and he has a gift for translating engineering-speak into something a boat owner can understand and even enjoy learning. One of his favorite moments is when clients watch, ask questions, and walk away with a new respect for their systems (yes, even the ones afraid of drilling a hole in the hull — Matt’s not). Off the job, Matt resets underwater. He’s a lifelong diver who explores the Hood Canal and Strait of Juan de Fuca, mentoring new divers and keeping an eye out for giant Pacific octopuses, six-gill sharks, and sea anemones. For him, it all comes back to clear communication, deep care, and an instinct for connection, whether with a client, a crewmate, or a creature hiding in the kelp.
Tim Hoffmann
Tim Hoffmann joined PTSC as a member-owner in 2018, bringing decades of experience with wooden boats, commercial rigs, and the real-world needs of fishermen who work at sea. A welder, woodworker, and structural problem-solver, Tim is known for his creative approach to complex builds, especially when multiple materials and systems need to work together. He especially enjoys designing and engineering. Tim builds long-standing relationships with his clients, many of whom return not just for the work, but for the trust they’ve built with him over time. Colleagues trust him for his clarity, physicality, and mentorship on the floor, where he brings a steady mix of high standards and practical teaching. Tim spent 30 years fishing commercially and still finds his reset in the wild—sportfishing with family, hunting in the backcountry, or traveling in search of dance floors, coastline, and perspective. Integrity drives the way he works. He’d rather earn trust than sell it.
Tim Lee
Tim Lee builds boats with a teacher’s patience and a shipwright’s precision. A member-owner at PTSC since 2014, Tim spent 13 years at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, eight as chief instructor. He’s equally at home at the lofting desk or restoring a vessel from stem to stern. His background in new construction gives him additional perspective — seeing a project from a clean sheet of plans to a finished boat. Tim approaches each job with methodical problem-solving and a clear eye for how every curve and joint will serve the boat’s life on the water. Clients trust him with complete restorations, major rebuilds, and structural work that blends tradition with practical solutions. Off the clock, he’s an avid sailor, traveler, and most recently, taken up the lathe. For Tim, the goal is simple: do the job right, pass on the skills, and keep good boats in service.
Brad Seamans
Brad Seamans approaches restoration like it’s part craftsmanship, part archaeology. A member-owner since 2019, he’s spent two decades on high-stakes rebuilds, including historic schooners and commercial fishing vessels once held together by little more than lore. Brad is trusted for his skill in caulking, planking, and finishing work, and for the way he leads teams, balancing high standards with a quiet investment in people. Off the clock, he is either coaching his son’s team, playing in a local rec league, or hosting match-day feasts for friends.
