In 2005 we made the transition from Spiller Boat Building Ltd. to Commodore's Boats. We are still a wooden boat building and restoration company specializing in traditional wooden boat construction, classic working vessels, traditional tugboats, aluminum jet boats and other projects.

Commodore's Boats is a family business with 35 years of history on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada. The father of Bosun and Teak Spiller, Alec, spent his teen years fishing the Northwest Coast of B.C. and the Gulf of Alaska on Wooden salmon trollers, seiners. and bottom draggers. After 4 years in the Navy, he started an apprenticeship in the famous “Wahl” shipyard in Prince Rupert, building wooden fishing boats and cutting lumber in the company sawmill.

The “Wahl” yard, in its heyday, built ten west coast gillnet boats at a time, finishing one a week. They are known for their perfect lines. Over 500 fishing boats and yachts were built in the original yard in “Dodge Cove” in Prince Rupert harbor.

The Spillers eventually bought the shipyard and sawmill in 1970 and continued in the “Wahl” tradition building graceful West Coast fishing trollers, old style fishing sailboats, and batten seam mahogany speed boats. A large part of his business was doing major renovations on the Northern fishing fleet including lengthening, wheelhouses, new sterns, recaulking etc. In addition, some large sail training vessels were designed and completed out of wood using East Coast fishing schooner and sloop designs based on lines from Chapelle and the Smithsonian Institution.

Bosun (Bo) and Teak, grew up in the shipyard and started Spiller Boat Building in October 2002. Bosun, owner and general manager, started plugging nail holes at the age of 5, in his teen years worked in some well known west coast shipyards, then started working independently after high school. He has recently completed some large jobs including widening and lengthening of aluminum fishing vessels and also major rebuilds inwood of older northwest wooden tugs and fishing boats. Teak, owner of Commodore's Cranes, has his father’s interest in Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture, and is pursuing that end of the business and also runs Commodore's Cranes.

Commodore's Boats has built a base within Shelter Island Marina and Boatyard in Richmond, B.C., a suburb of Vancouver. The marina and yard have a 70-ton and a 150-ton travel lift and a large storage and work area. The yard is a fully serviced with machine shops, sheds, paint facilities, fiberglass shops, steel and aluminum fabricators, marine supply stores, showers, and Laundromat, a liquor outlet and most importantly a restaurant and pub.

Traditional designs of West Coast troller yachts are available and conversions of old fishing boats and tugs are an ongoing part of the business. The shipyard has intimate knowledge of available boats for sale on the coast and welcomes inquiries as to your needs. Commodore's Boats can build to plans or custom design any type of workboat or yacht. Commodore's Boats traditionally runs a crew of about 15 to 20 men. The Spillers are known for their work ethic and although firm contracts can be hard to come by in the repair business, a not to exceed price can be obtained.

The Spillers have boat stock available and usually have approximately 50,000 fbm on hand. They can cut to order for a whole project or a small part of a project. Traditional plans are available for your home or shipyard project and can be ordered with complete materials and plans.

We are experienced builders, fully equipped with the lumber, shop space and tools for building a tall ship of any size or scale, and we welcome any enquires on the subject.