With the rumored patch 1.6 on the horizon, Stardew Valley might be getting a new endgame. The current endgame is fairly common for a farming simulation game, so a shakeup to the formula might be nice. Especially after all of this time! That being said, you’re going to want to be right up against that endgame for when the patch inevitably releases. And that means you’ll have to fix Willy’s Boat! Here’s how to repair it quickly so you can reap the rewards.
How to Get Into Fish Shop
In order to first enter the Fish Shop on the southern side of Pelican Town, you need to read the letter that Willy sends on Spring 2. The shop will remain closed until you read the letter. Once you’ve read it, the ship will be open from 9-5 every day, though it will be closed on non-rainy Saturdays.
The letter will be an invitation to meet Willy on the beach. He’ll give you your first Fishing Rod at the time, and then his store will open. He sells fishing accessories, as well as upgrades to your Fishing Rod. You will need to reach specific Fishing Levels in order to access most of his shop. He will also purchase various fishing paraphernalia from the player, such as fish, bait, tackle, most beach forageables, roe, and squid ink.
Expert Tip
If you’re a fisherman and need money immediately, you can simply sell to Willy. This will negate the normal delay that happens if you put fish in the box.
Repair Willy’s Boat With Supplies
Once you’ve completed the Community Center or the Joja Community Development Form, you will be sent a letter with an invitation to enter the back room of the fish shop. If you go there, Willy’s Boat will be shown, all broken and disheveled. At the low, low price of 200 Hardwood, 5 Iridium Bars, and 5 Battery Packs, you can repair and ride the boat to Ginger Island.
For the benefits of going to Ginger Island, this is a very low price to pay. Hardwood is very easily accessible by this point, since Mahogany Trees are a fairly early game resource easily farmed from the Secret Woods.
Iridium Bars are a late-game resource obtained primarily from Iridium Ore. You can usually find Iridium in the Skull Cavern and – eventually – Volcano Dungeon. Cracking Mystic Stones also has a chance of getting it. You can gather some from late-game monsters and fallen meteorites. Five shouldn’t be impossible to find.
Battery Packs are usually obtained from Lightning Rods during Thunderstorms. You can also generate them from Solar Panels, and you’ll get three when you complete the Children’s Bundle. Hilariously, this will be to fix the ticket stand, which forces you to spend 1,000g to move you to the island. Thanks, Willy.
How to Get Boat Ticket
Once you have repaired Willy’s Boat, you can get tickets by heading to the back room and interacting with the ticket station. You can enter the backroom consistently at 8 a.m. any day, and can stay on the island until 2 a.m. Willy’s schedule does not change if you interact with the boat or not.
Tickets cost 1,000g and never gets a discount. That might sound like a lot, but efficient days on Ginger Island are extremely profitable and always worth the journey! Thankfully, despite the boat trip cutscene, you are taken to the island instantly and can begin your day as early as 8 a.m. The 1,000g ticket also takes the return trip.
Be prepared to head to the backroom a lot during the first few times you head to the island. Until you make totems, you’ll be watching this cutscene quite a lot.
