Matthew Majewski Joins CFCC as Lead Instructor for Wooden Boat Building

Cape Fear Community College’s Wooden Boat Building program has a new lead instructor. Matthew Majewski joined CFCC in December 2025 after a career that took him across the country, working on traditional wooden boats, tall ships, and nationally recognized projects like the Mayflower II, Susan Constant, HMS Surprise, Brig Niagara, and the USS Constellation.

A Harbor Town Beginning

Majewski grew up in Northport, a small harbor town on Long Island, where he sailed, fished, and rowed around the harbor. At home, there was always a workbench. His father, an engineer, kept tools close and made sure Majewski knew how to use them.

“I was always building things and looking for a challenge,” he said. “Skateboard ramps, projects in the garage. If I wanted to make something, my dad would help me figure it out.”

That curiosity followed him into adulthood, even when his career took a different turn. Majewski spent nine years working for Apple.

“I was getting burnt out. I was working from home before it was common.”

A Sail That Changed Everything

A visit to a friend on Cape Cod sparked a change. His friend had just finished building a Chesapeake Light Craft sailboat, and the two went sailing. Not long after, his friend mentioned applying to a boatbuilding school.

“I told him I was going to quit my job and go to school with him,” Majewski laughed. “And that’s what we did.”

He enrolled at the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) in Newport, Rhode Island, helping build two sailboats during his time there. In his second year, Majewski spent his days in class and his nights and Saturdays at the Herreshoff Museum, maintaining and repairing the fleet used for the sailing program. “I was completely immersed in boats,” he said.

While still in school, Majewski completed an externship at Bennett Brothers Yachts, now known as Off the Hook Yachts, in Wilmington.

Boats With Long Histories

After graduating, Majewski worked on Naushon Island for the Forbes family, managing the boat shop and maintaining and caring for a fleet of Herreshoff 12½ sailboats built initially in 1910.

From there, his work expanded into museum and tall ship restoration, including the Mayflower II at Mystic Seaport Museum, tall ships in Cleveland and San Diego, and the USS Constellation in Baltimore.

Between projects, Majewski took on a variety of hands-on work, ranging from home restoration to building harpsichords. Much of it was contract-based, which meant frequent travel. For several years, he lived out of a van he had converted himself.

A stint in Maine at WoodenBoat brought a new perspective. There, Majewski helped manage a shop, supported instructors, and worked directly with students. The experience gave him a new perspective on teaching.

Coming Back to Wilmington

Having worked in Wilmington before, CFCC was already on his radar. When the opportunity to lead the Wooden Boat Building program came up, it felt like the right time to settle in one place.

“Ever since I came to Wilmington and worked at Bennett Brothers, I have always had a connection with the area,” he said. “I always thought I would end up down here.”

Since arriving at CFCC, Majewski has taught students ranging in age from 16 to over 65, from those with prior woodworking experience to those learning hand tools for the first time.

“A lot of them are here because they want a challenge, as I did,” he said. “They want to do something different, something they can be proud of.”

Skills That Travel Well

In the program, students learn traditional boatbuilding techniques. They shape wood by hand, learn joinery, and loft full-scale boat designs directly onto the shop floor. Along the way, they build skills that extend far beyond boatbuilding.

“You could leave here and be a skilled carpenter, painter, or drafter,” Majewski said. “You could work in restoration, build furniture, or design boats. Boatbuilding gives you a foundation you can take anywhere.”

This spring, students will begin building a Catspaw Dinghy. He hopes to have one or two boats completed by late summer, with a launch day to celebrate the students’ work. The role also carries a sense of full circle. While working at WoodenBoat in Maine, he connected with Bruce McKenzie, an instructor who helped establish CFCC’s Wooden Boat Building program in 1978 and laid the shop’s original floor.

“It’s a small community,” Majewski said.

Looking ahead, he hopes to expand access to wooden boats in the Wilmington area and strengthen connections with the local boating community.

“There aren’t many programs like this,” he said. “It’s something special to be part of.”

To learn more about CFCC’s Wooden Boat Building program, visit cfcc.edu/boat-building.