Wayfinder

Wayfinder began as a sketch in 1995 when sailor and lifelong adventurer Peter Dahl commissioned designer Ted Brewer to draft a one-off aluminum hull. Construction started in California in 1996 and, after three years, the hull and deck were complete. The demands of work and family kept the project waiting on the hard, stretching across decades. By the time Wayfinder rolled through the doors of the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op in 2021, Peter had spent more than twenty years patiently shaping his vision and was ready to bring the boat into focus.

At PTSC, Wayfinder became a true collaboration. What began as a bare hull was transformed into a finished vessel with a finely crafted interior with birch cabinetry, a custom saloon table, and countless tailored details. Systems were designed and installed from the ground up, including power, layout, and ground tackle. Peter had once imagined doing everything himself, but quickly discovered the joy of letting a team of craftspeople weigh in, solve problems, and add their artistry. His daily presence in the shop blurred the line between client and crew; visitors often assumed he was one of the shipwrights.

In 2024, after nearly 30 years and thousands of hours, Wayfinder left the yard. Peter sailed south to Ensenada and then west across the Pacific, making landfall in the Marquesas with dolphins in his wake — rekindling the same thrill he first felt as a teenager sailing wing-on-wing. Wayfinder is more than a boat: it is the embodiment of patience, persistence, and community. Ahead lie passages to Fiji, Japan, and the Aleutians. PTSC is eager to hear about each new chapter. 



After all, Peter and his boat are truly one of our own.