Anacortes & La Conner, Washington
Boat Repair & Haul-Out
on the Salish Sea
Two full-service yards. A 100-ton travel lift. Haul-out, repowers, paint, composites and marine supply — and a crew trained to a written standard.
Certified & authorised
The brands we are certified to fit
We are not a general yard that will try anything. Every line below is one we are trained, certified or authorised on — which is why the warranty stays intact.
Victron Energy
Authorised dealer
EPOCH Batteries
Largest WA dealer
ABT-TRAC
Certified installer
WESMAR
Certified installer
Seakeeper
Gyro & Ride installer
Awlgrip
Awlgrip & Awlcraft 2000
Sea Hawk Paints
Certified applicator
Raymarine
Authorised dealer
100
ton travel lift at ESI South, La Conner
2
full-service yards, each with a supply store
30+
tradespeople, trained in our own school
24/7
emergency haul-out, every day of the year
What we do
Everything under one roof, on the same hard
Because both yards are full-service, your boat comes out of the water once — not to a paint shop, then an engine shop, then somebody’s garage for the electrical.
Haul-Out & Travel Lift
To 100 tons at La Conner. Survey hauls, blocking, pressure wash and 24/7 emergency service.
Hempel Silic One
Copper-free, biocide-free silicone foul-release. More individual boats coated than any yard in the country.
Bottom Paint & Antifouling
Certified Hempel and Sea Hawk applicator. Stripping, barrier coats and antifouling matched to how you use the boat.
Topside & Deck Refinishing
Awlgrip and Awlcraft sprayed in our own 70ft indoor booth. Nonskid, Awlwood brightwork, certified GlideCoat Pro.
Fiberglass & Composite Repair
Blisters, delamination, wet core and full rebuilds by a six-level trained composites crew.
Yanmar Engine Repowers
Gold-Level Certified Yanmar Dealer. Full repowers, factory diagnostics, genuine parts and warranty.
Bow Thrusters & Stabilizers
The area’s only certified ABT-TRAC and WESMAR yard. Fins, gyros and Seakeeper, fitted in-house.
Marine Electrical & Lithium
Victron dealer, LiFePO4 conversions done as a system rather than a swap.
EPOCH Marine Batteries
Washington’s largest EPOCH dealer — and we hold stock, so you are not waiting mid-season.
Fiberglass & Composites
Rudders, towers, transom extensions and hardtops — repair, fabrication and custom build.
Fabrication & Cabinetry
Metal work and marine joinery in-house. When the part does not exist any more, we make it.
Marine Supply Stores
A chandlery inside each yard — paint, parts, EPOCH lithium and Victron, fifty feet from the technicians.
Why us
We do the hard part in-house
A thruster retrofit is three trades at once — composites to open and reinforce the hull, hydraulics to drive it, and the engineering to tie it into the boat’s power. We do all three on the same hard, without subcontracting the difficult bit.
And the person doing it has been signed off on the procedure in writing. Essential Shipyard University certifies to a written standard, and is the classroom half of our DoD SkillBridge program.
In stock, not on order
Washington’s largest EPOCH dealer
EPOCH lithium batteries report roughly ten times the lifespan of lead-acid and around six times the usable amp hours. Being the largest dealer in the state also means we hold inventory — you are not waiting three weeks on a battery in the middle of the season.
What owners say
Boats, and the people who own them
★★★★★
The pricing is extremely fair, the work is excellent
Having lived here for many years, and been part of the boating lifestyle for even longer, I watched the re-branding of a full-service shipyard and service center so essential to the boating community.
Nordic Tug owner
★★★★★
They really know their stuff
Jason and Emily are the kind of people you want looking after your boat.
Owner, Anacortes
★★★★★
Great stop in the islands
Nice little chandlery, run by good people. Grateful to have a place to grab supplies while out in the islands. If they don’t have what you need, they know how to get it.
Cruiser, San Juan Islands
★★★★★
Five stars
Great service, friendly staff, good prices.
Store customer
★★★★★
You always have what I am looking for
Even in your small store. Yay!
Store customer
★★★★★
Gratitude
Thanks for serving the SJI boating community!
San Juan Islands
Free for every customer
A complimentary 18-point inspection
An expert technician tests the boat’s systems and writes up every point as Excellent, Good, Monitor, Attention or Critical — a written report telling you what is sound, what to keep an eye on, and what has to be dealt with before she goes back in the water. Free with every job.
EXCELLENT
GOOD
MONITOR
ATTENTION
CRITICAL
Two yards, two stores
ESI North — Anacortes
1910 Skyline Way
Anacortes, WA 98221
Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
ESI South — La Conner
18578 McGlinn Island Lane
La Conner, WA 98257
Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
South Entrance Light ‘18’ on McGlinn Island
Both yards carry a marine supply store, so the part you need is on site rather than three days out. We also run a yacht brokerage, and we bought Latitude Marine Services in La Conner in December 2024.
Essential Shipyard 