Designers and Builders of Unique Nautical Play Equipment
J. HAROLD, LLC are designers and builders of unique Backyard Boats for Kids. Bringing imagination back into play™ is the focal point of our efforts. To enrich nautically inspired creative play, we build fantastic little wooden boats that are proportionately realistic!
Young Captain at the Wheel of a Schooner
Balancing Aboard the Life Boat
Young Lobsterman, Heading Off for a Hard Day's Work
Thames Towboat Company at Mystic Seaport, The Museum of America and the Sea
Baby's First Boat...The Rocking Land Dory
Fun Aboard the Eastern Rig Trawler at Mystic Seaport, The Museum of America and the Sea
Tug and Barge on the Beach
Parade of Sail at Mystic Seaport, The Museum of America and the Sea
Schooner at Mystic Seaport, The Museum of America and the Sea
Our boats provide a fun, safe, and educational setting for children’s play in addition to providing a beautiful, charming, and interesting alternative to common play sets. Although our boats look real, they are designed to drain water freely off the deck— this means they stay dry but don’t float!
We fully believe that today's technology has left our children to grow without the challenge of imagination. We conclude that bringing imagination back into play™ is a necessary and essential part of every child’s development. Our boats provide a fun, safe haven for children resulting in infinite opportunity for unstructured play.
Our boats have realistic at sea features, bringing the romance of the sea to your backyard! The nautical details are exceptional— an authentic bronze ship’s wheel, ship’s bell, binnacle and compass card, as well as oars, lobster traps, decorative running lights, and flags. Whenever possible our boats are built to incorporate swings, ladders, and slides— these and other options create exciting possibilities!
Importantly, our boats are built with children’s safety in mind. All surfaces are sanded and all corners are rounded. We use traditional boat building techniques with managed renewable resources. The hull planking, top timbers, cap rail, and deck houses are made of locally grown white oak, which is a hardwood commonly used in boat building. The decks, masts, and spars are made of IPE, which is a Brazilian walnut known for its beauty, durability, and longevity. Bronze and stainless steel hardware ensure our vessels will be passed on proudly generation-to-generation. Vibrant color stains are finished with tung oil to withstand the rigors of time and childhood.
Backyard Boats for Kids serve two fundamental purposes: bring imagination back into children’s play and rejuvenate our youth’s interest in the seafaring industries.
Our fleet are illustrated on catalog pg 1 and catalog pg 2, we're ready for your children to learn and explore.