Very few shops in the country do what Sunrise River Boatworks does. Few have master craftsmen like Tom Moravec who has the patience and talent to bring classic wooden boats back to life.

A carpenter by trade, Moravec started building boats as a hobby in 1980.

Once people got wind of his workmanship, orders started coming in for everything from cedar canoes and fishing boats to sailboats and power cruisers, both restored and replicated.

The hobby became a full-time job in 1987 and Moravec, 60, has been working six days a week ever since.

It is a labor of love. Figured on an hourly basis, Moravec admitted, he doesn't make much.

"My wife thinks I'm insane," he quipped.

Moravec and his wife Joan, the school secretary at Wyoming Elementary, have lived in Wyoming Township over 30 years. They have three sons, none of whom have interest in boatbuilding, he said.

A familiar face around the Forest Lake ice arena, Moravec managed the rink for a time and drove the Zamboni for the school district.

He worked the ice arena job for about 12 years before leaving all together to devote full attention to his business.

Walking into Sunrise River Boatworks is like taking a step back in time. Current projects include a restored 1951 Chris Craft Riviera awaiting its last coat of varnish; a 1960 Century Resorter, a classic ski-tow boat owned by a Mahtomedi resident, and a custom cabin cruiser destined for Lake Superior that began as a pile of lumber.

Moravec's loyal customer base spreads from one coast to the other. In fact, he has filled orders for wooden boat aficionados from just about every state.

"There aren't many wooden boat builders left," he said. "It's very labor intensive and they are difficult to build. You have to be at the top of your game woodworking wise."

From the ground up, Moravec can craft exquisite classics. A copy of a rare 1928 triple cockpit Chris Craft is nearly finished, as is an exact replica of a 1941 ‘Barrelback' model.

Pricey mahogany wood from Latin and South America is preferred for restoring and replicating the runabouts. It is the perfect marine wood, he said, and all plantation-grown.

"Some restoration projects come in as basket cases," the boat-builder pointed out. "It's mind-boggling, the nuances to building these things. There is no margin for error."

His is a one-stop shop, too.

A part-time mechanic, Darrell Nelson, rebuilds engines for the inboards and an upholsterer restores seat cushions to their original condition.

For customers who want their boat original, authenticity becomes a big issue, Moravec said. That may mean putting in old-fashioned loom wiring, for example, which basically means putting modern wiring inside old-time insulation, or rebuilding a stock 283 Corvette V-8. "Sometimes we spend hours on the telephone trying to find parts for these old engines."

The Chris Craft boats Moravec restores are among only 129,000 wooden models built by the famous company between 1922 and 1965. Styles ranged from small fishing boats to 60-plus foot river cruisers.

"There is a mystique about the old Chris Crafts. Wooden boats give you a much better ride. And the sound of those Fireball V-8 inboards. Wow."

When fiberglass and aluminum became the material of choice for boats in the 50s, days were numbered for the wooden beauties.

Interestingly, wooden boats are making a comeback, Moravec noted. Off-shore racers, both powerboats and sailboats, are going back to wood because they're lighter and stronger with today's super glues and fasteners.

Some boats, like the Apostle Islands-bound cabin cruiser, take a year to complete. Moravec is constructing the cruiser from a blueprint drawn by a naval architect from Maine, one of the few states with a boat-building school.

Moravec figures he's hand-crafted over 200 boats. "And not just for doctors, lawyers and Indian chiefs," he said. "We do a lot of boats for the common guy. They are surprisingly affordable."

Prices vary of course, but replicas and custom boats can cost from $25,000 and up, depending on options.

His is a small niche in a huge boating industry; a position which begged the question: Is Moravec's craft becoming a lost art?

"Definitely," he said. "My customers have even expressed concern that something could happen to me before I finish their boat."

That makes it tough to retire.

And the sailboat Moravec built for himself? "I never have time to use it.