Th Japonski Island Boathouse and Marine Ways was constructed in 1941 to maintina up to 50 vessels associated with the U.S. Naval Air Station on Japonski Island, and later to maintain the shore boats that would ply the channel between the City of Sitka and the prior to the construction of the present-day bridge.  The marine ways is a rail-mounted carriage on which the wooden boats would be hauled up to the boathouse enclosure  for regular maintenance.  The Boathouse is an open-ended wood workshop structure that would allow year round maintenance activity to occur.   Over the years the system was adopted by the salmon troller fleet for maintenance the small wooden fishing boats.  The state acquired the land in the early 80s and the Boathouse, no longer used, fell into disrepair. In the mid- 2000s the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society (SMHS)  facilitated the transfer of this property from DNR to the City and Borough of Sitka. In 2008, Historic Preservation Architect Sean Boily and NorthWind Architects were contracted to design a comprehensive restoration and addition to support the development of a Maritime Heritage center.  Given the episodic nature of nonprofit funding, the work has rolled out in phases.  To date the roof has been replaced, the workshop spaces restored and leased to maritime affiliated local entities, and the front entry reception and bathroom addition has been constructed. Currently SMHS is working on restoring the ways itself and the access catwalks that will allow visitors to safely observe wood boat construction and maintenance activity.

See more about the Boathouse here: 

https://northwindarch.com/projects/public/japonski-island-boathouse-adaptive-reuse/C