About Program Mentor Brent Wagner

Brent Wagner is a shipwright with over 25 years of experience in traditional wooden boatbuilding, restoration, and rigging. He began his career in 1998 as an apprentice at de Rouville’s Boat Shop https://www.derouvillesboatshop.com/ on the Toms River in New Jersey, where he spent 25 years honing his craft and eventually rose to the position of yard foreman.

During his tenure at de Rouville’s, Brent worked on a wide range of vessels from 8 to 55 feet, gaining deep experience in wooden boat restoration, new construction, and marine systems. He has built more than 50 wooden spars, including the mast for the F/V Shenandoah, and is highly skilled in both traditional and modern rigging techniques.

After relocating to Gig Harbor, Washington, Brent spent time leading volunteers at the BoatShop and he established his own mobile shipwright business, serving the South Puget Sound region. Today, he provides expert woodworking, rigging, and marine repair services, bringing Old World craftsmanship, precision, and practicality to every project—whether maintaining working boats or preserving classic wooden vessels.