The end of an era: The last Atkinson family-built boat on Cape Island launched in southwest Nova Scotia

Fourth generation Clark’s Harbour boat builder Greg Symonds is the last of the Atkinson family of boatbuilders, a tradition that was started in 1905 when his great grandfather Ephriam Atkinson designed and built the first Cape Islander style fishing boat. Symonds launched is last boat, the Grand Finale II on Aug. 27. KATHY JOHNSONArticle contentClark’s Harbour in southwestern Nova Scotia is where the legacy of the Atkinson family of boatbuilders started in the early 1900s and where it ended on Aug. 27, 2025, when fourth-generation boatbuilder Greg Symonds launched his last boat, the Grand Finale II.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentIt was Symonds’ great-grandfather Ephriam Atkinson who designed and built the first Cape Islander-style fishing boat in 1905. His grandfather and father and numerous Atkinson uncles followed suit.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentFor a time, Symonds worked with some of the uncles learning the trade, opening up his own boatbuilding business in 1984.Article content The Grand Finale II is hauled out from Greg Symonds boat building shop in Clark’s Harbour. After 41 years in business, Symonds is retiring. KATHY JOHNSONArticle content“It’s the last of the Atkinson family-built boats, not the last Cape Islander style hull,” says Symonds. “That’s always going to be here. But there’s not going to be any more Atkinsons building them.”Article contentDuring his 41-year career, Symonds built 187 boats, with his son Terry working alongside him for most of them.Article contentIt isn’t by coincidence that Symonds’ last boat is named Grand Finale II.Article content“When the customer came to me about buying a new boat, he hadn’t had a new boat and he said, ‘If I buy one, it’s going to be the first and the last.’ I told him I was putting a sign on the boat, the last one, and he said, ‘I’ll name it The Last One, but when he put in for that name there were 15 different ones already named The Last One so he put in for Grand Finale and there was only 1 so he had to take II,” recalls Symonds.Article contentArticle content The Grand Finale II floats off the truck at the West Head wharf. It is the last boat being built by fourth generation Clark’s Harbour boat builder Greg Symonds. KATHY JOHNSONArticle contentThe Grand Finale II is a 39‘4” with a 5-foot extension long vessel. It is 19.5 feet wide. The fiberglass hull was built by Doug Mood of Woods Harbour.Article contentSymonds estimates 90 per cent of the boats he built were for southwestern Nova Scotia fishermen. “We sent a few to Grand Manan, but mostly Southwest Nova,” he says.Article contentBack in the day when he started building boats, Symonds estimates there were 12 to 14 boatbuilding shops on Cape Sable Island. “They were everywhere,” he say.Article contentWith Symonds closing up shop, now there are two left.Article content“There’s demand, but those big boats take so long to build. A 50’ by 30’ takes a year to build,” he says.Article content The Grand Finale II makes it way to berth at the West Head wharf for the finishing touches of the build. KATHY JOHNSONArticle content“Right now, people are scared to buy with the way the economy is going and tariffs. I’ve got one sitting at West Head that’s been there since November and I haven’t sold it yet,” Symonds says. “A young fella came here a few weeks ago, looked at the boat, went to the bank and got his loan approved, and said he didn’t know if he was going to do it. He’s scared to buy.”