Their plant was on the Wareham River, which provided access to Buzzards Bay and so they occasionally built skiffs for their own recreational use.
Buildings were constructed for wood storage, milling, boat assembly, painting, a showroom and an office with a view over the whole operation.
[1][2][3] During the Second World War the company was leased to National Fireworks and was named the Wareham Shipyards to give it better access to strategic materials.
It produced small tugboats, launches and smoke boats, all with drafts of under 15 ft (5 m) due to the depth of the river at the plant.
[1][2] Goodwin was an engineer and inventor and created a process to make hollow, wooden sailboat masts from four pieces of wood, using water pressure.
The company built 35 wooden Herreshoff Bull's Eyes to keep the racing fleets using this type supplied with boats.
Many of the new techniques were secret and building was confined to a new, low-ceiling plant that provided a better climate for resin curing, as well as limited access.
[1][2] Goodwin purchased a company making aluminum masts and booms, Zephyr Spars, from Alcoa and all production was moved to Wareham.