boats of the year - maine boats, homes & harbors magazine

BY JENNIFER WILSON MCINTOSH

UR ANNUAL ROUNDUP of boatbuilding proj-ects from Maine and beyond features all the usual

suspects—sailboats, powerboats, rowboats andpaddle craft, runabouts, luxury cruisers, reproductionsbuilt to exacting historical standards, and modern designsthat incorporate solar panels and electric auxiliary power.

There is a continuity of craft that travels with the boatsfeatured in the following pages. It goes beyond styling andsheerlines to pride in work well done, an honoring of pastdesigns, and a blending of form and function. There isalso evidence of a forward momentum that unites thepractices of the past with modern innovations, such asthe push for fuel efficiency and environmentally awarebuilding practices.

The replica of a wooden colonial trading vesselreminds us of the pivotal role that boats have alwaysplayed in journeys, beginnings, survival, and trade.Downeast lobsterboat hulls speak to the nourishmentand livelihoods derived from the sea, and the value of atime-tested design. Sailboats, from a knockabout to apilothouse sloop, affirm that the wind continues to fillsails just as it always has.

Then there is the underlying principle that movesbeyond practicality, or transportation, to the simple joyof being under way, of water, of heading out from thefamiliar and the static to the possibilities held by the windand tide, and the gift of a little time.

So sit back, soak in this collective snapshot of designand craftsmanship, and dream about the warm summerwinds that will be here before we know it. Plan to wanderthe docks of the MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS SHOW,August 7-9, 2009, to step aboard fine vessels from thesevery builders and to see the latest designs. In the mean-time, live vicariously at www.maineboats.com, where youcan attend the Show That Never Closes™,where boatsdebut in the “Just Launched” section, and where it is alwaysa summer day.

Turn the page and read on....

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BOATS OF THE YEAR 2008

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See more Boats of the Year at our annual August boat and home show in Rockland, Maine. Info at maineboats.com.Excerpted from Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine.

Order the entire Boats of the Year issue at maineboats.com or 800-565-4951.

Adirondack Guide Boat

ADIRONDACK GUIDE BOAT complet-ed 250 rowing boats during 2008. The Char-lotte, Vermont, company builds traditionalrowing boats in cedar and Kevlar, based on tra-ditional Adirondack guideboats from the daysof yore. www.adirondack-guide-boat.com;802-425-3926.

AJ Enterprises: AJ-28

AJ ENTERPRISES of Winter Harborlaunched Sophia Rose, an AJ-28 with a sports-fisherman configuration, which is now afloatin the waters off Montauk, New York. Mea-gan Ann, a sportfisherman built on a 36'Northern Bay hull from General Marine, wasunder construction in the Winter Harborshop. The latest AJ-28 was taking shape andwill serve as a demonstration boat. It willincorporate a number of new finish compo-nents and be powered with a 4BY180 Yan-mar engine. The crew overhauled the lob-sterboat Navigator—a 31' Duffy theyoriginally built in 1994—from the keel up, with a replacement engine and an Awl-grip job. The existing shop space wasrearranged to accommodate boats up to 38feet. www.ajboats.com; 207-963-7903.

ALDEN ROWING SHELLS, maker ofrecreational, racing, and traditional rowingshells for flat and open water, was purchasedby Archibald Cox, Jr. in the fall of 2007. TheRowley, Massachusetts-based companyopened an assembly and distribution facili-ty in a 19th-century, 3,000-sq.-ft., post-and-beam barn in Vermont. During the year 200boats were built. Product developmentincluded Kevlar parts for the open-watercompetitive double model, and rowing seatsbetter suited to the female anatomy.www.rowalden.com; 978-948-7692.

Listings are alphabetical by company

name or boatbuilder’s last name. Every

attempt was made to be all-inclusive, so if

you know of a Maine builder that is not

mentioned here, please tell us so we can

contact them for next year’s edition.

2008 BOATS OF THE YEAR

54 MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS | February / March 2009 | Issue 103

OR GENERATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND SAILORS, classic 17½-foot knock-abouts are often regarded as esteemed members of the family: they are the

stuff of which memories are made and a tie that binds generations together. It isno surprise to learn that a hand on the tiller brings back the memory of sultry sum-mer days, a first sail, or a smoky sou’wester on the bay.

Designed by B.B. Crowninshield in 1908 and built for the Manchester (Massa-chusetts) Yacht Club, these gaff-headed sloops established themselves as an impor-tant one-design class that quickly spread to North Haven, Dark Harbor, and BarHarbor, Maine. They were first built by Rice Brothers in East Boothbay (on thepresent site of Washburn & Doughty Shipyard) followed by other yards, includingthe C.F. Brown Yard of Pulpit Harbor and George Lawley & Sons of Boston. Theybecame the boat of choice for club racing, as they were competitive, easily handled,and reasonably priced. They were also built to a variety of specifications and accom-modation plans to suit the needs and budgets of individual owners.

Unfortunately, most knockabouts were not built to last more than 15 to 20 years,according to Alec Brainerd, wooden boat builder and owner of Artisan Boatworksin Rockport, Maine. Many fell into disrepair and were beyond restoration. Brain-erd is not new to knockabouts. He has sailed Dark Harbor 12½s, little sisters toCrowninshield’s 17½-footers, as well as many other classic daysailers. After work-ing with Taylor Allen at nearby Rockport Marine, he established Artisan Boatworksin 2002 and now specializes in building and maintaining wooden daysailers forcustomers up and down the east coast.

Artisan Boatworks draws on the extensive archives of Herreshoff, Crowninshield,Fife, Starling Burgess, John Alden, Sparkman & Stephens, Joel White, and others inan effort to remain true to a classic’s design, whether it be new construction or arebuild. Brainerd also works closely with yacht clubs and class associations to ensurethat Artisan’s reproductions and rebuilds are accepted and competitive on the racecourse. Current projects include a reproduction of a Herreshoff Watch Hill 15, a1922 variation of an 1898 E-boat, more commonly known as a Buzzards Bay 15.

In 2006 Brainerd built a brand-new 17½-foot Dark Harbor named Phoenix forBill Saltonstall, whose family has owned at least five Crowninshield knockaboutsover the years. It was the yard’s biggest project to date. (See MBH&H #93, March2007, for more about Phoenix.)

With the Phoenix experience under his belt, it was not a huge surprise to Brainerdwhen Polly Saltonstall, a cousin of Bill’s and the great-grandniece of B.B. Crowninshield,approached him about a refit of Frolic, a 1936 Dark Harbor 17½ from Bucks Harbor

FROLICARTISAN BOATWORKS by John Snyder

Designed by B.B. Crowninshield in the early 20th century, Dark Harbor 171⁄2s—and their knockaboutcousins in Bar Harbor and on North Haven Island—are making a comeback.

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Excerpted from Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine.


www.maineboats.com | MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS 55

that she had bought from her cousin Lev-erett Byrd. Saltonstall told Brainerd thatthe boat had been sailed until the day thatshe bought it and that it had been restoredin the 1970s. Like so many boats of this vin-tage, Frolic was due for another overhaul.

Frolic’s refit was extensive. Saltonstallsaid that she could have done less and stillkept the boat sailing but felt that Frolicdeserved the work. Brainerd replaced thebackbone, deck frames, floor timbers,cockpit, and transom. The original keelcasting was saved. The deck, which wasoriginally pine or spruce, was replacedwith marine plywood, covered with can-vas, and painted. Brainerd re-lofted thesheer and built a new hollow Sitka sprucemast, but saved the original boom andgaff. He was also able to save the house,the ballast keel, the tiller, and the rudder.

Because Saltonstall wanted to race theboat competitively, she had the tradition-al hardware replaced with modernHarken gear. The sails were cut by EastBoothbay sailmaker Nat Wilson usingmodern sail cloth dyed to resemble tra-ditional Egyptian cotton for a classic look.

Brainerd said that like many of theSaltonstall boats, Frolic is painted red. Healso noted that red is one of the most dif-ficult and expensive hull colors to main-tain. To ensure a glass-like finish the hullseams were filled with epoxy, splined, andfaired, with the result being a hull that isnot only easier to maintain but also stiffer.

Brainerd said that he has seen arenewed interest in many of these ele-gant designs. In fact, he recently rescuedanother 17½-foot knockabout, Win-nona, which he found listed for sale inthe Uncle Henry’s Swap or Sell It Guide.The boat now sits in Rockport awaitinga new family and a refit. N

SPECIFICATIONS / FROLIC

LOA 25'10"LWL 17'6"Beam 6'3"Draft 4'3"Displ. 3,420 lbs.Sail Area 311 sq. ft.

Designer: 1908, B.B. CrowninshieldRebuilder: 2008, Artisan Boatworks,410 Main Street, Rockport, ME04856. 207-236-4231;www.artisanboatworks.com

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BOATBUILDERSOF

MAINE UNITE!Maine Built Boats invites all

Maine boatbuilders,

boatbuilding schools, and

affiliated marine industry

companies to join the effort to

market Maine’s old-world

craftsmanship, innovation, and

cutting-edge technologies

to the world!

As a member, your company

receives:

• A link on our website

• Representation at regional andnational boat shows

• The benefits of a unifiedmarketing and branding strategy

• Direct and indirect coverage inprint and electronic media

Through Maine Built Boats, Inc.

(MBB), boatbuilders join with

their industry partners to create a

name for Maine products in the

global marketplace.

TOGETHER, WE CAN!

MAINE BUILT BOATS, INC.Jane Wellehan

185 Craigie StreetPortland, ME 04102

207-899-7570www.mainebuiltboats.com

For exhibition and activity informationcall 207-548-2529 or visit our Web site: www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org

Penobscot Marine MuseumRoute One and Church StreetSearsport, Maine 04974

Discover Your MaritimePast...In the Town thatWent to Sea

Discover Your MaritimePast...In the Town thatWent to Sea

055MBHH103 1/6/09 3:37 PM Page 55

See more Boats of the Year at our annual August boat and home show in Rockland, Maine. Info at maineboats.com.

Androscoggin Wooden Boat Works

ANDROSCOGGIN WOODEN BOATWORKS specializes in Lyman restorationsbut welcomes other wooden boats into theWayne, Maine, shop. The restoration of a1937 17' Penn Yan brought the challenge ofrecreating the original line of the bottom,which led to much research and a great dealof fun while replacing the bottom, stem, keel,and transom. The 17 projects of 2008 ranfrom refinishing the deck of a 1966 25'Lyman Cruisette to reframing a 1940s TownClass sailboat. The transom on an Alton Wal-lace-built 18' West Pointer was replaced, dockdamage to a 1949 17' Chris Craft Deluxe wasrepaired, and the deck and interior of a 195823' Lyman were completely refinished. A 19'1965 Lyman was sold to a London customerand now floats on the River Thames. Billiethe Boatyard Cat has been training for theBoatyard Dog® Trials, but has yet to over-come a strong dislike of water sports.www.webnow.com/awbw; 207-685-9805.

Apprenticeshop: 23' Sailing Yawl

Full-time and community students at theAPPRENTICESHOP OF ATLANTIC CHAL-LENGE launched the 23' yawl Blue Moon, 4Susan skiffs, and the 18' sailing Whitehallrowboat Donaghue, which was shipped to itshome port of Sacramento, California. Con-struction of a Joel White peapod and a Her-reshoff 12½ replica were under way in theRockland shop, as was the restoration of theMaggie B’s former tender, a 15' MoosabecReach boat, which will be fitted with a sailrig. Apprentices began building twin 28' double-ended training boats designed byNigel Irens. The boats are traditional, asidefrom carbon fiber spars that will accommo-date interchangeable ketch, schooner, and yawl rigs. To enhance the learningopportunities, one is being constructed right side up and one upside down. www.atlanticchallenge.com; 207-594-1800.

ROM THE BEGINNING, the word was “special.” When customer Jay Rhodesof Vero Beach, Florida, first sat down with the folks from Billings Diesel &

Marine Service in Stonington, he made it clear that he was looking for a boatthat was just that—“special”—not a typical production cruiser. By all accounts, hisnew 38-footer, Sea Toy, fits the bill.

Billings Diesel had some insight into what Rhodes’s likes and dislikes were as aresult of his 30-year relationship with the yard.

“Jay has had a variety of boats over the time we’ve worked with him,” saidBillings Diesel service manager Greg Sanborn. “His favorite was a 46-foot New-man that Mac Pettegrow stretched to a 50-footer years ago—that was the originalSea Toy. After talking with Jay, we realized he was looking for another one of those—only smaller.”

Carpentry foreman Jim Foley was the project manager for the new 38. Initially,he spent a couple of weeks just talking with Jay and gathering ideas. “He wanted tobe in the 36' to 38' range,” said Foley. “We had a ‘look’ that he was after—based onhis old 50-footer—and we knew what he wanted as far as systems and accommo-dations went.”

SEA TOYBILLINGS DIESEL by Brian Robbins

One of several design requirements was good visibility, and Sea Toy has it.

Another requirement was the ability to run smoothly, and this poweryacht has that, too.



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Foley’s choice of hull for the Sea Toyproject was the Wesmac 38, built inSurry, Maine. It is a hard-chined GeoffDickes design that he felt would carry theestimated weight. “Once we’d decided onthe Wesmac,” Foley said, “I started bas-ing my sketches on that—trying to makeeverything fit.”

With the customer’s four majorrequirements as their mantra—the boathad to have good visibility, be easy tohandle, be extremely quiet, and beextremely smooth running—the Billingsteam went to work. Foley’s input beganwith the layup of the hull and top (thedeck and house unit). He specified dif-ferent cores for various areas based ontheir strengths and impact/fatigue resist-ance, along with sound, vibration, andthermal insulating characteristics.

Once Sea Toy’s hull and top arrivedin Stonington, the challenge of buildingthe comforts of a 50-footer into a 38began. Foley stressed that one of the keysto the yard’s success was good commu-nication among the department heads,specifically paint shop foreman DougSiebert, Greg Sanborn, and Foley him-self. This was put to the test during thebuilding of Sea Toy when Foley was lit-erally flattened at one point by a contin-uing problem with his back, whichrequired him to be airlifted from theboatyard by a Lifeflight helicopter.

“Thank God for laptops, Smart-phones, and fax machines,” said Foley.“Through all those months of the doc-tors figuring out what they were going todo, the surgery itself, and then a long peri-od of rehabilitation, I could stay in touchwith Greg and Doug. They just rose to theoccasion and made things happen.”

To ensure that the boat would bequiet during operation, the Billingscrew worked closely with theSoundown Corporation of Salem, Mas-sachusetts. “We decided on the sound-proofing systems we were going to useand built the boat from there,” saidFoley. Isolating bulkheads and fueltanks, installing double-gasketed hatch-es and a floating floor, along with mak-ing the previously mentioned corechoices, created an extremely quiet boatin the end, but also contributed to thealready existing space issues duringconstruction.

“When you isolate anything,” Foleysaid, “it usually takes up more room.Building a boat like this is a game ofinches to begin with. And besides trying

to give the boat owner as much livingroom as possible, we have no interest inbuilding one of these things if you can’tservice it easily.”

Service shouldn’t be a problem. Thecasual observer would never suspect thata 12' x 4' section of the saloon floor canbe lifted out if need be. (There are regu-lar engine room hatches as well.) “We can

take out the main engine, genset, fueltanks—everything—without tearing theboat apart,” said Foley.

When it comes to living space, SeaToy’s interior gives the impression of amuch larger boat, with a spacious lay-out and good visibility. “We wanted toavoid feeling like we had a bunch ofbuilt-in furniture with boat cushions,”said Foley. “There’s a custom-built swivelrocker that feels like it’s hugging you anda couch that folds out into a double bed.It’s an open, comfortable space.”

With a nod to the classic styling ofRhodes’s old 50-footer, Billings raised SeaToy’s sheer and extended the housetop aft.“It really has the look of his old New-man—in a smaller package,” said Sanborn.

A slow-turning QSL-9 Cummins (405horsepower at 2,100 rpm) proved to bea nice match for the hefty 38. “We had atarget cruise of 14 to 15 knots,” said San-born, “and we can easily run 15 at 1,900rpm—that’s easy duty on this engine.”

Sea Toy was launched in time to beshown off at the MAINE BOATS, HOMES

& HARBORS SHOW in Rockland lastAugust, and the boat definitely made animpression. “One man came aboard,”Sanborn said, “looked things over, andwould’ve bought her right then andthere—but Jay said he wasn’t interest-ed in selling.”

No doubt. Jay Rhodes was too busyenjoying his very special boat.

The inside helm has all the modern amenitieswhile retaining a classic look.



SPECIFICATIONS / SEA TOY

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LOA 47'10"LOD 38'8"Beam 12'10"Draft 4'6"Displ. 25,500 lbs. Hull Fiberglass/foam-coredTop Basic top built by Wesmac; modified by Billings Power 405-hp Cummins QSL9 Speed 15 knots @ 1,900 rpm (cruise)Prop 28"x 31"x5 Hall & Stavert Hy-TorqShaft 2" AQ-22Windows/Doors American Marine/custom main door by BillingsMetal Fabrication Nautilus MarineFuel Capacity 280 gallons Water Capacity 128 gallonsHull/molded top Wesmac, Surry

Hull Designer: Geoff DickesBuilder: Billings Diesel and Marine, Inc., P.O. Box 67, Moose Island Road,Stonington, ME 04681. 207-367-2328; www.billingsmarine.com

057MBHH103 1/1/09 4:55 PM 7


Arey’s Pond Boatyard: 22' Catboat

AREY’S POND BOATYARD of SouthOrleans, Massachusetts, launched 8 14' cat-boats, 4 in the new trailerable racing modeland 4 with varnished inner coamings andcustom details, including a dodger and sternladder option. A custom Open Lynx 16 anda 22' wooden cat—the largest to date—werebuilt, and the lofting and mold work wascompleted on an in-progress 20' wooden cat-boat. The deck and cabin top went on a cus-tom 38' Spencer Lincoln powerboat that isdue to launch in the summer along with acustom-built wooden tender. Repair projectsran from new rails and floorboards to fiber-glass and Awlgrip repairs. The shop is alwayslooking for people who enjoy rigging anddetail finish work on small sailboats to jointhe crew. www.areyspondboatyard.com; 508-255-0994.

Artisan Boatworks: Buzzards Bay 18

ARTISAN BOATWORKS launched Kitty,a 24' Herreshoff Watch Hill reproduction fora Nantucket family, and completed a 16'Haven 12½ that was begun by anotherbuilder. Frolic, a rebuilt Dark Harbor 17, waslaunched in time to debut at the MAINE BOATS,HOMES & HARBORS SHOW in August (see page54). Other goings on at the Rockport shopincluded the total rebuild of a 25' NorthHaven knockabout, a 48' Winthrop Warnercruising boat, repairs to a Beetle Cat, refin-ishing of a Dark Harbor 20, and the rebuild-ing of a 14' Whitehall. The crew grew bytwo—to 5, with an additional 3 in the busymonths. The shop now has a dedicated paintand varnish bay, and additional indoor stor-age space. All the boats built by the shop arestored and maintained there during the winter; passersby are invited to stop andtour the collection. In 2009, a Herreshoff Fish class and another E-Class willbe built. Owner Alec Brainerd is anxious tobuild a Buzzards Bay 18—29' LOA, 18' LWL,8' beam—none of which remain from the

GREY BARN BOATWORKSBuilder of the finest “MiniYachts”

Why buy a boat when

you can build one?greybarnboatworks.com

603-382-0055

Y-Landing Marine Services • Meredith, NH 03253New England’s C-Dory connection

www.y-landing.com • (603) 279-5050

Trailerable Trawler—Explore more with the C-Dory 25' Cruiser!

• Fuel Efficient

• Easy to trailer (8'6" beam)

• Enclosedhead/shower

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• With 16', 19', 22', & 25' models

• 255 Catamaran

• 21' and 25' dieseltugs available

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058MBHH103 1/1/09 4:55 PM Page 58




fleet built in 1904. Alec and his wife welcomed 21" daughter Adella in July.www.artisanboatworks.com; 207-236-4231.

Atlantic Boat: Duffy 50

ATLANTIC BOAT COMPANY complet-ed 12 new boats at the Brooklin-based yard,destined for a multitude of uses. Lizzy T, aDuffy 37, is equipped with an insulated fishhold with chiller plates and a live well. Anoth-er Duffy 37, Fair Warning, was built “barebones” for a tuna fisherman who will com-plete the interior himself. The 29-passengerBHM 36 Richard B. Edwards will be used bythe Penikese Island School in Buzzards Bayfor transportation and to haul a barge withthe school’s firewood. Talisman, a Duffy 26,journeyed 2,500 miles on a maiden voyagefrom Brooklin to its home port in the VirginIslands. Among the 5 Duffy 31s leaving theshop were: Sävenäs, with a V-berth forwardand galley up; Dream Catcher, apleasure/sportfishing boat with an oiled teakinterior; and Barbara Ann, equipped for deep-sea fishing, right down to the 8 fishing rodholders. Kingfisher, a Duffy 26 with 260-hp Yanmar engine, now cruises inOntario, while a Duffy 42 resides in Brazil and is used for free diving and sport-fishing. Two’s Company, a custom Duffy 50,was built for Intracoastal Waterway cruising.www.atlanticboat.com; 207-359-4658.

BACK COVE YACHTS, based in Rock-land and owned by Sabre Yachts, buildsdowneast-style lobsteryachts in express andhardtop styles. The line includes the BackCove 26, Back Cove 29, and Back Cove 33. Anew model, the Back Cove 37, is scheduledto debut in April 2009. The interior will fea-ture 2 private cabins and a shared head withstall shower, a mid-level galley, and a fullyenclosed sedan-style helm deck. Standardofferings will be a 480-hp Cummins QSBdiesel engine, genset, and air conditioning.www.backcoveyachts.com; 207-594-8844.

BAY OF MAINE BOATS of Kennebunkcontinued to build its signature collectionof small craft: the 14' Piscataqua wherry, the12' Arundel yacht tender, the 10' KitteryPoint tender, and the 8' K’port pram. At leastone of these is reported to be bobbingaround the Baltic and British Isles. www.bayofmaineboats.com; 207-967-4298.

Silver, Gold

& Glass

Also at

9 HANDS

GALLERY

615A Congress St.

Downtown

Portland

epriorjewelry.com

TERRANCE H. GEAGHANAmerican and Marine Fine Art

Ship Models and Maritime Artifacts Appraisals

Since 1971

P.O. Box 292 Bath, ME 04530

207.443.3493

[email protected] vs. Shannon Mark Myers

www.McCormickBuilders.com207-236-8528

059MBHH103 1/1/09 4:55 PM Page 59


BILLINGS DIESEL & MARINE SERV-ICES launched Sea Toy, a new Wesmac 38built with extra attention paid to the sound-proofing system, and powered by a QSL-9Cummins. (See page 56.) The Stoningtonshop offers a wide range of boat repair serv-ices, including a machine shop, engine salesand service, a welding and fabrication shop,fiberglass work, and exterior finish work forcommercial and pleasure boats. The yard canhaul boats up to 140' long by 26' wide by 11'deep. 207-367-2328.

Schooner Belle Aventure

BOOTHBAY HARBOR SHIPYARD spe-cializes in traditional plank-on-frame con-struction and repair. Vessels in the shop dur-ing 2008 for rebuilds and refits included theschooners Harvey Gamage, J&E Riggin, Vic-tory Chimes, Ernestina, and Shenandoah; thesardine carrier Glenn-Geary; and the 85' Fifeketch Belle Aventure. The Ocean Classroom’sHarvey Gamage had 44 frames and 18 planksamidships replaced, the J&E Riggin’s bow wasput back together after being vandalized, andVictory Chimes had work done to the stern.The rebuilding of Ernestina began in June,in preparation for a 2009 expedition to New-foundland. The scope of the restoration toBelle Aventure—originally interior and sys-tems work—was expanded to include theunplanned and rather involved replacementof 5,000 rivets. www.bbhshipyard.com; 207-633-3171.

BOOTHBAY REGION BOATYARD storesand services 275 boats annually at its South-port location, and provides transient serviceto another 50 to 100 visiting vessels. A gaggleof Grand Banks were among the larger proj-ects: cosmetic work and new canvas covers fora 32; a new genset and updated AC/DC wiringsystems for an Eastbay 38; and the cooling sys-tem on both engines of a 46 were overhauled,and its teak steps were replaced. A pair ofAbles, a 42 and a 44, had their side windowsreplaced and new trim installed, plus someother updates. A Calvin Beal 30’s hull anddeckhouse were painted, the transom strippedand varnished, and the toerails and rubrailswere replaced. From new watermakers torewiring and repainting, the parade includ-ed: a Fryers 47, a Swan 48, a Jarrett Bay 57, aLord Nelson tug, an Olsen 35, and a Bayfield29. www.brby.com; 207-633-2970.

NTIL THE PAST SUMMER, it was probably safe to say that the average JoePlumber didn’t associate Brooklin Boat Yard with anything but wooden boats.The yard services, stores, and brokers boats built of all materials, but their fame

until now has been hewn and vacuum-bagged from wood. Well, stop the presses!With the re-launching of the completely refurbished Bill Tripp, Jr., cruiser

Katrinka, anyone contemplating a state-of-the-art refit (or even new construction)in “composites,” had better add Brooklin to their checklist.

Experts in professional boatbuilding couldn’t find a better test case for “sec-ondary-bonding” techniques—even though the test wasn’t intentional—than thatrepresented by Katrinka’s makeover. That’s because this hull and deck, having beenbuilt during the infancy (or at least the childhood) of fiberglass, were hyper-cured.Designed in 1969 and laminated into being in 1970, the hull consisted of a single,resin-rich skin of woven and chopped strands in a hand-saturated polyester goo.

Designer Tripp knew from experience that his trademark short-waterline, beamycenter-boarders got much of their stability from weight, so it didn’t matter that thetopsides were 5/8" thick and got progressively thicker down near the bilge. (There areplaces low in Katrinka that are nearly two inches thick.) It’s safe to guess that when anew owner decided to restore and improve this very classic cruising yacht, he didn’tfret too much over structural integrity. Both the hull and the deck were given a new“cored” structure, not for strength, but for sweat prevention, sound insulation, andappearance, and also to help offset the weight of a new 800-pound teak deck.

I am at pains to emphasize that not only the hands-on work but also all the head-scratching took place entirely on the Brooklin Boat Yard premises. Instead of hiringa remote yacht designer or surveyor/consultant, the owner felt completely comfort-able with the boatyard’s resident design wizards, Bob Stevens and Paul Waring. Hefound comfort in the presence of famed surveyor Giffy Full as Full wandered thepremises in his BBY hat and shirt, the commanding presence of project leader Hav-ilah Hawkins, and the too-softly-sung hero Dave Fresh, the “Guru of Goo.”

Fresh—part scientist, part technician—and people like him define the vastdichotomy between “glass work” and “composites technology.” Dave began his tradein the Seattle area. That’s where, because of the influence of Boeing, such technolo-

KATRINKABROOKLIN BOAT YARD by Art Paine

A steering pedestal that can be tilted from side to side allows the helmsman to sit outboard on any tack and keep an eye on the jib telltales.



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gies as carbon fiber, Nomex honeycombcore and S (structural) glass, chilled pre-impregnated fabrics, and autoclaves werefirst introduced to boatbuilding. Freshwent on to whet his skills at MorrisYachts and Boston Boatworks, and hasbecome a vital hand in the Brooklin BoatYard crew.

Composite work, however, requiresmany hands, and as a result Mr. Freshutilized a good many workers who hadto switch gears. Fortunately, a good partof the technique was familiar, becausethe yard has been building boats usingepoxy resin and vacuum-bagging since1981.

I’ll speculate that, while there aremany examples of plank-on-frame refitsin Maine where nearly all the parts of theboat are replaced, Katrinka is probablythe most complete restoration ever donein the state on a fiberglass sailboat. First,decisions about work to be done werebroadly outlined, such as the reversionfrom the current sloop rig back to theoriginal yawl configuration, installationof carbon fiber spars and modern wirerigging, elimination of the wooden inte-rior “ceiling,” completely upgrading allelectronic and mechanical systems, mak-ing minor changes to the accommoda-tions, and adding that teak deck. Toaccomplish all that, a gang of men gut-ted the interior right down to the barehull.

At this point, surveying was donethat revealed cracks in the hull’s longitudinal stringers, which werereplaced. The boat also had a significantnumber of fiberglass “frames” that were

broken or delaminating from thehull. This was the point at which coringthe hull began to enter the discussion,the logic being that it would be easier andbetter to strengthen the skin with core,rather than add lots of framing thatwould make installing the interior moredifficult. The added benefits of soundand heat insulation were a bonus. Thedeck was carefully removed and flippedover, supported so it would keep itsshape, and the existing balsa core andthick inner skin were scrapped.

Further improvement ideas camefrom all quarters, including rank and fileyard workers. Fewer, cleaner, and better-draining cowl ventilators were drawn up,and some clever changes were conceivedfor the interior. The latter includedreversing the aft-facing navigation sta-tion in the after cabin and concoctingingenious sliding and double-duty doorsfor the forward stateroom and head.

Katrinka’s restoration was a demo-cratic effort in which the only goal was

to “make good-enough better.” A boatthat once would have been called “clas-sic” has become “classy.” To choose onlya couple of the many improvements, thenewly white-painted surfaces of virtual-ly the whole interior now present aninviting, clean, dry look—the antithesisof the clammy, moldy wood environ-ments I have queased within on innu-merable sickening slogs to Bermuda. Andnow that the nav station in the after state-room faces forward, it is possible to speakdirectly with the cockpit crew through aperfectly located porthole.

There will be some youngsters whowill wonder why the owner would lav-ish such attention on a boat such as this.Why favor an old-fashioned yawl? Whyrestore a hull whose waterline makesseven knots an achievement?

I would answer by citing the 1952MGTD. Not a fast car, really, and perhapsincapable of starting in the rain. The pre-McPherson suspension and steering isnot much more sophisticated than thatof a cattle cart. But cruise that car downthe boulevard today, and even the mostcyber-jaded blogger-dude will see it forwhat it is—class—though he might havedifficulty defining the word.

People of my generation see the likesof Katrinka as the ultimate example of aBill Tripp, SORC-dominating, CruisingClub of America rule-beater. Like theinfamous Touché, Katrinka’s predeces-sor and sistership, but built of wood, theboat looks terrific in grey.

To me, though, it cries out for a cove-stripe. But I’m just a reviewer…. Whatdo YOU think?”

Katrinka’s extensive refit included a reversion to its original yawl rig after years as a sloop.


SPECIFICATIONS / KATRINKA

LOA 48'11⁄4 "LWL 32'Beam 13'61⁄4 "Draft 4'7"Displ. 30,000 lbs.

Designer: William Tripp, Jr.Redesign/build: 2008, Brooklin BoatYard, P.O. Box 143, Center HarborRoad, Brooklin, ME 04616. 207-359-2236; www.brooklinboatyard.com

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June 2008 marked the opening ofBRIGHTSIDE WOODEN BOAT SERVICES,a repair and rebuild shop in Belgrade Lakes.Completed projects include the fairing andrepainting of a 12' dory and the 15' LymanPatricia Willey, plus teak restoration andnew hull paint for Quiet Tune, a Jude Point15. The reframing of a 27' circa-1970 lob-sterboat was underway, as was the restora-tion of a pair of classics, a 1939 Chris CraftDeluxe Utility and a 1947 Garwood Ensign.www.brightsidewoodenboat.com; 207-495-3680.

BROOKLIN BOAT YARD launched therefurbished 49' Bill Tripp, Jr., cruiser Katrin-ka. The hull and decks were re-cored andnew structural members were installed,along with a new interior, ship’s systems, andteak decking. The boat was returned fromsloop rig to its original yawl configuration,with new carbon fiber masts. (See page 60for more information about Katrinka’srebuild.) February brought the hull turningof the new 90' pilothouse yawl Bequia, thelargest boat to date built by the shop, theninterior work and complicated systemsinstallations commenced. The Bob Stephens-designed vessel will have a hydraulic systemthat controls everything from automatedsail handling to anchor deployment.www.brooklinboatyard.com; 207-359-2236.

6' Wheelbarrow Boat

BRYAN BOATBUILDING in Letete, NewBrunswick, completed Katie, a 20' gaff-riggedpocket cruiser designed by owner/builderHarry Bryan. The daysailer’s cockpit holds 4to 6 people, and the 2 bunks and tiny galleywith sitting headroom are perfect for “campouts” and napping grandchildren. From theHow Cool is That Amphibian Boat Depart-ment comes Ladybug, a 6' wheelbarrow boatwith a built-in wheel and oars that serve ashandles, making the trek to the water’s edgean easier undertaking in the land of 25' tides.A 12½' Daisy sailing skiff and a 10½' Fiddle-head double-paddle canoe were also built.Plans are available for Katie & Ladybug.Harry has designed a 16' houseboat for useas a “moveable backwater cottage,” and awaitsan interested party. www.harrybryan.com;506-755-2486.

Burt’s Canoes: 13' & 16' Models

BURT’S CANOES is the one-man shopof veteran builder Burt Libby, who constructstraditional wood/canvas canoes: a 13' light-weight version, a 16-footer, and an 18.5'Maine Guide version. Three boats were con-structed at the Litchfield shop, plus several5' display models. Burt’s exhibit of 7 sepa-rate 5-foot-long models illustrates the build-ing steps from the beginning through canvaswork, treating, and final painting. 207-268-4802.

CALEDON BOATWORKS of Caledon,Ontario, constructed 2 new Caledon 27pocket trawlers, one of which is equippedwith all the toys for Alaskan cruising—heater,watermaker, generator, radar/chart plotter,and windlass. As the year closed, repairs werein progress on a fast 44' powerboat, includ-ing cockpit and deck replacement, transomrepair, and a new interior. The crew of 3 to6 also built a traditional 10'6" classic dinghy.www.caledonboatworks.com; 519-940-4493.


Bring Your Boat• Expert Repair

& Restoration• Moorings• Showers-Laundry • Boat Storage• Bluenose Cottage

207-497-2701PO Box 214, 285 Main St.Jonesport, ME [email protected]

Cruise the St. John River and Nova Scotia Leave Your Boat With Us

Some things about my neighborsused to puzzle me…now Iunderstand. I have never seenfolks have so much fun notenjoying themselves. They loveto visit the shop because theyknow they can find somethingwrong. When I goof, I leave itaround for the world to see, andmake Hebron a happier place.

Maine Spiral Staircase Corp.bill rupert7 Strawberry Ave. (207) 966-1039Turner, ME 04282 Fax (207) 966-1252

Yacht Sails RiggingBUILDERS OF HIGH-QUALITY HAND-FINISHED SAILS

Full-service sail and rigging loft

P.O. Box 71, Lincoln St., East Boothbay, Maine 04544(207) 633-5071

062MBHH103 1/1/09 4:56 PM Page 62




Callinectes 16 Runabout

CALLINECTES BOATWORKS of Ken-nebunkport is a new boatbuilding ventureunder the direction of Glen Shivel, formerlyof The Landing School. The engineering pro-totype for the Callinectes 16 Runabout wascompleted and will be used as a plug to cre-ate future fiberglass hulls that will be mar-ried to laid mahogany decks, interiors, andveneered transoms. The Callinectes 16 is amodern version reminiscent of the classicChris Crafts and Italian Rivas of yesteryear.The first production Callinectes 16 is slatedto begin this winter, and the preliminary con-cepts for an 18-footer are in development,with the help of Scott Lambert Yacht Design.Shivel anticipates adding 2 employees withinthe next year. www.cboatworks.com; 207-468-0746.

CAPE COD SHIPBUILDING launched anew 23' fiberglass Marlin cruising sailboat inJuly. The boat is equipped with an inboarddiesel, GPS, radar, and modern electronics, yet retains the traditional lines of the originalNat Herreshoff design. The Wareham, Massachusetts, company has been buildingMarlins since acquiring the rights in 1957.www.capecodshipbuilding.com; 508-295-3550.

Carpenter’s Boat Shop: Launch Day

At THE CARPENTER’S BOAT SHOP inPemaquid, 7 full-time staff work with up to10 apprentices, who live together as a com-munity while learning maritime skills andperforming community service. During 2008they collectively built 4 Catspaw dinghies, 691⁄2' Monhegan Island skiffs, 1 Joel WhiteMaine Coast peapod, and 1 Beach Pea. Skiffswere repaired, as was a Haven 12½ and aCatspaw dinghy, and a Sandpiper received anew bottom and centerboard trunk. The shoprelies on donations to stock the shop withnew and used wooden boats in need ofrestoration to support the program and touse in the sailing program. Present equipmentneeds are a large air compressor and a slow-

A Classic Beals Island 22

Jeff’s Marine, Inc.On the River, Thomaston, ME

[email protected]

The ride says it all: big, beamy,

dry, the perfect day boat. Never mind

the weather! Easily powered with a

Yamaha F115 or F150. Made in

Maine by those who care.

Traditional New England catboats designed forcomfort and stability: suitable for family orsingle-handed daysailing. Arey’s Pond Cats arebuilt to the highest standards with fiberglass hull,bronze hardware, Sitka spruce spars, and teakrails, coaming, centerboard box, floorboards andseats. A.P.B.Y. has specialized in custom-built catboats since 1972.

P.O. Box 22243 Arey’s Lane, off Route 28

South Orleans, MA 02662(508) 255-0994

e-mail: [email protected]

• APBY 22' CRUISING CAT •The Arey’s Pond 12', 14' & 16' Catboats

Cape Cod’sSailing Headquarters &

Wooden Boat Center• Established 1945 •

063MBHH103 1/7/09 4:39 PM Page 63


speed sharpening wheel. Apprentices alsobuild post-and-rung ladderback chairs,which are for sale. Stop in to visit during thepublic coffee break, weekdays at 10 a.m.www.carpentersboatshop.org; 207-677-2614.

Classic Boat Shop: Bluefish

CLASSIC BOAT SHOP of Bernard com-pleted 5 Pisces 21s, Jean Beaulieu’s adapta-tion of Herreshoff ’s Fish Class design, avail-able with either gaff or Marconi rig. Twowere cold-molded wood: Aurora has teakdecking and was delivered to the St.Francis Yacht Club of San Francisco,while Picaro resides in Brooklin. Of the3 built in fiberglass, Bluefish joined theSeawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club inOyster Bay, New York, and the other 2went to Mount Desert Island, one with a“green” inboard electric motor for anauxiliary. A noteworthy project was thecomplete rebuild of Satin Doll, hull no.14 of the original Northeast HarborInternational One Design fleet deliveredin 1937. The restoration involved replac-ing ribs, the sternpost, a section of thekeel, a broken keel bolt, 8 planks and several floor timbers. The kingplanks, toe rails and much trim werereplaced and refinished with 9 coats of varnish. Work space at the shopexpanded by 3,000 sq. ft, providing 3 newwork bays for boats up to 38 feet.www.classicboatshop.com; 207-244-3374.

Classic Boatworks

CLASSIC BOATWORKS OF MAINEbuilt more of its signature 8' prams inplywood with oak frames and whitepine seats. Restoration began on a 196417½' Old Town lapstrake runabout thatwas acquired by the Hancock shop. A forthcoming spring project is therepair of a 1904 Old Town canoe, theoldest one yet to arrive at the shop.www.classicboatworksofmaine.com;207-422-9180.

An August fire destroyed the manufac-turing plant at COVEY ISLAND BOAT-WORKS, Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia. The 62' Nigel Irens schooner MaggieB, which was in for a cosmetic refit, was lost

rgos is the newest addition to singer/songwriter Billy Joel’s fleet of modernclassics. The boat is a bit of Hemingway, a bit of Huckins, and a bit of Car-olina boat and Rybovitch, all with a solid downeast pedigree.

The Bronx-born musician is hardly new to boating. Joel has owned a variety ofcustom and semi-custom powerboats over the years. His keen eye for design andunderstanding of what goes into the engineering of a good boat led him back toMaine and the Ellis Boat Company in Southwest Harbor, where, 10 years ago, hetook delivery of a 28-foot Ellis lobsterboat.

With confidence in the company and their legendary boats, Joel and his captain, Gene Pelland, approached Don Ellis and the yard’s designer Brian Wallswith a new project. They wanted to combine the best of Ellis’s hull design elementswith an art-deco look from the 1940s and 1950s to create a solid offshore hull thatworked for fishing yet would be at home stylistically in South Florida. The result,Argos, named for an ancient Greek ship, is a dramatic departure from the Ellis lob-steryacht look.

Joel values semi-displacement lobsterboat hull designs for their seakeepingability offshore, but he also wanted the look of a retro sportfisherman. He speci-fied a center-console helm—a move toward a more southern style—in lieu of abulkhead-mounted wheel. The center console was a radical departure for Ellis; it isfitted with electric lifts, and tilts up for unencumbered access to the engine com-partment below.

Having a center console solved the seating problem common to bulkhead-mounted helms. Guests won’t be clustered behind the helmsman, talking to theback of his head, nor will they be blocking the companionway. The seats aboardArgos are arranged fore and aft, an arrangement that improves access below andout to the deck.

Joel, Ellis, and Walls worked hard to get all of the yacht’s distinctive curves justright, grabbing a bit here and a bit there from the classics. From the cabin trunk tothe hard top to the windows there are no hard corners anywhere. There is a five-foot-long bow pulpit, and Joel is having a modest-sized tuna tower built. To roundout the look, the aft deck is fitted out with twin Scopinich fighting chairs from the1950s that Joel had refurbished. All surfaces are painted; there is no varnished wood.

Argos’s semi-displacement composite hull is vacuum-bagged Core-Cell con-struction using biaxial E-glass. A solid fiberglass skeg protects the shaft, propeller,and rudder. All composite bulkheads are gelcoat finished.

ARGOSELLIS BOAT COMPANY by John Snyder

A retro-sportsfisherman: a 21st-century downeast hull with a mid-20th-century upperworks.


A

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Bla

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Below decks, accommodations areSpartan and functional. There is a smallV-berth forward. The deckhouse setteescan double as berths should the need foradditional sleeping space arise. To port, asmall galley is equipped with an electriccook top, microwave, sink, and AC/DCrefrigerator. To starboard there is a fullhead and shower. Cabin trunk port lightsand an opening hatch provide ventilation.

For power Joel chose an 11-liter, 670-hp Cummins marine diesel. The choiceof engine combined with the hull shapegives the boat the full range of cruisingspeeds typical of an Ellis semi-displace-ment boat and a top speed of about 30knots. Argos is extremely quiet thanks tothe Ellis’s “Silent Service” sound-reduc-tion floor and a suspended-componentexhaust system. There are Imtra SP55 bowthrusters for dockside maneuvering.

Argos was a departure for a yard thathas been building traditional downeastyachts for more than 60 years, but drivenby the boat’s success, Ellis has added the design to its standard lineup of lob-steryachts. Dubbed the Ellis Patriot, it isoffered in both 36' and 40' versions.

Don Ellis’s collaboration with BillyJoel has proven to be a hit for both theiconic boatbuilder and the Piano Man.With head-turning classic looks, speed,and maneuverability the Ellis Patriot issure to be a winner, from Monhegan toMiami.

SPECIFICATIONS / ARGOS

LOA 40'5"LOD 35'10"LWL 33'4"Beam 13'2"Draft 3'10"Head Room 6'Displ. 18,000 lbs.Fuel 2 x 142 gal.Water 50.5 gal.Waste 37 gal.Engine 670-hp Cummins Cruising Speed 12-25 knots Maximum Speed 30 knots

Designer/Builder: Ellis Boat Compa-ny, Inc., 265 Seawall Road, SouthwestHarbor, ME 04679. 207-244-9221;www.ellisboat.com

N

PIERCE YACHT COMPANY

370 SPC 440 465 485

40+ Years of quality products and service to help you select the proper yacht for you and yours

YACHT BROKERS & CONSULTANTSP.O. BOX 236, BOOTHBAY HARBOR, MAINE 04538

Phone: 207-633-2902 • Fax: 207-633-2903 • E-mail: [email protected]

NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND’S GOLDEN WRENCH DEALER FOR

ISLAND PACKET YACHTSAMERICA’S CRUISING YACHT LEADER


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065MBHH103 1/1/09 4:57 PM Page 65



in the blaze. Company offices were tem-porarily moved to Lunenburg while new yardlocations were investigated, and construc-tion began on a 68' Jim Taylor schooner. The38' Spencer Lincoln commercial lobsterboatOrion was converted to a lobsteryacht andthe 57' Herreshoff Tioga ketch Elemiah wasrefit. Both boats were originally built by theyard, in 1984 and 2002, respectively.www.coveyisland.com; 902-688-2843.

CYC/OWRI: Pilot 21

CYC/OWRI constructs open-water row-ing boats using cored-composite construc-tion. The Phippsburg business launched 2Pilot 21 open-water, sliding-seat doublesand 2 Pilot 26 open-water, sliding-seat, four-with-cox gigs. Chuck Mainville continuesto enjoy building these boats, which he toldus are friendly to the environment, good for use in community programs, and elicitmuch positive feedback from customers.http://home.gwi.net/cycowri/; 207-389-2749.

Dark Harbor Boat Yard: Hobomok

DARK HARBOR BOAT YARD on 700Acre Island near Islesboro performed theannual service on Quicksilver, the Islesborowater taxi, and Justin Time, the yard’s crewboat. The Sea Sprite 34 Hobomok underwentextensive upgrades, including a new LeisureFurl boom and mainsail, new halyards, a sec-ond row of lifelines with stanchions, trans-ducers for the navigational equipment, anew panel and wiring for the wind indica-tor and VHF, and an inverter. The bottomwas painted, the brightwork was freshened,the sole was varnished, and the cockpit cush-ions and binnacle cover were replaced beforethe boat departed for Maryland in June. Thefloat crew built floats for the Tarratine YachtClub and an island customer. A new fuelstorage tank was installed at the end of thepier, the gas shack was moved, and an addi-tion for inside storage was in the works.www.darkharborboatyard.com; 207-734-2246.

Devlin: 45' Sockeye Widgeon

DEVLIN DESIGNING BOAT-BUILDERS in Olympia, Washington, fin-ished Widgeon, a 45' Sockeye power cruis-er that cruises at 8.5 knots and burns 2.1gallons of fuel per hour. Other launcheswere a 20' Millie Hill houseboat, 2 Guppydinghies with sailing rigs, and a 22' Dun-lin powerboat with a pilothouse and a 60-hp high-thrust outboard, which tops outat 16 knots, cruises at 12 knots, and burns2.2 gallons per hour. Construction wasunder way on a 20' Marsh Wren daysailerand a 20' Scout flush-deck outboard powercruiser with a small wood stove in thecabin. www.devlinboat.com; 360-866-0164.


Contact Farrin’s Boatshop for more information.Custom design services and lobsteryacht construction.

Call for free color brochure19 Sproul Road Walpole, Maine 04573 207-563-5510

www.farrinsboatshop.com

FARRIN’S BOATSHOP

Built using a Holland 32´ hull and powered by a 330-hp Cummins diesel, Old Crow is a sturdy and able family cruiser. This easily driven hull could be powered using a Hybrid diesel/electric power plant. When the batteries are fully charged you would enjoy quiet cruising for approximately 6 hours. Rooftop solar panels would complete the package.It’s perfect for slow gunkholing, trolling or relaxed cruising.

Two full-service yards, two greatlocations, one strong work ethic.

• Classic restoration • Transient moorings & slips

• Custom boatbuilding • 70-ton haulout capacity

• Repowers • Storage for 200 boats

• Brokerage • All major mechanical

207-439-9582 • www.kpyy.net

Builder of the new PYY 22 center-console & cuddy-cabin models

Maine’s two southernmost boatyardsacross from Portsmouth, NH

See more boats faster@ Maineboats.com!

066MBHH103 1/5/09 4:09 PM Page 66




The Dory Shop: Sea Wolf Dories

THE DORY SHOP of Lunenburg, NovaScotia, built 7 13' Handline dories, 6 of whichwere used in a German TV movie based onJack London’s Sea Wolf and filmed nearby inProspect Bay during the summer. To meet thedeadline, the shop reverted to the production-style method of building used in the days ofthe schooner fishery: all of the bottoms werefashioned first, then the stems and sterns, fol-lowed by set-up and planking. Two of thedories were outfitted for sail. Also constructed were a 12' Lunenburg dory, a 13' Grand Manan-style dulsing dory, 2 17' Fortune Bay dories, and a 19.5' semi-dory for the tall ship Picton Castle.www.doryshop.com; 902-640-3005.

EASTERN BOATS built 115 downeast-style fiberglass boats in lengths from 18' to35' and in styles from center-console skiffto lobsteryacht. The Milton, New Hamp-shire, company of 35 workers transitionedsales to a dealer network, and plans toexpand that network in the coming year. A new 24' model with a wider beam andincreased freeboard will be available forspring delivery. One lucky participant inthe Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Blue-fish Derby in the fall won a 20' center-console fishing boat, complete with 90-hpHonda engine and trailer from EasternBoats, the 2008 grand-prize sponsor.www.easternboats.com; 603-652-9213.

EASTSAIL YACHTS of Concord, NewHampshire, builds pilot and cruising cutters.During 2008, the hull, deck, and rudder werein progress for the New Moon II, a new modelthat falls between the New Moon CoastalCruiser and the Offshore 25. The boat has acored hull, a 20-hp inboard diesel, stainlesssteel fittings, and a cutter rig with 400 sq. ft.of sail area. A future project will be a 22' tra-ditional sailboat based on lines taken off a 44'pilot cutter. www.eastsail.com; 603-224-6579.

Echo Rowing: 24' Ace

Among the offerings from EAST/WESTCUSTOM BOATS of Eliot is the versatile 24'Ace rowing shell by Echo, a high-perform-ance shell with a wave-piercing bow suited

• Fireplaces

• Granite countertops and sinks

• Landscape and architectural stonework

• Quarrying and raw stone

• A wide selection ofMaine granite andimported stone

• Boat Interiors

P.O. Box 15, US Route 1Orland, ME 04472207.469.6331

www.freshwaterstone.com The Art of Maine Stone

Phot

ogra

phy

Bri

an V

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n B

rink

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for all conditions, including rough water.This Doug Martin design is 38 lbs. when fullyrigged, and has 2 shallow foot wells, withno cockpit or washbox to trap water.www.eastwestboats.com; 207-439-4769.

At EDGECOMB BOAT WORKS thingswere just plain busy. Among the variousLymans that were completely restored, apair of 25-footers received entire bottoms,keels, framing, and decks. Restoration workcontinued on the first Penbo trawler (builtin 1953), and major repairs were made to3 small rowing/sailing boats. The 8-personcrew welcomed several new customers, andtold us that shop time was already bookedwell into the winter of 2010. 207-882-5038.

Ellis Boat Company: Jaquima

ELLIS BOAT COMPANY launched apair of 20' Ellis Open Fishermen: Squiddy,with full teak trim and a complete electron-ics package, will be used by an Islesborosummer resident as a runabout for trips tothe mainland, while the second—with noconsole or trim—will be a workboat for acommercial fisherman and shellfish har-vester. A 36' Ellis Express Cruiser left theSouthwest Harbor facility with the EllisCantilevered Seat system, a full electronicspackage including 2 Raymarine E120 sys-tems, and a V-berth, galley, and head. NewYork became the home of 2 36' Ellis Yankeelobsteryachts: Louisiana has a cherry-trimmed interior, an electronics access roomaft of the head, and a Yanmar 480-hp dieselengine. Jaquima features a fully appointedV-berth, galley, and head; teak trim belowand in the shelter; and a lobster-pot haulerfor recreational fishing. Argos, an Ellis 36'Patriot, was built for singer Billy Joel (yes,that Billy Joel). See page 64. Four Elliseswere refitted and refinished, and the refur-bishment of a 30' wooden Bunker and Ellisfrom 1970 commenced. The yard built anew 18,804-sq.-ft. heated storage facility, anew service bay for paint and varnish work,and expanded its service offerings to includerefrigeration work. www.ellisboat.com; 207-244-9221.

FARRIN’S BOATSHOP builds work-boats, commercial sportfishermen, andpleasure yachts. The craftsmen at the Walpole shop launched a 35' family cruis-er—the third boat built for a California cus-tomer—and a 36' Gillnetter. Fall construc-tion began on a 37' yacht and a 34'sportfisherman. The hull and brightwork of

LMOST THE SAME SKILLS are required to restore a traditionally built wood-en sailboat as to build a brand-new one. A thorough knowledge of the prop-

erties and handling characteristics of familiar boatbuilding woods is essen-tial. Instinctive judgment counts for a lot. Mechanical and architectural sense iscritical, too. And yet, informing and guiding all these qualities, nobody shouldundertake the rebirth of a classic yacht without a heartfelt reverence for history.

It is commonly known along this coast that if you were to bundle all these tech-nical and attitudinal abilities into the soul of a single individual, you’d be describ-ing Maynard Bray. This story of the rebirth of three exquisite antique Herreshoffgaff sloops in Belfast properly begins at his doorstep, in Brooklin.

Then again, maybe it begins in Finland. A wealthy client residing there whoseinterests run to old and beautiful objects had long been fascinated by Herreshoffsailboats. During his quest for a particularly distinctive one, he contacted MaynardBray. Bray steered his fellow enthusiast toward a smaller boat than he was original-ly seeking. As discussion progressed, the idea quickly gelled for said client to pur-chase and restore not one but two derelict Buzzards Bay 30s.

Though French & Webb of Belfast are best known as custom builders using mod-ern boatbuilding methods, Bray knew by instinct that they had the capability and atti-tude to undertake this rather monumental task. Armed with this testament of faith, itwasn’t long before French & Webb got a phone call out of the blue from Finland.

Although other boatyards in Maine were considered, F&W had an infectious“can-do” attitude and quickly expanded their facilities to provide rebuilding spacefor the two Buzzards Bay 30s, which were “basket-cases.” Soon a third boat waspurchased, and, when an owner from California signed on, the yard owners decid-ed to try and restore all three boats at once for a simultaneous launching.

All three boats had suffered some change in shape over the approximately 100years of their lives, and it was obvious that referral to original design sources wouldbe crucial. Bray, who stayed on throughout the project as a consultant, approachedKurt Hasselbalch, curator of the Hart Nautical Collection at MIT for offsets.

Early Herreshoff boats didn’t use lines plans, since their shape was expandednumerically off carved pine or basswood half models, so yacht designer Doug Hylan

BUZZARDS BAY 30sFRENCH AND WEBB by Art Paine

Two of three restored Buzzards Bay 30s race neck and neck.



Benj

amin

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)

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a 27' 1908 Rice Bros. was completely refinished, and the boat was repowered.Three other vessels also received mechanical upgrades and refinish work on their hulls, decks, and cabins.www.farrinsboatshop.com; 207-563-5510.

Florimbi Studios: 17' Pulling Boat

FLORIMBI STUDIOS launched as anew business in Rockport, Maine, with afocus on wooden rowing boats. Owner andsole builder Stephen Florimbi likes the ideaof human-powered boats that allow peo-ple easy access to the water and a healthyway to enjoy nature, and will build sliding-seat rowing shells and open-water pullingboats. Repair projects included interiorcabinetry work on a 1940 Elco commuter,a new companionway hatch for the 42' tri-maran Cloud IX, and completion of a Shellback dinghy. During the fallmonths, Florimbi designed and built a 19' x 40' timber frame building, and beganto loft and construct a 23' wooden rowing shell. www.maineboats.com/maine-coastal-directory/florimbi-studios;207-542-3253.

FLOWER’S BOATWORKS of Walpolebuilds downeast hulls that can be config-ured as anything from a bass or sportfish-ing boat to a cruiser. A 36' sportfishermanwas launched, and a Flowers 30 was seatrialed at year’s end. The shop was busywith 3 in-progress construction projects: a36' flybridge cruiser, a 33' bass boat, and a 38-footer based on a Spencer Lincolndesign. The latter is being built on spec and looking for a place to call home.www.flowersboats.com; 207-563-7404.

The latest offering from FLYINGPOINT BOATWORKS of Shelburne, Ver-mont, is the Flying Point 21. The tradi-tional design, with pronounced tumble-home and a very deep forefoot, wasinspired by a derelict hull found in the1980s by the shop owner, who recently fin-ished it off and created a mold. The boatsare built at Frankfort Boat of Frankfort,Maine, then finished and rigged back inVermont. The boat travels in the high 30s,and can handle from 75 to 90 horsepower.www.flyingpointboatworks.com; 802-985-5222.

was recruited to fair up a lines plan fromthe Herreshoff lofting notations preservedat the museum. Historic photographswere consulted to ensure accuracy in deckand rigging details.

There is a boundary where explicitaccuracy in historic restoration crossesgood sense and sound judgment. Soalthough these boats are 9944⁄100 percentpure, a few modern concessions wereallowed. The decks were rebuilt using ply-wood and modern coatings. Although thestanding rigging is multi-strand flexiblewire very similar to the original, eventu-ally Norseman-type terminal fittings weresubstituted for solder-imbedded forks andeyes at the ends. The sails, produced byNat Wilson, use a cloth that looks identi-cal to Egyptian cotton but is actually amodern synthetic. Naturally, to keep allthis exquisiteness off the bricks, modernnavigational electronics and diesel auxil-iary power entered the picture.

Nearly every piece of wood wasreplaced, though the actual types ofwood were the same as in the originals.As in the olden days, shellac was appliedbetween the layers of double planking.

The Herreshoff yard had used theirown special bolts and lag-screws for spe-cific purposes. As these couldn’t beimproved, new versions of some ofthese, and other metalwork, were madeunder subcontract by Bill Lowe, of Owl’sHead. A great deal more ornamentalbronze and porcelain—fixtures andhardware, including ornate, customfold-down Pullman sinks and heads—came from Historical Arts & Casting, ofMichigan. Other Maine-based subcon-tractors included Northeast Boat forpaint and varnish work, Nautical Col-ors for paint and coatings; Winsor Con-sulting for electronics; Gemini Canvasfor cushions and canvas; Ocean Pursuitsfor electric panels; Stonington Boat-works for spruce booms and gaffs; andJ.M. Reineck & Son for additional cast-bronze hardware. The lead keels werecast by Mars Metals of Canada, and thetenders were built by Taylor & Snedick-er of Connecticut.

Kathy Bray, Maynard’s daughter,guided some of the decorative aspectsof the reconstruction, including the cus-tom mixing of the topside and bottomcolors, and painted the rigged profile

illustration. French and Webb hiredlocal marine artist Eric Green to deco-rate the cotton-duck pipe-berth cot,using it as a canvas for his artwork. Each

of the yachts thus has a pretty paintingin its otherwise Spartan forepeak.

With these three gaffers, French &Webb has established itself among the go-to yards that specialize in refurbishingclassically styled wooden sailboats.

THE HART NAUTICAL COLLECTIONS at the MITMuseum are open to researchers by appointment only, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday through Fri-day (closed major holidays). Building N51,265 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139. http://www.mit.edu/museum/collections/nautical.html; 617-253-5942.


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SPECS / BUZZARDS BAY 30s

LOA 46.6' LWL 30' Beam 10'10"Draft 5'4"-9' (board down)Sail Area 1,400 sq. ft.Displ. Approx 20,000 lbs.

Designer: Nathanael G. HerreshoffBuilder: 1902, Herreshoff Manufactur-ing Co., Bristol, Rhode IslandRebuilt: 2008, French & Webb, 21Front Street, Belfast, ME 04915.207-338-6706; www.frenchwebb.com

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Fogg’s Boatworks: Foggcraft

FOGG’S BOATWORKS of NorthYarmouth built a Foggcraft 26 and a 30' Fogg-barge cat that is used for island transport andmooring work. Built of 5086 aluminum, theseaworthy and fuel-efficient Foggcraft boatshave a high strength-to-weight ratio. Rebuildsand cosmetic work on boats up to 50' com-prise a large percentage of work at the smallshop (2-3 employees). Projects in the works:2 lobsterboats, a 25' whaler, a 24' aluminumboat, a 25' Lyman, and a 16' wooden White-hall that was built at the shop 27 years ago.www.foggsboatworks.com; 207-829-6373.

FRENCH & WEBB launched a trio of1902 Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 30 sloops inJune. The project required total adherenceto the original 1902 specs, right down toreplication of all sail and hardware accord-ing to the original plans. (See page 68.) Asif that wasn’t enough for one season, Jester,a 1954 Aage Nielsen yawl, was re-launchedin August after a total restoration. TheBelfast boatyard crew of 12—which growsto 15 during the summer season—will nextturn its attention to the joinerwork on theNY50 Spartan and the NY30 Amorita, thespars of a Buzzzards Bay 25, and therestoration of the Buzzards Bay 30 Anita.www.frenchwebb.com; 207-338-6706.

FRIENDSHIP YACHT COMPANY ofPortsmouth, Rhode Island, launched hulls11-15 of the Friendship 40 sailboat. Amongthese were the first boats the company hasdelivered to the west coast, with 2 boats off tosouthern California and one to Seattle. AFriendship 75 is under construction in NewZealand with an expected completion date inthe fall of 2009. Construction is slatedto begin on a Friendship 40 CC Express cruis-er, and the Friendship 46 is currently in devel-opment. www.friendshipyachtcompany.com;401-682-9101.

GANNON & BENJAMIN reported thatall is well on the Vineyard Haven, Massachu-setts, waterfront, where they built 3 new boatsdesigned by Nat Benjamin: a 24' catboat witha 2,200-lb. extended ballast keel and fully bat-tened sail, a 36' lobster-style powerboat, andan 11' yacht tender. The rebuild of a Her-reshoff 12½ included new floors, frames, keel,planking, transom, and deck. The crew of 12to 16 also busied itself with the storage andmaintenance of about 14 boats over the win-ter. At the top of the future projects wish list is building a 29' gaff-rigged sloop.www.gannonandbenjamin.com; 508-693-4658.

Fine Carpentry

Millwork

Project Management

P.O. Box 146

Thomaston,

ME 04861

207-594-8222


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GENERAL MARINE finished a pair of20' center consoles, a couple of 36' downeasthulls, a 28-footer, and a 22' cabin cruiser. Theboats headed off to various points in Mas-sachusetts, Cape Porpoise, Maine, and Cali-fornia; one of the 36-footers was for WinterHarbor-based boatbuilder AJ Enterprises.The winter months will be filled with finishwork on a 36' yacht and repairs on the boatsthat return to the Biddeford shop for annu-al storage. www.generalmarine.com; 207-284-7517.

Great Island Boat Yard: Amy B

GREAT ISLAND BOAT YARD complet-ed major refits on the Jarvis Newman 46 AmyB and on a Hans Christian 48 offshore cruis-er. Both projects involved engine replacement,electronics, glass repair, Awlgrip, and majorsystems upgrades. As winter began, so didlarge-scale refits of a Hinckley 41, a Little Har-bor 5.2, and a Grand Banks 42. Newcrewmembers adept in the areas of electron-ics, carpentry, and glass repair joined the yardto handle these major refits and the 200 ves-sels under annual care. It is with heavy heartsthat GIBY passed along the news that Jake theSailor Dog, winner of the Maine Boats,Homes & Harbors Show’s 2005 World Champion Boatyard Dog® Trials,passed away in September (see the Letters sec-tion, page 9, for more about Jake).www.greatislandboatyard.com; 207-729-1639.

Grey Barn: North Shore 22

GREY BARN BOATWORKS is the one-person shop of William Colbert in Newton,New Hampshire. Five North Shore 22s—hisflagship vessel—were delivered during theyear. Winged Foot III, a yacht-club tender witha 55-hp Yanmar diesel, was built for the NewYork Athletic Club. Honey now has a 20-gal-lon fresh water shower and a stem tow bit fortowing the boat behind a yacht. Annie Joneswas fitted out with many teak options, asopposed to the Fox Islander II, which does nothave a single piece of teak trim in the nameof being a maintenance-free boat for travel between North Haven and

Introducing the Samoset 30Custom built, cold-molded, deep-V, Yanmar 440.

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071MBHH103 1/1/09 4:59 PM Page 71


the mainland. The last of the 22s was head-ed to the Chesapeake Bay late in the fall.www.greybarnboatworks.com; 603-382-0055.

Hadden Boat Company: Greenie

HADDEN BOAT COMPANY complet-ed the restoration of the 35' early 1960sKnutson yawl Greenie. Having completedstructural and systems work during the pre-vious year, boatbuilder Alex Hadden focusedhis attention on exterior details such as theredesign and fitting of new custom rails andhardware; recarved covestripes, arrows, andtailfeathers; and hull fairing. The chines,deck, and rudder of an older International110 sloop were repaired and the boat refin-ished. Hadden replaced the damaged bow,rails, and centerboard on a 16' Penryn sail-ing dory, refinished an original Beetle Cat,and continued with the ongoing repair ofteak rails on a 43' hurricane-damagedMason. Restoration began in the fall on an18' late-1940s Lyman Islander and a 12' lapstrake skiff. A 32' 1950s Harold Gowerlobsterboat waits in the wings for a complete rebuild. www.maineboats.com/maine-coastal-directory/hadden-boat-company;207-371-2662.

H&H Marine: Osmond 47

H&H MARINE of Steuben built 10Osmond Beal downeast boats with classicskeg-style hulls. A 36', a 40', a 42' x 15'3" fishcarrier, and a 47' offshore lobsterboat werebuilt as hulls and sent on to be finished byother builders, as was a 27-footer with apilothouse. Completed boats were a 38' lobsterboat, a 40' charter boat, a 42' x 17' lobster/gillnetter, a 47' offshore/lobsterboat(the first of a new offering that tops out at 23 knots), and a 47' lobsterboat/gillnetter/dragger. An Osmond 42 wasrepowered and its decks were gelcoated.www.hhmarineinc.com; 207-546-7477.

THE HINCKLEY COMPANY, ofPortsmouth, Rhode Island, builds power-boats and sailboats, and launched 49 in allduring 2008. The sailboat line includes theDS 42 daysailer, and the Sou’wester 42, 51,52, 59, 61, and 70; powerboats range from29' to 55' and include the Talaria models and

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME before Doug Zurn, a talented young design-er based in Marblehead, Massachusetts, got together with the likes of Lyman-Morse in Thomaston, Maine. Zurn has been involved in a number of intriguing

projects of late, including designing custom, one-off boats for singer Billy Joel, andnew production boats for Bob Johnstone, co-founder of the renowned J-Boats lineof performance sailboats, who more recently founded the MJM line of powerboats.Zurn’s MJM designs, featuring modern composite construction techniques andtraditional styling, have set new standards for blending speed with fuel efficiency.

The catalyst for this project, as is so often the case, was an experienced boatingcouple with a dream boat in mind. Californians Sandy and Helen Jones were look-ing to retire; after years of cruising aboard a 35-foot sailboat, they wanted a large,comfortable powerboat. They visited Lyman-Morse’s yard in 2005 to discuss possi-bilities, and the folks there, after hearing the Joneses out, at once gave Zurn a ring.The result is the custom 62-foot flybridge cruiser, Mad Max, launched in Thomas-ton in June 2008.

As with Zurn’s MJM boats Mad Max mixes understated traditional good lookswith modern composite construction. The resin-infused hull consists of a vinylesterlaminate vacuum-bagged over a Core-Cell foam core; much of the interior joinery is

MAD MAXLYMAN-MORSE BOATBUILDING by Charles J. Doane

Traditional good looks meet the latest in composite construction. The result? A fast, comfortable boat.

Mad Max is a floating home designed for long-distance cruising.



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the newly redesigned 36'11" waterjet PicnicBoat. The new boat has a deeper-V hull foradded stability, but requires only 2'1" draft.The twin 300-hp diesel engines were reposi-tioned completely below decks to free upspace aft, and the pilothouse was raised. Anew Talaria is in development that will takeup residence between the existing 44' and 55'models. The company has 8 service facilitiesthroughout the country, including one inSouthwest Harbor; all boatbuilding is donein Maine. www.hinckleyyachts.com; 401-643-0610.

HOLLAND’S BOAT SHOP launched aHolland 32 for a summer resident. The boatis powered with a 485-hp Cummins, has a90-gallon fuel capacity, and tops out in the33-knot range. Set up as a dayboat, the designdiffers from previous Holland 32s in that ithas standing headroom of nearly 6', thanksto a subtle increase to the sheer height, trunksides, and crown of the cabin top. The Belfastshop builds kit boats with downeast andworkboat-inspired lines, most often in 32'and 38' lengths. 207-338-3155.

C.W. Hood Yachts: Hood 42

Wasque 26s abounded at C.W. HOODYACHTS of Marblehead, Massachusetts.Three new customized, Alden-designed,Wasque 26 downeast cruisers were built, and2 more were refitted. Construction contin-ued on a new model, the Hood 42, which has in-house designed features, including aft glass bulkheads, pneumatic sliding pan-els, and an ergonomic helm station.www.cwhoodyachts.com; 781-631-0192.

Howard Boats: Fisher Cat

HOWARD BOATS completed 8 fiber-glass Barnstable Cats—a design based onJohn Beetle’s wooden catboat; a 21' Indian—a John Alden design dating back to 1921; 2skiffs; and 7 Fisher Cats—designed andintroduced in 2007. The Barnstable, Massa-chusetts, shop also restored 6 boats—BeetleCats, Barnstable Cats, and a Wenaumet Kit-ten. A couple of new employees joined thecrew of 4-6 in the summer, and Nancy in theoffice celebrated 27 years at the company.www.howard-boats.com; 508-362-6859.

also a lightweight cored composite, skinnedwith lavish wood veneers. The hull is rela-tively narrow, with a deadrise of 18 degrees,and has an efficient and seakindly motion.The conventional inboard prop shafts, setin shallow pockets, are turned by a pair of1,000-hp Catepillar diesel engines. An activestabilization system, by Island Engineering,features fully automatic trim tabs, both toreduce drag and to maximize ride comfort.

The Joneses plan to cruise the entireeast coast in their new floating home

before transiting the Panama Canal andheading north up the west coast and set-tling in the Pacific Northwest. The boat’slayout consequently was designed toaccommodate an active liveaboard cruis-ing couple that likes to entertain guestsand family frequently. The master state-room with a full king-sized berth is amid-ships, with an ensuite head and shower. Upforward there’s a lavish guest stateroomwith an island double berth and privateaccess to another head and shower. Thereare also three convertible berths—a col-lapsible dinette table in the saloon, andtwo nifty kid-sized trundle beds—that cansleep four more.

The social spaces, in particular, werevery carefully thought out. In addition tothe open, airy bridge deck and raisedsaloon area, there is also a “great room”with a wet bar and both lounge and count-er seating down at galley level between thetwo staterooms. While outdoors, guestscan comfortably gather both on the fly-

bridge, accessed via an elegant handcraft-ed spiral stairway at the after end of thesaloon, or in the aft cockpit, which is splitlevel. The lower level all the way aft is largeenough to stow a good-sized water-jet-powered inflatable tender; it can also beused as a lounging deck when the tenderis deployed while the yacht is at anchor.The upper level features a large outdoordining table, lots of seating, and a handygrill.

In terms of amenities Mad Max ishardly lacking. The galley features a Sub-Zero fridge and freezer, a four-burner elec-tric induction stove, an electric oven, amicrowave oven, a dishwasher, a trashcompactor, a garbage disposal, and a winecooler. Auxiliary fridges are found in boththe saloon and on the flybridge, plusthere’s an ice maker in the great room wetbar. There is also an attractive laundry areaup forward with a washer and dryer, adedicated ironing board, and a very use-ful workbench.

As to performance, Doug Zurn report-ed that during the initial sea trials MadMax jumped up on a plane quite readily,exhibited excellent handling characteris-tics, and surpassed the projected top speedof 31 knots. Add to that a useful range inexcess of 600 miles when traveling at acruising speed of 21 knots, and you haveone very versatile vessel.

A spiral staircase leads to the flybridge.



SPECIFICATIONS / MAD MAX

LOA 65'5"LWL 57'Beam 18'6"Draft 4'2"Displ. 83,550 lbs.Power 2 x 1,000-hp Catepillar

C-18 dieselsFuel 1,500 gal.Water 425 gal.Waste 355 gal.Maximum Speed 31 knotsCruising Speed 21 knotsCruising range 615 nm

Designer: Zurn Yacht Design, 89Front Street, Marblehead, MA 01945.781-639-0678; www.zurnyachts.com

Builder: Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding,Inc., 82 Water St., Thomaston, ME04861. 207-354-6904; www.lymanmorse.com

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HUNT YACHTS continues to build RayHunt’s line of deep-V-hull inboard poweryachts, known as Surfhunters and availablein 25, 29, and 33 foot lengths, and the Harri-er 25, 29, and the Hunt 52 motoryacht. TheHarrier 29 debuted last year and the first Hunt52 is slated to launch in 2009. Three newlyconstructed boats found homes in Europe, 2Harrier 25s in Sweden and a 25' center-con-sole jet in Italy. The service department of thePortsmouth, Rhode Island, company per-formed a full range of refit and repair jobs.www.huntyachts.com; 401-324-4201.

D.N. Hylan: 33' Yawl Aida

D.N. HYLAN & ASSOC. completed anextensive restoration of Aida, a 33' yawldesigned and built by N.G. Herreshoff in1926. New centerboard trunk, frames, keel,deck, diesel engine, and other major struc-tural and systems work was followed by acomplete restoration of the interior and exte-rior, following Herreshoff practices wherepossible. The boat will sail out of ShelterIsland, New York. Kuan Yin, a 33' teak slooporiginally built in Hong Kong to a LaurentGiles design, received a new deck, transom,and boomkin; and a 46' 1904 N.G. Herreshoffsloop gained new frames and deck. Preliminary work began on a new 43' cruis-ing powerboat designed by Doug Hylan for an experienced Maine yachtsman andslated for completion in the fall of 2009.www.dhylanboats.com; 207-359-9807.

ISLAND FALLS CANOE built 12 E.M.White wood-canvas canoes, the design forwhich originated in Gilman Falls in the late1800s. One of the 18'6" canoes was built witha Unity College student, and will be used forhis 740-mile trip along the Northern ForestCanoe trail. The 4-person cooperative ofindependent builders/restorers in Atkinsonalso completed two 20' Myron Smart canoes,3 miniature canoes, and 1 Old Town spon-son boat. Repairs were made to 18 sponsonboats and canoes, including Kennebecs anda Gerrish. www.islandfallscanoe.com; 207-564-7612.

JOHANSON BOATWORKS completeda Wesmac 50, which then debuted at theMAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS SHOW inAugust. The crew of 12 to 20 strong also com-pleted repair projects and general maintenancefor 65 storage customers, and managed thefleet of 17 bareboat charter vessels. A samplingof projects involving fiberglass repairs and/orAwlgripping: Solito, an Ohlson 38 sailboat;Jenny Ann, a 41' poweryacht; an Allied 42sloop, and a J-44. A new furler was installed

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074MBHH103 1/1/09 5:00 PM Page 74




and other rigging work was done on a J-40.The Rockland shop installed a new state-of-the-art spray bay. www.jboatworks.com; 207-596-7060.

John’s Bay Boat Co: Agamenticus

JOHN’S BAY BOAT COMPANYlaunched the 42' lobsterboat Agamenticus fora York, Maine, customer in the spring and a41' lobsteryacht in the fall for a Yarmouth,Maine, boater. The South Bristol crew of 4hauled 20 boats for maintenance and repairs,and repowered Gail Patricia, a 38' downeast-style cruiser built at the shop in 1992.www.johnsbayboat.com; 207-644-8261.

JONESPORT SHIPYARD performedrebuilds on vessels in an array of sizes andstyles. The port engine was replaced and elec-tronic upgrades were made to a 32' Carver.Collision repairs were made on the cabin andhauling side of the 36' wooden lobsterboatPlayin Hard, and Sentinel, a 35' Osmond, wasspruced up with cosmetic work. Repairs ona storm-damaged 22' Chrysler sloop includ-

ed the rudder port, centerboard slot andpivot, and hull. Dura, a 40' wood sloopreceived the full treatment, with deck repairs,new mast partners, deckhouse, and windows,wiring upgrades, and hull caulking. The 4-to 6-person crew also refurbished a 19' O’Day Mariner that was “basically junk” upon arrival. A summer intern from The Boat School proved to be a goodworker and learner. www.maineboats.com/maine-coastal-directory/jonesport-shipyard;207-497-2701.

JOHN M. KARBOTT BOATBUILDING’sshop in Plymouth, Massachusetts, construct-ed a 17'4" wood-canvas canoe to a JerryStelmok design and completed repairs to 15boats. Projects included: new decks and win-dows for a 35' Duffy; centerboard repairs to aCharles Wittholz catboat; a reframed haulingstation on a Clifford Alley lobsterboat; and the“resurrection” of a 50-year-old Lowell Ames-bury skiff with mahogany plywood and copper and bronze fastenings applied to thepreserved frames, upper transom, and themajority of the stem. www.by-the-sea.com/karbottboatbuilding; 508-224-3709.

KITTERY POINT YACHT YARD spent theyear rebuilding after a March fire destroyedthe primary shop and offices in Eliot. A shopand heated bays were added to the existing9,000-sq.-ft. building that was not involved

in the fire, 2 additional acres were cleared forstorage, the hill to the launch ramp was rebuiltand paved, and other buildings continued totake shape. The related company Kittery PointBoat Builders lost the PYY 22 hull mold, buthas built a second-generation mold, with thepicnic model presently under constructionfor a 2009 launch. Both the Kittery and Eliotfacilities were in full swing with winter proj-ects: the refit on a 36' wooden George Patten-built lobsterboat; cosmetic work and repow-ering of a 36' Caroll Lowell; and upgrades toa B40, a 47' Cheoy Lee, and a Sabre 42.www.kpyy.net; 207-439-9582.

KNIGHT MARINE SERVICE offersrepair work from fiberglass to engines, andhas marina facilities on the Rockland water-front. Among the more than 70 projects weremany paint jobs, including the varnishing,rewiring, and new engine installation for a boat that sank during Hurricane Katrina.Knight Marine’s resident Boatyard Dog Tylersends out a warm hello to his many fans. www.knightmarineservice.com; 207-594-4068.

THE LANDING SCHOOL’s staff and 75students built 11 new boats in Kenneb-unkport: 4 Beach Peas in 13' and 15' lengths,designed by Doug Hylan; 4 Joel White Haven121⁄2 sloops; 2 Arundel 27 powerboats; and 1Farrier 82R trimaran, the school’s first com-

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LOA....................15'8 1⁄2"LWL....................12'6"Beam..................5'10"Draft ..................2'5"Displacement......1350 lbs.Master Builders of Fine Sailboats since 1899

Timeless. For ninety years the Capt. Nat Herreshoff designed H121/2 has gracedthe coastal waters of North America. Perhaps the best daysailer made, her appearance and sailing qualities, to this day, remain unchanged.

Large comfortable cockpit with varnished mahogany trim, deep lead keel, fiberglass hull and deck, self-tending jib, the H121/2 is available as original gaff or marconi rig.

If you value tradition and low maintenance call (508) 295-3550,or visit www.capecodshipbuilding.com.

Photos by Anne T. Converse


075MBHH103 1/1/09 5:00 PM Page 75


posite boat, constructed as part of the inau-gural year of its Composites Program. Amachine was installed in the program’s shoplab that allows students to test the strength,elasticity, and impact-resistance of variousmaterials. Construction began on 2 cold-molded LS-30s in the Cruising Boats Pro-gram. The new 30' Steve Dalzell-designedperformance daysailer has a 6' bulb keel, car-bon spars, and a fat-head main. Work willcommence in January on 2 new Lightnings.www.landingschool.edu; 207-985-7976.

LeBlanc Brothers 1610

The focal point of the year for LEBLANCBROTHERS BOATBUILDERS was con-struction of Mai Pehn Rai, a 50' luxurytrawler-style pleasure boat powered by a 455-hp John Deere 6125 engine. The Leblanc 50has a spacious master stateroom and a gueststateroom, a lounge area and galley withample counter space and appliances, and a20-foot wide saloon with settee, an officearea, built-in bookshelves, and a flat-screenTV. Repairs were made to Magnificent II,Fundy Mariner, Logan & Ryan, Galaxie, SeaBuzzard, Lady Newell, and Outpost. The sea-sonal ebb and flow of work doubles the crewof the Lower Wedgeport, Nova Scotia, com-pany to 16 during the busiest part of the year.The employees all obtained their “NovaScotia Boat Builder Certificate of Qualifica-tion,” or journeyperson status. Y-LandingMarine Services of Meredith, New Hampshire,offers LeBlanc’s 1610 recreational model.www.leblancboats.com; 902-662-2927.

Lowell Brothers Hunky Dory

LOWELL BROTHERS/EVEN KEELMARINE SPECIALTIES built the mold andthe first 2 specimens of a new 11' fiberglassboat with a great name: the Lowell BrothersHunky Dory. The boat can be used as a row-ing boat or a tender. The Yarmouth shopbegan taking orders for the Lowell 38, the lat-est addition to the line of downeast hulls. Inthe repair department, 17' Bossa Nova, aChesapeake Bay Sharpie, received a rebuild,an addition to the seats, and a complete paintjob. Part of the stem was replaced and thetransom rebuilt on a 36' Vinny Cavanaughboat. The shop’s side bay rebuild was com-

HE LATEST CUSTOM PROJECT from Morris Yachts in Bass Harbor is the57-foot offshore pilothouse sloop, Circe. The concept and construction of thisboat were the result of a group effort by the yacht’s owner, designer, and builder.

The Fontaine Design Group of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, drew the plans for theelegant Circe, which is vaguely reminiscent of an earlier Fontaine design, Amelia3.State-of-the-art fabricator and boatbuilder Goetz Custom Boats of Bristol, RhodeIsland, built the hull, house, deck, and structural bulkheads, then Morris’s world-class craftsmen and engineers completed all joinery, systems installations, paint,finish work, and rigging.

Circe is geared toward single-handed and short-handed sailing, and as such therig is manageable with a mast height of 79'10" above the waterline. All sheets and

CIRCEMORRIS YACHTS/GOETZ CUSTOM SAILBOATS by John Snyder

Circe’s shell was built in Rhode Island. All the rest—joinery, systems, rigging, etc.—was done in Maine.

The owner’s cabin features a rather large bed.



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control lines lead back to the cockpit andinclude a manual in-boom furling sys-tem and roller furling on the headstay.

An experienced sailor, the principalowner has plans for long-distance voy-aging. As he prefers not being relegatedto Spartan accommodations, the boathas been equipped with air condition-ing and a fully appointed walk-throughgalley with sizable counters. The com-fortable main saloon has a concealableflat-screen television, a bar, and a U-shaped settee that converts to a doubleberth. The galley is fitted with a three-burner propane stove, custom stainless-steel stove hood, custom stainless-steelreefer/freezer, and a microwave oven. Awater maker supplements the fresh watertanks on extended passages. Cabin heatis provided by a diesel-fired hot-airheater with vents in the cabin and saloonas well as under the hard dodger.

As with all Morris Yachts, the interiorjoinery, featuring satin-varnished teak, isflawless and graceful. Fiddles, handholds,window valances, and other details are fin-ished glossy. The hull sheathing is creamywhite; it is offset by a teak and maple solesealed with durable polyurethane.

Circe’s accommodations includethree cabins: two forward plus a largeowner’s cabin aft. The forward cabin hasa double V-berth. A port-side cabin is fit-ted with over-and-under crew bunks.Both cabins share a full head and show-er. The owner’s cabin has a king-size cen-terline berth flanked by two settees, adesk/vanity with space for a laptop com-puter, and an ensuite head with shower.The boat’s locker doors are woven canefor aesthetics as well as ventilation.

A pilothouse ensures comfort andsafety during offshore and foul weatherpassages. It has a retractable sunroof butis also heated for chilly nights and pro-vides excellent visibility. The helm wasdesigned with comfort and practicalityin mind—the hard dodger should keepthe watch crew dry and smiling.

Performance was equally as impor-tant to the owners as comfort. Theywanted to keep the yacht as small as possible while maintaining its function-ality. The hull represents the latest evo-lution of designer Ted Fontaine’s shal-low-draft/centerboard Delta Form hull.Fontaine’s six-foot draft design empha-

sizes form stability via its substantialbeam and minimizes wetted surface bycreating a steep deadrise. The high-lifthull form combines low wetted surfacewith a high interior volume. Boat speedis maximized while shoal draft broad-ens the owner’s cruising options.

Circe’s centerboard is raised and low-ered via a fluted stainless-steel box andpipe mounted to the centerboard trunk.The lifting pennant is led through thepipe to a deck block aft of the mast col-lar, then through a sheet stopper to adedicated electric winch located on thestarboard side of the coach top.

The yacht’s watertight engine roomis accessible via two watertight doors: oneat the aft end of the galley and anotherin the aft shower; the latter door has aflush-mounted handle. A soft patch inthe cockpit sole allows overhead engine-room access for the removal of the mainengine should the need arise.

Circe’s auxiliary power comes froma 124-hp marine diesel. DC power is sup-plied by two primary battery banks thatare charged by the engine alternator anda battery charger. For maneuverabilitythere is a bow thruster.

The heart of Circe’s integrated elec-tronics system is an Ethernet-based net-work that includes graphic displays thatare easy to read, weather-tight, and capa-ble of providing up to 18 pages of infor-mation. The network includes radar,

GPS/WAAS chart plotter, and weatherfax. A 12-inch LCD computer display ismounted on the starboard side of the navarea in the hard dodger. A tablet com-puter handles navigation at the helm.

The new yacht is testimony to theowners’ vision in bringing together tal-

ented collaborators. The skill and expe-rience of Circe’s designer and buildersare evident throughout, proof of whatis possible when the best in the businessjoin forces.

n Snyder

The galley is neither cramped nor lacking in tools for the job.



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SPECIFICATIONS / CIRCE

LOA 57'LWL 42'2"Beam (@sheer) 16'1"Draft (board up/down) 5'11"/13'2"Displ. 52,082 lbs.Sail Area 1,447 sq. ft.

Designer: Fontaine Design Group, 92 Maritime Drive, Portsmouth, RI 02871. 401-682-9101;www.fontainedesigngroup.comBuilders: Morris Yachts, 53 Granville Road,Bass Harbor, ME 04653. 207-244-5509;www.morrisyachts.comEric Goetz Custom Sailboats, 115 Broad Common Road, Bristol, RI 02809. 401-253-2670;www.goetzboats.com

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pleted, making the space fully functionalyear-round. www.lowellbrothers.com; 207-846-4878.

Lowell’s Boat Shop: Dories

LOWELL’S BOAT SHOP built a pair of18' Surf dories with 5 rowing stations, includ-ing 12" stand-up oarlocks, for a customerwhose time is divided between California andHawaii. Other building projects at the Ames-bury, Massachusetts, shop were a 16' Ames-bury runabout skiff; a 16' Banks dory; a 15'Lowell Atlantic—at 150 lbs., the lightest of theshop’s offerings; two 15' Merrimack skiffs forthe Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz,New York (a customer since the 1930s); anda 10' Banks dory prototype. Among the 5repair projects, the complete rebuild of a 1952Lowell’s Palmer skiff stole the show. The bot-tom was removed in one piece and replacedwith mahogany, the interior was refitted, theaft deck and hatch were replaced, and the orig-inal brightwork was repaired and restored.www.lowellsboatshop.com; 978-834-0050.

LYMAN-MORSE BOATBUILDINGlaunched Mad Max, a 62' Doug Zurn-designed flybridge cruiser with a birch inte-rior. The vessel sleeps 8 via a master state-room, guest cabin, and 3 additionalconvertible trundle-style berths. In additionto the galley area, there is seating and a sec-ond wet bar in the flybridge, accessible by aspiral staircase. The boat cruises at 25 knots,powered by twin C-18 1000-hp Cats. (Seepage 72 for more information.) Alsolaunched was New Morning, a 54' ChuckPaine sloop that was set up as a world cruis-er for a California couple. There are large fueland water tanks for extended cruising. Poweris provided from solar panels on the harddodger and the cabin top. Repairs were madeto Narada, a 1952 Rhodes powerboat and anew bottom system was applied to Acadia.The exterior laminates and 75% of a 2002Custom 60’s core were removed and then thehull was reinfused. New construction proj-ects in progress were: a 65' sportfisherman,a 62' sailing catamaran, a 54' jetboat, a 42' powerboat, and a 31' aluminum centerconsole. The Thomaston company, whichemploys 170 year round, was also involvedwith 2 home construction projects, one in Cushing the other in Southport.www.lymanmorse.com; 207-354-6904.

MacLeod Custom 22

MACLEOD CUSTOM BOATS is the one-man Falmouth shop of Chris MacLeod. AMacLeod Custom 22 was built as a spec/showboat and was for sale at the time of this writ-ing. The hull design is Royal Lowell’s triedand true Sisu 22. An early 13' Boston Whalersport was restored, and the construction ofanother MacLeod Custom 22 will kick off thenew year. www.macleodcustomboats.com;207-650-9554.

MAINE BUILT BOATS was establishedin 2005 to strengthen and expand Maine’sboatbuilding industry. The organization iscreating a unified brand that presents Maineas a worldwide leader in boatbuilding quali-ty, technology, and craftsmanship. Approxi-mately 450 Maine companies, representing5,000 workers, are tied to the boatbuildingindustry. www.mainebuiltboats.org; 207-319-5131.

MAINE CAT constructed 3 Maine Cat41 sailing catamarans, including Going


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Nowhere and Panorama. The first produc-tion boat for the new MC P-47 model wascompleted, representing the Bremen com-pany’s first venture into the power cat mar-ket. The P-47 is destined for Hope Town,Abaco, where it will join Maine Cat’sBahamas-based charter fleet. Efforts nowturn toward building the 13 P-47s that arepresently on order. www.mecat.com; 207-529-6500.

MYC: Akilaria Class 40

MAINE YACHT CENTER completed 2Akilaria Class 40 sailing yachts. Componentsare imported from Tunisia in kit form, andare completed and commissioned at thePortland yard. Boats are set up for short-handed offshore racing, with a complementof custom deck hardware, sailing instru-ments, dual autopilots, and satellite commu-nications. The service crew spruced up a 36'sailboat with repowering and Awlgrip; aVicem 58' motoryacht with customsprayrails, Awlgrip, and a varnish job; a Gor-

bon 51' sailboat with new systems and com-missioning; an Egg Harbor 32 with newAC/DC panels, systems, and wiring; and aCorsair F-31 trimaran’s hull with a Teflon/sil-icone-based finish to make it even faster forracing. www.maineyacht.com; 207-842-9000.

MARINE RESTORATION & SALVAGEbuilt 3 new Classic Cats after redesigning thedeck mold, resulting in better manufactur-ing and a more shapely look. A fiberglassBaybird, based on the 1918 Starling Burgessgaff-rigged 18' sloop, was constructed. FourBaybirds from the sailing camp-era on Pleas-ant Bay were restored, among them a wood-en boat in for a new trunk and frames. Lineswill be taken from this original and theOrleans, Massachusetts, shop will soon beginbuilding a wooden Baybird, the first since BillChamberlain finished the last of nearly 30,around 1918. Other projects included therefit and sale of Quahog, a 1963 MarshallSanderling; and the varnish on a 1930sModel A wagon. Four outrigger flagpoleswere built for the Federal Reserve Bank ofNew York to replace the existing 1920s poles,5 stories up above Wall Street. Preservationwork began on the CG36500 Lifeboat, fromremoval of the fiberglass sheathing on thedecks and superstructure to re-planking.www.marinerestoration.com; 508-240-0058.

Maritime Marine 20'

MARITIME MARINE completed 130new production boats from its line of 12 dif-ferent models in center console, center cabin,and cuddy cabin designs, ranging from 14'to 25'. The Augusta, Maine, company unveiled5 models in the new Maritime 25' series,which allow for extra storage, fishboxes,increased rear seating, and the option of twinoutboards. The first colored hulls were pro-duced last year, marking the beginning of 3or 4 core color offerings. A new 20,000-sq.-ft. addition created space to improve produc-tion efficiency and support new manufactur-ing techniques. www.maritimeboats.com;207-620-7999.

Catboat builder MARSHALL MARINEcrafted 15 15' Sandpipers, 7 18' Sanderlings,and 3 Marshall 22s. The majority of theSandpipers were built for racing in New Jer-sey and Florida. Refit projects ranged from


Holland 32

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You make the call.

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HOLLAND’S BOAT SHOP, INC.7 Mill Lane, Belfast, Maine 04915

207-338-3155

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LEGENDARY JOINERY, HEATED STORAGE, FRIENDLY DOGS AND TIME TO TALK.

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Whether it’s at our main yard in Thomaston or our convenient service yard in Tenants Harbor, Lyman-Morse is there with the full capabilities to do virtually any job with the skill and expertise knowledgeable owners and professionals expect.

LYMAN-MORSE BOATBUILDING CO.

079MBHH103 1/1/09 5:01 PM Page 79


replacing cockpits on Sanderlings and build-ing an entire cabin structure for a 40-year-old Marshall 22, to repowering Marshall 22sand installing a Yanmar 1GM diesel enginein a Sanderling that did not previously havean inboard. The latter required a bit of cre-ativity to figure out how to properly retrofita boat that was over 40 years old, with a dif-ferent shape and configuration from the newmodels. The South Dartmouth, Massachu-setts, company is developing a new moldedcockpit for the Sanderling which should bein production by the end of November 2009.www.marshallcat.com; 508-994-0414.

Resolute, a Buzzards Bay 25, was launchedby DAMIAN MCLAUGHLIN, JR.’s NorthFalmouth, Massachusetts, shop. An unusualwooden mast with internal halyards was builtfor the sailboat. The canal boat Florence—aninterim construction project over the last 3years—is due to launch in the summer andwill be for sale after some trial excursions onthe Hudson River, Erie Canal, Lake Ontario,St. Lawrence River, Richelieu River, LakeChamplain, and back down the Hudson. Thebuilding of a shoal-draft yawl designed by Bruce Kirby will soon commence. Theyard added a new 24' x 48' storage shed.www.dmcboats.com; 508-563-3075.

J.C. Minott Boat

J.C. MINOTT BOAT of Dover-Foxcroftconstructed a 15' cedar-on-oak lapstrakeWhitehall, built on a modified WashingtonCounty Boat School mold and delivered toNemours Mansion and Gardens, the former300-acre estate of Alfred I. du Pont in Wilm-ington, Delaware, which is open for guidedtours. A cedar-on-cedar, canvas-covered 20'OB launch was built on an Island Falls Canoemold and substantially modified. A 2007 lap-strake dinghy found its 15 minutes of famewhen it was rented by a NYC-based adagency, taken to the Big Apple for a photoshoot, and returned the following day toresume the country life. From the restora-tion department: a new transom, guard rails,keel and canvas for a 1955 Penn Yan car-top-per; repairs to 2 Old Town square-sterncanoes with sponsons—a 1948 and a 1960;and additional upgrades to a 1941 15' OldTown lapstrake boat that was rebuilt in 2004,including athwartship brace and knees, achart shelf in the foredeck, wiring and lights,and painted topsides. Soon to be good as new: a 1938 16' Old Town sponsonboat and an 1854 Penn Yan Captivatorthat “leaks like a sieve.” While the shopitself is a one-man operation, it also

EW BOATS HAVE HAD A LIFE as lucky as has the Lindsay D. Born of a pedi-gree generations old, the Gower-built beauty represents the pinnacle of wood-en lobsterboat construction. A working boat, its lines were never analyzed by

marketing directors or agonized over by naval architects. Its intrinsic beauty is theresult of common sense: it’s easier to lift a lobster trap onto the deck of a boat witha low freeboard, the great sweep of the sheer makes for a high and seaworthy bow,a narrow beam and long, open, after deck provide an easily driven hull with plentyof room for gear.

The advent of fiberglass coupled with the introduction of lighter weight but pow-erful diesel engines began to change the look of lobsterboats over time. As lobsterfishermen were able to move farther offshore, the need to carry more gear increased.Hydraulic pot haulers and wire traps became the norm, and a new generation ofwider, flatter boats was born.

LINDSAY DPENDLETON YACHT YARD by Nakomis Nelson

From working boat to pleasure craft: This old-school Jonesport-type lobsterboat has been given a new lease on life.

The crisp, clean, spartan interior is true to the original’s style.


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functions as a cooperative, with 3 to 4 people typically at work building or repairing boats. www.maineboats.com/maine-coastal-directory/jc-minott-boat;207-564-7612.

MJM YACHTS launched 2 MJM 40zpowerboats, the latest addition to the line ofshallow-draft, downeast-style boats designedby Doug Zurn. The Downeast model has alarger side window for fresh air ventilation,while the Express model features more hard-glass enclosures. The boats are equipped withtwin Volvo 6-cylinder D6 370-hp engineswith IPS duoprop drives mounted under thehull, and get 1.5 nautical miles per gallonwhen traveling at 25 knots. The Boston-basedcompany also launched 11 34zs and 11 29zweekenders. www.mjmyachts.com; 617-723-3629.

MOOSE ISLAND MARINE, way up inEastport, launched a 20' Passamaquoddypilothouse skiff and a 19' Pembroke skiff, andrestored a 30' Ted Brewer-designed whale-boat. Work was completed on a finished-off46' Newman for the New England Aquari-um, from the companionway bulkheadback—including new decks, a new fuel system, and engine removal and installation.The next boats slated to receive attention are two 26' wood-epoxy tugboats. The shop has a new 50' x 100' indoor storageshed, and is storing many yachts from Cana-da due to the favorable exchange rates.www.mooseislandmarine.com; 207-853-6053.

MORRIS SERVICE, with yards in BassHarbor and Northeast Harbor, completedhundreds of repairs, including the repower-ing of 10 vessels and the deck and hull paint-ing of 80 boats. Another 30 were refitted,including electronics, fuel and water systems,and rigging. The complete refit of a Hinck-ley Pilot yawl required finding a balancebetween updating and refinishing everythingand maintaining the boat’s original charac-ter. A 55' powerboat was retrofitted with jetturbines, which presented its own set of chal-lenges: getting the turbines to run on diesel;providing enough intake air to cool bothunits while still providing full power; andheat-protecting everything in the engineroom to prevent melting. A new generalmanager and 2 service writers joined the46-person staff. www.morrisyachts.com;207-244-5511.

Morris Yachts: M36

MORRIS YACHTS of Bass Harbor com-pleted 11 M36 daysailers, 4 M42 daysailers,

The final decline in wooden lobster-boats started in the early 1980s, as theywere largely iron fastened. Iron rusts, andas it does, it causes the surrounding woodto rot. This is especially true of iron inoak, which is acidic, and was the primarywood for boat frames in New England.

Many wooden boats were literallyfished until they sank. Others had a lessnoble end: they were cut up or burned.Some went to novice “fixer-uppers,” whosechainsaw-and-glue carpentry or applica-tion of fiberglass sheathing did little toprolong their life. The lucky few were givenknowledgeable care and are still in serv-ice today. Luck is fickle, however. TheLindsay D’s fortune surpasses luck.

In the spring of 2002, the half-centu-ry-old Lindsay D (then named the AnnieM) was not yet on its last legs, but it wascertainly limping. It was bought by anine-year-old girl named—what else?—Lindsay Durkee, who lived on the islandof Islesboro in Penobscot Bay.

With help from her father, Lindsaycleaned up her new boat. A week ofscrubbing followed by fresh paint had itlooking remarkably respectable. Lindsaythen fished the boat with her father forthree years, until such time that the bat-tle with deterioration became a losingone; the boat was almost literally heldtogether by a thick coat of paint, thread-ed rod, and turnbuckles.

Late in the fall of 2004, Lindsay’sbeloved wooden Gower lobsterboat wasput away for the last time. Recognizingthat the boat was one of the last of itskind, Lindsay’s father actively sought anowner who would preserve the boat andgive it a new life. Mark Clayton, servicemanager at Pendleton Yacht Yard on Isles-boro, stepped up to the plate. He pur-chased the boat, but as he had no imme-diate plans for restoration, it was laid upin the back of the boatyard.

Salvation came when a wealthy Isles-boro summer resident began pokingaround Pendleton Yacht Yard and discov-ered the Lindsay D. He bought the boatand asked PYY, no strangers to woodenboat restorations and rebuilding projects,to plan a total rebuild. An interestingrequest by the new owner was that the yardwould allow his seven-year-old son to helpwith the rebuild during the summer.

When the Lindsay D finally got to the

shop floor it was stunning how bad itscondition was. The hull was twisted andout of shape, and the transom droopedlike a wilting rose petal on a hot day. Thekeel was mostly sound but the iron fas-tenings had already had their way with theplanks and frames. It was obvious that atotal rebuild would be necessary—decks,house, planks, and frames—everything.

The first step was to block, jack, anddrop sections of the hull until it had itsoriginal shape. This being done, the deckswere removed and the boat was given asolid cleaning. Instead of cutting downto the keel and building what wouldessentially be a new boat, wood wasremoved and replaced piece by piece.

At no time during the two-yearrestoration did the Lindsay D ever notlook like a boat. Wood that could be sal-vaged was reused; wood that was too fargone was replaced in a fashion true to theoriginal. At some point every plank,frame, and stick of wood was removedand replaced.

Now completed and awaiting anoth-er summer of use, this shiny “new” Jone-sport-style lobsterboat gracefully tugs atits mooring line. A utilitarian boat lack-ing a yacht’s varnish and teak, it is fittedout as it should be with a simple bronzesteering wheel on the forward bulkheadand a pot hauler by the rail. And that ishow it should be, as the new owner plansto fish with his son (using a recreationallicense), who is now about the age thatyoung Lindsay was when she first beganhauling traps with her father.



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SPECIFICATIONS / LINDSAY D

LOA 35'Beam 10'Draft 2'6"Power 220-hp MerCruiser,

6-cylinder, gasolineMaximum Speed 20 knotsCruising Speed 14 knots

Builder: 1953, Harold Gower, Beals Island

Rebuilder: 2008, Pendleton YachtYard, 525 Pendleton Point Road, Islesboro, ME 04848207-734-6728www.pendletonyachtyard.com

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and an Ocean Series Morris 48—and that’snot the whole list. M-Series boats were deliv-ered near and far: an M36 went to Italy,while a “beautifully finished” M36 nowresides on Lake Winnipesaukee, and anoth-er will head to the west coast after spendingthe summer in Maine. The Morris 48 Barrasplashed in June, competed in the NewportBermuda Race, then kept heading east, cruis-ing the UK and in particular Scotland. Thenew M29 daysailer will launch in February,and in the M52 department, hull no. 1 isnearing completion for a 2009 launch. Thiswill round out the M-series fleet with a 52'yacht that doubles as a daysailer. And final-ly, Circe, a 57-foot custom yacht, was builtin collaboration with the Fontaine DesignGroup, and Goetz Custom Boats. Morris’scraftsmen and engineers completed all ofCirce’s joinery, systems installations, paint,finish work, and rigging. See page 76 formore information. www.morrisyachts.com;207-244-5511.

NAUSET MARINE builds downeast-style cruisers that range from 21' to 38', andlaunched a Nauset 28 last year. The interiorof the 28 was redesigned, and there are plansto update the deck tooling. Repair projectsat the Orleans, Massachusetts, shop includ-ed modifications to the aft cabin of a Nau-set 42 and the deck of a Nauset 28, an engine

upgrade on a Nauset 36, and the replace-ment of the engine bed and bulkheld on aSisu 30. www.nausetmarine.com; 508-255-0777.

S.E. Newman & Son

S.E. NEWMAN & SON of Wilson’sBeach, New Brunswick, launched Buddy B.,a custom 36' Northern Bay sportfishing boatwith a 720-hp Yanmar diesel, destined forShelter Island, New York. The finishingtouches were being put on a 38' sportfishingboat for a Savannah, Georgia, customer asthe year came to a close. Hull repairs weremade to a 42' Grand Banks trawler. The nextconstruction projects to fill the new 100' x400' boat shop and storage facility will be a38' Northern Bay and a 31' sportfisherman.The company added a marina with 30 slipsfor boats up to 60' in length, located on well-protected Head Harbour on CampobelloIsland. www.senewmanboats.com; 506-752-2300.

Nichols Boat Builder: West Point 16

NICHOLS BOAT BUILDER of Phipps-burg is a one-man shop where West Pointskiffs take center stage. Richard B. Nicholsbuilds primarily during the winter months,which gave him time during 2008 to com-plete a 16' skiff and lay the keel and beginconstruction of an 18' West Point skiff. The16-footer was built in the traditional strip-plank manner, using native white pine andoak fastened with ring nails and screws.www.westpointskiff.com; 207-389-2468.

NorseBoat Cruiser

NORSEBOAT LIMITED of Belfast,Prince Edward Island, built 40 NorseBoat

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Photograph by Jeff Scher

082MBHH103 1/13/09 4:03 PM Page 82





17.5 sailing and rowing cruisers. Two werewooden, 5 were fiberglass/wood hybrids, andthe remainder were production fiberglassboats. The NorseBoat 12.5—a “sassy sister-ship,” in the words of owner Kevin Jeffries—made its debut. The lightweight dinghy hasa raked mast and 2 rowing stations. Bothmodels are available as finished boats or asa kit. On the horizon is the NorseBoat 21.5Cruiser, with cuddy cabin and recognizableNorseBoat features. A new 8,000-sq.-ft. pro-duction facility and showroom opened inLunenburg, Nova Scotia in March.www.norseboat.com; 902-659-2790.

NORTH BROOKLIN BOATS crafted 2traditional 101⁄2' lapstrake yacht tenders, a 14'flat-bottomed outboard skiff, and a 101⁄2'cold-molded yacht tender. The tenders canbe used for either rowing or sailing. A ten-der built in 2005 returned to the Brooklinshop to be retrofitted with a sailing package,and for a complete spruce up. The first 14'Maude & Emeline flat-bottomed outboardskiff—a William Atkin design—was com-pleted. Owner/builder Eric Jacobssen is moving full speed ahead to bring out an 18' cold-molded canoe yawl reminiscent ofthose built in the late 19th century.www.northbrooklinboats.com; 207-359-6550.

NORTHEAST BOAT performs routinemaintenance on wooden boats, including

repairs and painting, plus inside and outsidestorage. At the Northport shop, a Herreshoff12½ benefited from a cosmetic refit and newplanking, and a Bill Tripp sloop received acosmetic refit and full repairs. A North Havensailing dinghy and a Buzzards Bay 14 wererebuilt, and thousands of hours were spentpainting and varnishing the 3 French &Webb-restored Buzzards Bay 30s. The com-pany’s crew grew to 4 year-round employ-ees, with an additional 3 joining for the sum-mer season. www.northeastboat.com;207-322-7014.

Padebco Custom Boats V25

PADEBCO CUSTOM BOATS in RoundPond builds downeast-style models in lengthsfrom 21-32', all designed by owner BruceCunningham. Leaving the shop last year were:3 23'6" center-console outboards, 2 25'4" out-boards, 1 29' outboard, and 2 25'4" boats—one a soft top Roadster, the other a centerconsole. Grace, the V29 center console walka-round, has a cuddy cabin forward, with head,

sink, and refrigeration in the console, andtwin Yanmar 4-stroke engines. Susie, the newV25 Roadster, sports a mid-seat arrangementplus 2 Stidd seats forward and a large sternseat. There is a refrigerator and wet bar onthe aft side of the center seat, a head in theV-berth, and power is twin 175 E-Tec Evin-rudes. www.padebco.com; 207- 529-5106.

Pemaquid Marine: Banks Cove 22

PEMAQUID MARINE launched theBanks Cove 22 Seascape for a customer inVinalhaven. The boat is available withinboard/outboard power or inboard gas ordiesel engines. The 4-person crew at the NewHarbor shop completed 6 repair jobs, includ-ing major deck repairs on a 42' sailboat andthe repair and repainting of a 32' Newman’scabintop. www.pemaquidmarine.com; 207-677-2024.

PENDLETON YACHT YARD welcomedMarilee, a classic Herreshoff NY 40 that sailsthe waters of Italy, to the Islesboro shop fora new mast and rigging, and the complete

RUMERY’S 38The Choice is Yours

Some spend a lot more money and get a lot less boat. Rumery’s 38 handles

like a boat not a video game. Commute to your island home or your office

in the city in style and safety.

RRUUMMEERRYY’’SS BBOOAATT YYAARRDDB i d d e f o r d , M a i n e • 0 4 0 0 5207-282-0408 • www.rumerys.com

083MBHH103 1/1/09 5:02 PM Page 83


refinishing of all exterior paint and varnish.PYY crewed the boat for the summer, par-ticipating in several classic wooden boatregattas. The ongoing restoration of a 1953Harold Gower 35' lobsterboat, Lindsay D, wascompleted in the spring (see page 80). The1952 lobsterboat Shadow, used as a powertraining vessel for island children, was refit-ted with new electronics and decks. The firstphase of restoration—reframing, replank-ing, and transom renewals—began on Wind-fall, a Bunker and Ellis 42. Upgrades to aShannon 32 included electronics, a newwindshield, canvas work, and a coat of Awl-grip. The yard built a new dinghy and sailstorage building, purchased a 6-armBrownell trailer, and offered ferry servicesto island contractors aboard Little Dipper.www.pendletonyachtyard.com; 207-734-6728.

PORTLAND YACHT SERVICES offersa full-service boatyard and marina on thewaterfront in Portland: outfitting, mainte-nance and restoration of sail and powerboats; storage facilities; and, of course, theannual Maine Boatbuilders Show—sched-uled for March 20-22, 2009. See you there!www.portlandyacht.com; 207-774-1067.

R.S. PULSIFER BOAT BUILDER com-pleted 3 Pulsifer Hamptons, hulls no. 102(Old Salt), 103, and 104. They dispersed toHarpswell, Bambridge Island, Washington,and Boothbay Harbor, respectively. Theboats are constructed of native white pine,oak, and cedar in Dick Pulsifer’s 2-personBrunswick shop using traditional strip-planking methods. The design is based onthe Casco Bay Hampton, a lobsterboat builtby Charlie Gomes between 1902 and the1950s. Twenty boats returned for annual serv-ice, storage, and spring recommissioning.www.pulsiferhampton.com; 207-725-5457.

REDFERN BOAT of Lamoine built a 26'launch for a couple in Southern Maine anda 22' launch for a gentleman to cruise thewaters of Mount Desert Island. The customlaunches are also available in a 24-footlength, and finished in teak or mahogany.Of a classic 28' wood launch refit—the oldChrysler engine removed and the boatrepowered with a new small-block Merc-Cruiser package—shop owner Carlton John-son said, “It just feels good anytime I canrebuild a classic.” Other jobs were the repairof a Back Cove 29, new electronics packageson 6 storage boats, and the refinishing of aHinckley Pilot. The carpentry shop was busyat the close of the year with Redfern hull no.46, a 22' launch that will reside on NorthHaven. The marina in Bernard on Mt.Desert Island now features an additional 700sq. feet of wharf space, and a new home forthe Bass Harbor Yacht Club and sailing cen-ter. And lest you think that Johnson’s designskills are limited to wood, his entry in theGreat Pen Bay Zucchini Boat Regatta at lastyear’s MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS

HEN MOST PEOPLE THINK of the boats built by Robinhood MarineCenter, they think of wholesome, traditionally handsome cruisers. The com-

pany offers two classic semi-custom sailboat models and the Robinhood 33poweryacht. These are boats that will get you there and back without much fuss, boatsof ample displacement built for folks who know the beauty of moderation.

It stands to reason that the builders of such boats also embrace this philosophy.Once you get to know the Robinhood crew, however, especially owner Andy Vavolotis,you learn that just under the placid surface is a raging need for speed. The shop’srecent refit of Ocean Planet is an example of Robinhood’s racier side.

Ocean Planet is an Open 60 racing machine, custom built in 2001 for skipper BruceSchwab. Schwab, sailing Ocean Planet, was the first American to complete the VendéeGlobe single-handed ocean race (See MBH&H #86, Autumn, 2005). Schwab has madeMaine his land base for a number of years, and many in the boating community havehelped him further his racing goals. Robinhood Marine Center was part of this team,so when Ocean Planet needed a shore-side refit, Schwab brought the boat there. Open60s are fast and rugged for their type, but like any thoroughbred, they need periodicrefits to keep them going. With Ocean Planet, the key need was repair to the bladekeel, 3.5 ton bulb, and trunk that had been damaged in a fall 2006 grounding.

Besides the structural work, the crew stripped, faired, and repainted the bottomand topsides. They used Epaint’s high-performance antifouling coating on the bottom;topsides were coated with Imron’s sharp-looking new color, “Luminous Yellow.” A majorchallenge was moving the massive boataround in a facility that’s used to much small-er, albeit heavier, boats. Raising the boat farenough into the air to reseat the keel was alsoexciting.

After the refit, Ocean Planet sailed to theCaribbean for the winter, where it is avail-able for charter (www.bruceschwab.com).Robinhood Marine went back to work onsensible boats for sensible people, but justone look in Andy Vavolotis’s eyes told methat another “need for speed” project could-n’t be too far away.

OCEAN PLANETROBINHOOD MARINE by John K. Hanson, Jr.

Following an ocean-racing career, Ocean Planet is ready for a new life in the racing and charter trade.



SPECS / OCEAN PLANET

LOA 60'Beam 12'6"Draft 14'9"Displ. 8.6 tonsSail Area 2,196-5,005 sq. ft.Clearance 85'

Refit: Robinhood Marine Center, 340 Robinhood Road, George-town, ME 04548. 207-371-2343;www.robinhoodmarinecenter.com

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SHOW—a bathtub-tested jet-drive trimaran—won the award for fastest boat (see pg 92).www.redfernboat.com; 207-266-0270.

South Portland dealership REOMARINE SERVICE sold boats from thefour lines that they represent: Larson, Cen-tury, Starcraft, and Novurania inflatables.Electronics installation and engine repow-er and rebuild services are available.www.reomarine.com; 207-767-5219.

Brion Rieff Boatbuilder: Newport 29

BRION RIEFF BOATBUILDERlaunched a Newport 29, a classic Nat Her-reshoff design with contemporary rig andinterior. A Ray Hunt 38 express cruiser wasin progress at the Brooklin shop, and repairs were made to the six-meter Totem.www.brionrieffboatbuilder.com; 207-359-4455.

ROBINHOOD MARINE CENTER’sservice department repaired an array ofboats, including Ocean Planet (see page 84for more). A Cal 39 received a new bottom

and deck re-coring. A Cape Dory 36’s cabinsole was replaced and a systems upgradewas completed. Cosmetic work was doneto an Allied 42 yawl, a Cape Dory 28 power-boat was updated with a new deck core andAwlgrip, and a Tartan 3500 had its bottomepoxied and its hull Awlgripped. A newelectronics suite was installed on an Able48, and a 34' Californian got new electron-ic-control engines, fuel and electrical systems. The Georgetown company added a new generator system, docks, and a walkway for marina customers. www.robinhoodmarinecenter.com; 207-371-2525.

ROCKPORT MARINE built Adventure,a 53' replica of an historic colonial coastaltrading ketch, in a record 10 months to replacean existing replica at Charles Towne Landing,site of South Carolina’s first permanent Euro-pean settlement. The vessel’s construction wasof steam-bent cedar planks on double-sawnoak frames. (See page 86 for more informa-tion.) Imi Loa, a 32-foot pinnace designed byMelbourne Smith, was built of Port Orfordcedar over steam-bent oak frames. The boathas 10 oar stations and a spritsail ketch rig,and is part of an adventure-based experien-tial education program in Hawaii. Jill, a Spark-man & Stephens 6-meter, walked a fine linebetween restoration and new build, as the only

parts that were not replaced were the ballastkeel and flag pole socket. Construction wasdouble-planked Alaskan yellow cedar inside,and mahogany over steam-bent frames out-side. Restoration work to the 55' “P-class” gaff-rigged sloop Bernice, built in 1916 byHodgdon Brothers, included many newplanks and deck and interior updates. Fiftycraftspeople are employed at the yard.www.rockportmarine.com; 207-236-9651.

The York shop of PAUL ROLLINSBOATBUILDER launched Magnolia, a 56'spoon-bowed schooner in the Alden tradi-tion. The schooner was built for a veterancircumnavigator, of white oak frames, Dou-glas fir planking, and teak, with a cherry inte-rior. (See page 88.) 207-363-6237.

ROSBOROUGH BOATS built more than30 boats during the year, including fire andrescue boats for the Montreal Fire Depart-ment. The professional line includes 22' to30' Rough Water rigid-hull inflatables andhard-shell Hammerheads in 22' and 25'lengths. Refit work was done to CanadianRF-246 government patrol boats. The com-pany relocated to a larger facility inBeechville, Nova Scotia, and employs 25.www.rosboroughboats.com; 902-450-3262.

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085MBHH103 1/1/09 5:03 PM Page 85


Rumery’s Boat Yard: Alerion Sloop

RUMERY’S BOAT YARD of Biddefordbuilt Tara, an Alerion sloop for a customeron Martha’s Vineyard, and Alerion hull no.17 was close behind, nearing completion latein the year. A Hinckley Sou’wester Jr. under-went a major refit, the electronics and sparsof a Sabre 452 were updated, and a Sabre 36was painted. The yard purchased the assetsof Dirigo USA Racing Shells of Biddeford,and will build single, double, 4-, and 8-oarshells under the name of Saco River Rowingin a new 8,000 sq. ft. building. A 55' colle-giate 8-person rowing shell was under con-struction. On the horizon: a prototypediesel/electric open launch that will incor-porate Rumery’s 38 Torpedo-stern hull.www.rumerys.com; 207-282-0408.

SABRE YACHTS built the 36' Sabre Spir-it, the Sabre 386 and Sabre 426 sailing yachts,and the Sabre 34, 38, 42 and 52 from itsmotoryacht offerings. June brought thelaunch of the first Sabre 42 Hard Top Expresswith Cummins Zeus pod drives, which pro-vide vectored thrust resulting in fuel savingsand decreased noise. A joystick improves theease of vessel maneuvers in tight quarters. Aspring 2009 launch is planned for the newSabre 40 sedan, the first fully resin-infusedhull and deck, also featuring the Zeus podpropulsion system. The Raymond company,which employs 175 craftspeople, continuesto expand its export development.www.sabreyachts.com; 207-655-3831.

Samoset Boatworks: Samoset 30

The newly launched Samoset 30, builtby SAMOSET BOATWORKS and designedby Doug Zurn, made the rounds on the boatshow circuit. The Boothbay shop was busilyworking on the overhaul of a 23' Mako:repowering, rewiring, and replumbing (bilge,cockpit drains, and fresh-water wash down),a new fuel system, new canvas and cushions,and some minor glass work. A cold-molded, shoal water daysailer from DougZurn, the Monomoy 21, was under con-struction and slated for a spring launch.www.samosetboatworks.com; 207-633-8350.

OR THOSE WHO STUDY MARITIME HISTORY, especially the history ofshipbuilding in Colonial America, it seems that people did the impossible. Colo-

nial shipbuilding took place outdoors, often in virtual wilderness, with vari-eties of wood that were chosen primarily because they were available. It’s remark-able how quickly a vast fishing and merchant fleet was created. Even the biggestships were normally completed, from keel laying to launching, in far less than ayear.

Our original colonies were engaged in a vital, sail-driven coastal trade. Theywere also involved in deep-sea commerce (as opposed to “coasting”) with the WestIndies, the primary commoditiesbeing salt, molasses, and rum.

The first permanent settlementin the Carolinas was at Charleston,South Carolina. Today the state’sDivision of Parks, Recreation, andTourism operates Charles TowneLanding, an historical interpretivesite on the Ashley River oppositethe city. A centerpiece exhibit thereis Adventure, a near-replica of atypical trading vessel of the timeof Charleston’s founding.

The durability of the originalColonial vessels varied a lot. Nomatter how robust or well caredfor they may have been, many suc-cumbed to storms, groundings,and collisions. Among those thatescaped such fates, the fishingboats in the northern coloniesfared the best, outlasting seagoing“common carriers” because of thecombined preservative effect of salt

ADVENTUREROCKPORT MARINE by Art Paine

Rockport Marine has become a specialist in the construction of Colonial-era reproductions.


F

A schooner that’s the image of adventures to come.

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and fish-oils. Southern-built, non-fish-ing vessels were attacked by worms andmarine growth, and succumbed to rotdue to year-round warmth.

Charles Towne Landing originallyfeatured a 70-foot “colonial ketch”designed by Bill Baker in 1970 and builtby Jim Richardson for the colony’s ter-centennial celebration. Unfortunately,it was entirely authentic in terms ofdurability (or lack thereof). Because oflimited state funds for maintenance anda few unlucky bits of wear-and-tearassociated with being a “prop” in themovie Roanoke, the vessel came to theend of its short service life last summer.A replacement was ordered from Rock-port Marine. As is common with suchcontracts, the yard committed to a com-pletion date, after which certain “penal-ty” rebates would begin to accrue.

The new Adventure was to be built toWm. Baker’s original lines plan. It didn’tescape notice by Rockport Marine’s twoyacht designers—Brendan Riordan andSam Chamberlin—that, as is often thecase with drawings of historical vessels,a designed waterline was not shown oneven one of the sheets of plans. Not toworry, Rockport Marine’s new Adventurewas to be an almost identical replacementof the Landing’s previous Adventure.What could possibly go wrong?

A few minor changes were made. Thesecond Adventure has an auxiliaryengine, while the original did not. A fewsmall alterations were made to the rig.For example, because of a pesky mod-ern bridge that the ship needed to passunder, the main topmast was set up soit could be easily lowered. Carriage boltswere substituted for locust trunnels in afew places. Roofing tar was used for bed-ding some parts, where pitch and oakummight have served in the past.

The boat proceeded right on sched-ule. It was planked with 1¾ inch cedar,the several wales and protective rub-strakes of seasoned white oak. Becauseof the requirement for very quick con-struction, several parts were subcon-tracted out. Most of the Douglas fir sparswere made by Jim Elk of Bar Harbor.Instead of a forged iron anchor, a weld-ed one was manufactured by RockportMarine, then sent to Erie, Pennsylvania,for galvanizing by American Tinning and

Galvanizing Co. A majority of the rig-ging details were worked out by consult-ant Tom Ward, who had worked withRockport Marine in the past on God-speed, (see MBH&H #93, March 2007).Ward’s improvements included addingtopmast shrouds and working out thedetails of how the topsail yard would belowered to the deck.

By June, Adventure was progressingnicely. Then, when the in-house design-ers were working out the installation ofthe engine and propulsion shaft, therequired weight calculations drew atten-

tion to the overall trim and displace-ment.

Meanwhile, project manager MartyAllwine had a conversation with Rock-port Marine’s yacht designer SamChamberlin. It might have been aboutwhere to scribe the waterline in orderto paint the bottom. Photos of the firstAdventure didn’t match the designer’sinstinctive calculation of the vessel’simmersed volume. (Remember thelack of a designed waterline on theplans?) Allwine phoned Patrick Cookat Charles Towne Landing to authen-ticate that the designed-ballastassumption of 23,000 pounds was cor-rect. Cook had personally sweatedthrough the removal of the internallead out of the bilges of the rottenoriginal. He said something like, “Icould be wrong, but I think it was 23tons.” Back to the drawing board.

By midsummer, Rockport Marine’sdesigners had added sailing stability tothe vessel. They drew up a four-pieceexternal lead “shoe-keel,” which wasexpeditiously cast by I. Broomfield Co.,in Providence, Rhode Island. Once bolt-ed into place, this keel, while not authen-tic—lead ballast was unheard of in YeOlde Colonial Tymes—made a signifi-cant improvement in Adventure’s per-formance and safety.

That glitch and its solution may haveeaten up a couple of weeks, but Adventurewas launched, sailed down the east coast,

and came to the dock at Charles TowneLanding in Old Towne Creek on Saturday,October 25, 2008, nearly a month aheadof the contract deadline.

The first Adventure reproduction was designed by William Baker back in 1970, which makes this one, the second, a reproduction of a reproduction.



N

SPECIFICATIONS / ADVENTURE

LOA 52'6"LWL 48'8"Beam 14'6"Draft 6'8"Sail Area (sq. ft.) 576 fore & aft,1,140 square sailsDispl. Approx. 110,000 lbs.Designers: Wm. Baker, originallines; Brendan Riordan and SamChamberlin, redesign

Builder Rockport Marine, 1 Main St.,P.O. Box 203, Rockport, ME 04856.207-236-9651; www.rockportmarine.com

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SAN JUAN YACHTS of Anacortes,Washington, built 8 composite downeast-style lobsteryachts: a San Juan 30, 3 San Juan 40s with flybridge, a San Juan 48 sedan, and 3 San Juan 48s with flybridge.www.sanjuanyachts.com; 360-299-3790.

SEAL COVE BOATYARD left no stoneunturned during the complete rehab of afiberglass Mason 33. A new carbon fiber rig,designed by Chuck Paine and built by GMTComposites, was installed, as were all newelectronics and a Yanmar 3YM30 dieselengine. The brightwork on deck was restored,and the deck and hull were refinished. Coredeterioration on a Freedom 40 was remediedwith a new transom, hull cracks wererepaired, and the boat got a coat of Awlgrip.A cross-section of other projects: a bridge-deck and cockpit for a 32' Cheoy Lee; a pilot-house, cockpit floor, side decks, and fueltanks for a 29' Dyer; total restorations of aWasque 22 and 2 Pearson Ensigns; a wood-en mast for a Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 15;the splining of all seams on a Nordfarer yawl;new planks for a 42' Aage Nielsen sloop; and7 Yanmar diesel repowers. The Harborsideshop’s grand finale was the stripping andrefinishing of “half an acre” of teak bright-work on a 34' Aage Nielsen gaff-rigged cut-ter. Two painters joined the crew of 18.www.sealcoveboatyard.com; 207-326-4422.

Six River Marine: West Pointer 19

SIX RIVER MARINE built Chrissy’sCraft, a highly customized 19' version of itsWest Pointer for a customer on LakeOconomowoc in Wisconsin. Some designelements were revised to satisfy the wish forfore-and-aft seating for 7, including a slightincrease in LOA from the usual 18'6" to 19feet. The curved seating area in the new ellip-tical cockpit configuration is finished with avarnished mahogany coaming, which isechoed by the well for a 50-hp Yamaha out-board. A custom mahogany captain’s chairwith dovetails was handcrafted by Scott Con-rad, the North Yarmouth company’s co-owner. Other details include an oiled teakcockpit floor and bronze running lights andhardware. A sampling of repair projects: anew galley counter, settee, and teak screensfor the skylight of Alert, a 1993 52' PaulRollins schooner; teak caprails, floor boards,and seats for the flat bottom skiff Mouse; andan overhaul of the electrical and plumbingsystems of Selah, a 1984 Sabre 32 sailboat.Two new employees, Tom Whitehead and

NE OF THE GREAT VISUAL TREATS of the Maine coast is the number ofschooners that ply the waters, from historic vessels in the windjammer fleetto the occasional new builds whose launches are still the community affairs

that most launchings once were. There was a celebration reminiscent of the olddays when Paul Rollins’s latest big build, the schooner Magnolia, rolled down theroad to the launch site in York at the end of 2007.

Magnolia continued to receive finishing touches after launch. Deck hardwarewas installed and rigging was adjusted into March 2008, when the boat left forwarmer climes. The crew sailed the schooner southbound via Bermuda to the Vir-gin Islands, then worked south to Grenada to sit out the hurricane season.

Built for veteran circumnavigator Sid Imes and his family, Magnolia is whatMaine shipbuilding is all about. Massively built of white oak frames, Douglas firplanking, some pretty amazing pieces of teak, and a stunning American cherryinterior, the boat holds the promise of great adventures to come.

Paul Rollins is one of but a handful of builders for whom a vessel like Magnoliais possible. A protégé of Bud McIntosh, Rollins started boatbuilding in 1974 byconstructing a boat for himself; he hassince gained a steady trade in woodenboatbuilding. Rollins and Imes collabo-rated on all aspects of the design, per-haps helped along by the ghosts of BudMcIntosh and John Alden. The result isa solid and beautiful cruising home,which is soon to take the Imes familythrough the Panama Canal and west intothe Pacific Ocean.

Paul Rollins’s son, Paul, Jr., workedthroughout the build of Magnolia andthe delivery south, and has since man-aged the yacht as captain.

MAGNOLIAPAUL ROLLINS by Peter Bass

The owner and Paul Rollins collaborated on the creation of a solid, beautiful cruising home for the family’s travels.



Cherry joinery with a stained-glass accent.

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At the time of this writing, late 2008,Paul, Sr. was set to head south to overseeMagnolia’s first haulout and then send theschooner on its way west.

Auxiliary power is a 120-hp Wester-beke engine. A modest 5-kw generatorwill supply power under way and in port,and indicates that Imes intends Magno-lia to spend its time as a sailing vessel inthe classic sense of the word. Fuel capac-ity is 180 gallons, with water tankage of200 gallons supplemented by a watermaker.

In design, execution and equipment,this vessel is a refreshing change from theoverloaded, over-electrified, and over-

equipped passagemakers characteristic oftoday’s custom builds.

While the rest of us porch-bound voy-agers will miss having another Maineschooner in our home waters, Magnoliawill follow the trades as have many before.

We can only envy the Imes family asthey see the world from the deck of aMaine-built schooner, a most rare oppor-tunity in the twenty-first century.


SPECS / MAGNOLIA

LOD 56' LWL 44' Beam 14'Draft 6'10"Displ. 58,000 lbs.Sail Area 1,600 sq. ft.Sailmaker David Bierig,

Erie, Pennsylvania

Designer: Paul Rollins, et al.

Builder Paul Rollins Boat Shop, 2 Scotland Bridge Road, York, ME 03909. 207-363-6237

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Rockland, Maine (207) 596-7293

E-mail: [email protected]

John Hanson’s Fiery Jubileephoto Tom Kiley

Open Mon-Thurs, 8:30AM–5PMFri, 8:30AM-3PM

143 Maverick St, Rockland, Maine

207-594-3291 • www.fixturesme.com

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known as Master builders andmodifiers of Caterpillar engines.

Proprietor Rick Plauman and his crew of techs iseven more excited about your diesel engine thanyou are. They work all day every day on Catdiesels–tugboat engines, truck engines, tractorpull motors, and high-performance turbo-charged marine engines—so they really knowtheir stuff. Whether you want more power orbetter fuel economy (or both at once), call GreatLakes Diesel for a Cat built right.

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Phil Jasper, joined the year-round team of 8.Six River’s entry of a zucchini catamaran inthe Great Pen Bay Zucchini Boat Regatta atthe 2008 MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBOR

SHOW won the award for most innovativeboat, an award that was only slightly influenced by the vessel being turned into aloaf of zucchini bread and mailed to the MBH&H staff the following week (seepage 92 for more zucchini fun). Yum.www.sixrivermarine.com; 207-846-6675.

Hurricane Island 30

SOUTHPORT ISLAND MARINE con-structed 4 Hurricane Island 30s, expeditionvessels for Outward Bound’s sea program,and the first two of these fiberglass center-board open sailboats—launched in 2007—were refitted to bring them up to the stan-dards of the subsequent boats. A new cockpitwas installed and the engine was rebuilt in a26' 1960s Cheoy Lee sloop, and a 21' Makowas spruced up with a repowering job. Onelobsterboat was repowered with a 230-hpCummins, and repairs were made to anoth-er after an accident to get it back in businessto complete the fishing season. The South-port company acquired the molds for theCelebrity Class sloop. The 19'9" L.O.A. cen-terboard daysailer has a 25' mast, a 172-sq.-ft. sail area, options for electric or gas auxil-iary power, a roller furling jib, and a trailer.The Southport 30 Limited, a more thorough-ly appointed version of the downeast lobster-boat-style Southport 30, was in development.The yard added a new 4,600-sq.-ft. cold-stor-age area. www.southportislandmarine.com;207-633-6009.

South Port Marine: 24' Shamrock

SOUTH PORT MARINE updated a 36'Hinckley Picnic Boat with hull repairs, a coatof Awlgrip, a rebuilt swim platform, and var-nished exterior brightwork. The 55' Aldenschooner Alert was hauled to receive a newprop, and a 46' Hylas sloop was re-riggedwith new standing rigging. A number ofboats were repowered: a 24' Shamrockinboard center console got a Yanmar diesel;the town of Scarborough’s Fire and RescueBoston Whaler with a Mercury Verado;

OME TIME AROUND 1959 Dr. Laurence LePage, known in aviation circlesas a pioneer in the early development of the helicopter, approached RaymondBunker, the renowned designer and builder of a long-lived series of tradition-

al lobsteryachts. What Dr. LePage wanted was not a lobsteryacht at all; rather, asporty runabout. Bunker hesitated at first, then relented and built Rainbow, a 26-foot craft that was as graceful and sporty as his larger yachts were lovely and seakind-ly. Bunker, however, decided he preferred building larger boats. Rainbow was anonly child. Dr. LePage eventually sold it. The concept faded away, but not from myvisual memory.

Last summer I visited the John Williams Boat Company yard, a picturesqueoperation located in a former granite quarry at the appropriately named village ofHall Quarry, halfway up Somes Sound, on Mt. Desert Island. They had just thatmorning launched Trumpa, the first in a series of Williams 28 bass boats, and JockWilliams himself proposed that we take it for a ride.

I’m quite sure that neither yardowner Jock Williams nor the boat’sdesigner, the late Lyford Stanley,would mind having the 28 comparedto those beauties that RaymondBunker and Ralph Ellis built backthen. So I feel comfortable when I saythat when I walked down the gang-plank to board the new boat I had oneof those déjà-vu moments. There itwas, the modern reincarnation ofRainbow, bow flare, sweeping sheer-line, varnished windshield, and all.

Actually, the Williams 28 was bornas the Stanley 28, a popular, small,lobsterboat-styled day boat. Clientsfrom Buzzards Bay wanted an open-cockpit runabout, smaller than theircurrent Stanley 36 but with the same

TRUMPAJOHN WILLIAMS BOAT COMPANY by Alessandro Vitelli

The Williams 28 is an open-cockpit runabout based on the lobsterboat-styled Stanley 28.



A typically traditional downeast hull.

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Mariner, a 28' vintage Carver with twin Mer-cruisers; and 5 boats that were part of an oil-spill clean-up effort on the Mississippi River.The South Portland company is also the dealerfor Southport Boat Works, selling 26' and 28'Ray Hunt-designed center-console sportfish-erman, Echo Rowing Shells, and Scout Boats.www.southportmarine.com; 207-799-8191.

South Shore: 27' Sailing Dory

Projects in the Halifax, Massachusetts,shop of SOUTH SHORE BOATWORKSincluded the first fiberglass Gurnet Point 25,finished as a lobsteryacht, with a second onestill taking shape. The semi-built-down lob-ster-style design by Jamie Lowell is availablein wood or fiberglass, and can be configuredas an open boat with center console, a lob-ster-style hardtop, or a bass boat. A 27' wood-en reproduction of an 1891 2-masted sail-ing dory was completed for a customer inHawaii. The 2-person shop replaced thetoerails on L. Francis Herreshoff ’s personal1930 Stuart Knockabout, laid a new cockpitfloor for a 19' Seaway, and built a teak andholly main engine hatch for a 31' Eastern.Two special customized wooden ship’s wheelswere crafted; one is now part of an exhibitat the National Heritage Museum in Lexing-ton, Massachusetts, and the other was com-missioned by Max Kennedy for the late Sen-ator Robert Kennedy’s yawl, Glide.www.southshoreboatworks.com; 781-293-2293.

Ralph W. Stanley: Westwind

The crew of 6 at RALPH W. STANLEYrepaired damage to the starboard sternquarter of Sea Chimes and refit Mambo fora new owner. The rebuild of the 40' West-wind, a 1902 Charles Morse Friendshipsloop, was very rewarding as the boat wasin such poor condition when it arrived atthe Southwest Harbor shop. Richard Stan-ley, Ralph’s son and the present businessmanager, has hopes of building a Stanley19 daysailer with an electric motor in thenear future. The design and constructionof a 35' cutter may well be one of the nextprojects. www.ralphstanleyboats.com; 207-244-3795.

seakeeping virtues. Remove the cabintrunk and the deck house, install a wind-shield, and there you have it: the Williams28 Bass Boat. Nothing could be simpler,although of course there is always morethan meets the eye.

Lyford Stanley designed boats the tra-ditional way, by building a half-modeland working away at it “until she lookedjust right,” then taking off the lines. Whenit came to structural integrity, though,tradition easily gave way to modern tech-niques—Stanley was all for those.

The resulting 28’s hull is exception-ally stiff, both longitudinally andathwartships; a bulkhead located ninefeet aft of the stem contributes to therigidity, which is further enhanced bylongitudinal stringers and by thebuilder’s method of installing the cock-pit sole: A 3/8-inch thick, 5-inch wideflange is incorporated into the hull at the

appropriate level, with the deck bondedand fastened to the flange. A second, sim-ilar flange is molded in at the sheer lineto support the side decks and tie thewhole assembly into a single structure.Spray rails and quarter guards add yetmore stiffness to the hull.

The sea was calm when I went alongfor the sea trials, but obliging lobstermenprovided us with enough wakes to takeat full speed. I can bear witness toTrumpa’s behavior in short, steep waves.The boat managed the task with that per-fect combination of cutting throughthem enough to run smoothly, yet rid-ing over them to stay dry. I’d love to seeLyford Stanley’s half model; I’m surethere’s a lot to be learned from it.

Another area where the constructionexcels is acoustical insulation. The ini-tial phase of our sea trial was conductedwith the engine box open to allow the

Yanmar mechanic who came along toelectronically tune the 240-horsepowerdiesel. We were nonetheless able to main-tain a conversation over the noise as wesped along Somes Sound. I was startledto find myself suddenly shouting; then Irealized that the mechanic had simplyclosed the hatch and we were movingquietly along.

The engine is soft mounted, whichcertainly contributes to the quiet and thevibration-free ride. Another, less obvi-ous feature is that the cockpit sole, whichrests on two 2-inch fiberglass I-beams foradditional support, floats on a layer ofSylomer, an “elastic interlayer,” as themanufacturer describes it. The boat getsthe best of both worlds: hull rigidity andvibration absorption.

The Williams 28 is truly a moderntake on going-back-to-basics: simplewhere no extra bits are needed (a headand holding tank are tucked away underthe foredeck), subtly engineered wherenecessary (hand-holds cut out in thewindshield frame contribute to the over-all appeal).

Better ideas might not always beappreciated at first—after all, RaymondBunker went back to building his lob-steryachts after his one experiment withan open-cockpit runabout—but 50 yearslater Williams has picked up whereBunker left off. While he, too, is knowntoday for his elegant lobsteryachts, he isnevertheless also happily building bassboats using current technology. Like anygood chowder, sometimes a better ideaneeds to simmer for a while, and get evenbetter when reheated.



Anyone’s dream: dry-running good looks.

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SPECIFICATIONS/ TRUMPA

LOA 28'Beam 9'6"Draft 2'11"Engine 260-hp Yanmar dieselMaximun Speed 4 knotsCruise Speed 18 knotsFuel 150 gal.

Designer: Lyford StanleyBuilder: John Williams Boat Company, 17 Shipwright Lane, P.O.Box 80, Mount Desert, ME 04660.207-244 7854;www.stanleyboats.com

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Robert Stevens: Western Hope

ROBERT STEVENS BOATBUILDERSof Phippsburg once again traveled to a far-flung location for a project with educa-tional underpinnings: a reproduction ofthe 34' after section of a 140' Great Lakesschooner for NOAA’s Thunder Bay Nation-al Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan.Western Hope is part of “The ShipwreckCentury” exhibit and based on the 1874Cornelia B. Windiate, which is just outsidethe sanctuary a few miles off shore and200' down, in nearly perfect conditionaside from broken topmasts and jib boom.Complete with a yawl boat, the exhibit isso lifelike with the painted murals ofwaves, rocking lanterns, and sound effectsthat some spectators reportedly get seasick.The crew participated in rebuilding a small1860s observatory at the Kemper Schoolin Kenosha, Wisconsin, one of the first toteach science to girls. Plans to build a repli-ca of “Maine’s First Ship,” the 1607 PophamColony’s Virginia, continue to evolve. 207-389-1794.

Strouts Point Wharf Co.: Silk

STROUTS POINT WHARF CO. offerssummer dockage at its South Freeport facil-ity, winter indoor storage, and repair servic-es. Of the 40 projects, the star of the year washull planking, a new deck, cabin, and cock-pits, for the 1936 6-meter sailboat Silk.www.stroutspoint.com; 207-865-3899.

Stuart Marine: Stuart 19

STUART MARINE built 36 new boats:Rhodes 19 and Mariner sailboats, JC 9 sail-ing dinghies, Stuart 9 rowing dinghies, andStuart 19 powerboats are always in produc-

NE OF THE CATCH-PHRASES of our time is “pushing the envelope.” Inboatbuilding, Maine is widely respected for technical innovation, but whatfew boating writers realize is that the boundaries of boatbuilding are truly

pushed only when one gets outside the envelope. Way outside. Think toboggans. It’sno secret that Maine’s finest boatbuilders advanced their craft on the ancient chutesof Camden, where toboggans they built have competed at the highest level of the U.S.National Toboggan Championships, once sponsored by this magazine, each February.

After pushing our best minds as far outside the envelope as we could, MBH&Hcreated the ideal vehicle to stretch the boundaries of our obsession, the zucchini.As Joan Miró, Catalan sculptor and painter pointed out, to truly soar one muststart with one’s feet planted firmly on, or, in this case, in, the ground. So we lookedto the earth for the essential natural metaphor for the next wave in naval architec-ture, the squash that launched 1,000 ships.

The First Annual Great Pen Bay Zucchini Boat Regatta and Design Competi-tion was held at the 2008 MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS SHOW in August. In addi-tion to a handful of rogue entrants, desperate for something to do with the over-abundance of zukes their gardens had produced, the competition attracted entriesfrom Six River Marine of North Yarmouth, and Redfern Boat of Lamoine. RedfernBoat, led by Carlton Johnson, took the Fastest Zuke prize, while Six River tookhome the innovation award for their Zucchini Catamaran, piloted by Crazed Gnome.

The planet’s two fastest Zucchini boats shared important engineering features:water-jet propulsion and multi-zuke hull forms. Specially modified bilge pumpssouped-up by 18-volt power packs drove both the Redfern and Six River Marineentrants, the nod finally going to Redfern thanks to greater directional stability.

Mr. Johnson, who provided seed money for the Redfern project, plans to spareno expense or energy in defending the title. “We are currently testing prototypesfor 2009, although as fall moved along, our raw materials dried up. We currentlyhave scouts in Central America attempting to secure appropriate hull material forcontinued tank testing. Of course, our final entry will again utilize a Webber’s Cer-tified Organic Zucchini from Lamoine. Testing has shown them to have a verysmooth exterior. We have already commissioned hothouse seedlings to ensure asteady supply of yacht-grade zucchinis for next season.”

Mr. Johnson assured MBH&H that the imported test zucchinis were from certified,conflict-free zones, and would be used only for test purposes. He also said that no marinemammals have been threatened by Redfern’s large-scale ocean testing.

The Redfern team was led by Katherine Walsh (Design) and Jeremy Hazeltine (Engi-neering). Mr. Johnson credited Mr. Hazeltine’s work on laminar flow interface issues withmuch of their success. “Happiness is a smooth zucchini,” noted Mr. Johnson. He was lessthan forthcoming about other details, however. He did say that water-jet propulsion was“yesterday’s news” and compressed air would bring “a new category of speed” to the 2009

ZUKE BOATSSIX RIVER MARINE & REDFERN BOAT by Peter Bass

You have to push the envelope to gain entry to the Great Pen Bay Zucchini Boat Regatta. These folks did.



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tion at the Rockland shop. The 6-person crewserviced many Rhodes 19 and Mariner sail-boats from throughout the northeast. Favoriteprojects were a Rhodes 19 sailboat for a newcommunity sailing program in Boston Har-bor, and the mast and deck repair of a Rhodes19 sailboat that was struck by a violent water-spout. The workshop and outside storagespace was doubled during the last year.www.stuartmarine.net; 207-594-5515.

STUR-DEE BOAT CO. built 60 fiberglassboats in Tiverton, Rhode Island, and replacedthe wooden seats and gelcoated the interiorsof another 6. Their product line includes: theStur-Dee catboat; the Amesbury dory skiff in12', 14' and 16' lengths for use with an out-board motor; the 10' Stur-Dee rowing skiff;and the 8' Harbormaster tender. The mother-daughter boatbuilding team is now buildingand selling directly… no more middle-peo-ple. www.stur-deeboat.com; 401-624-9373.

Taylor and Snediker: Canvasback

TAYLOR AND SNEDIKER focuses pri-marily on antique and classic yacht restora-tion, and builds traditional small craft. Threereproduction Herreshoff 11'6" Columbiadinghies were built to be used as tenders tothe 3 Buzzards Bay 30s restored by French& Webb (see the cover of MBH&H #102).Construction of the shop’s second Her-reshoff Coquina to date was in progress. Therestoration of Canvasback, a 60' 1909 Her-reshoff launch built in 1909, was complet-ed. Minor repairs were made to the 30' AageNielsen sloop Vignette and a Jarvis Newmanlobsteryacht. Total restoration began on TheKid, a boat with an interesting pedigree. The35-footer (21-foot waterline) is a LongIsland Sound Race-About Class sloop,designed by B.B. Crowninshield in 1901,and one of a small number built by RiceBrothers for the American Yacht Club.www.taylorandsnediker.com; 860-599-0800.

Transom Boat Works: Handy Billy

TRANSOM BOAT WORKS of MahoneBay, Nova Scotia, launched a restored B80, a1940s Bluenose-class racing sloop designedby William J. Roué. Work was in progress onthe complete restoration of Roué 20 hull no.

event. “Our biggest concern in 2009 is spec-tator safety, not the outcome of the race,” con-cluded Mr. Johnson, who readily admits thata career as a boatbuilder has become just astepping-stone to success in MBH&H com-petitions, such as the World ChampionshipBoatyard Dog® Trials (which Johnson wonin 2003), and now the Zucchini Cup.

Meanwhile, tucked away in their labin North Yarmouth, the Six River Teamis still deciding which of their many con-cepts for 2009 warrants being carried toprototype stage. Their approach, whichsome might describe as unfocused or ina persistent vegetative state, is to utilizecontributions from their large talent pooland slowly tease out the ripest ideas.

James Carter, Phil Jaspers, Mike Ged-ert, Kenwood Kimball, and Mike Startare veterans of Six River’s 2008 cam-paign; each brings particular strengthsto the team. Mr. Kimball has located asource of yacht-quality zucchini in EastMinot, and Mr. Carter brings an unusu-ally unfettered imagination. Mr. Start’sportfolio consists principally of cleverrejoinders in the design stages. It’s hopedthat new team member Tom Whiteheadwill add sorely needed organizationalskills. Naval architect Al Spalding saidthat he is available for consultations butis concerned about his reputation.

Current technologies under consid-eration include hydrofoils, SWATHs(Small Waterplane Area Twin Hulls), sur-face-piercing propellers, steam and com-pressed gases, paddlewheels, and elas-tomer energy storage (also known asrubber bands). Nuclear power has notbeen ruled out. Hull design parametersare similarly unbounded and may uti-lize shaped cultivation (remember the

square watermelon?). You will recall thatthese are the people who built the Dou-ble Dipper 44 (see MBH&H #94).

While the Six River team anticipatesconstruction to be largely accomplishedon the day before the race, with testingdone in the largest pothole in NorthYarmouth, they are so confident of vic-tory that menu planning has begun forthe celebratory dinner, including, ofcourse, zucchini bread. (At the conclu-sion of the final 2008 match, Six Riverattempted to curry favor with the staffof MBH&H by sending in zucchini breadmade from their entry. Mr. Johnson ofRedfern referred to this ploy as a “sopho-moric attempt at bribery,” a characteri-zation which the Six River group foundto be strikingly accurate.)

But these are not the only teams; whoknows what brilliance might lurk in thewings to steal the trophy from these twosmug competitors? While each is busybuying intelligence on the other from thetraveling marine-supplier network, somegenius slaving away in secrecy may bereadying the World’s Fastest Zuke. AsBob Dylan sang, “The slow one now /Will later be fast.”

The 2009 Great Pen Bay ZucchiniBoat Regatta will be held during the annual MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HAR-BORS SHOW, August 7-9, 2009 in Rock-land, Maine. For more photos of the 2008competition, visit maineboats.com.

SIX RIVER MARINE, 160 Royal Road, North Yarmouth, ME 04097. 207-846-6675;www.sixrivermarine.comREDFERN BOAT, 1032 Shore Road, Lamoine, ME 04605. 207-667-1382; www.redfernboat.com

Fine-tuning the Redfern entry: “Happiness is a smooth zucchini.”

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12, built in 1956 by Smith & Rhuland inLunenburg, Nova Scotia. The shop, whichopened in 2004, was recognized at the 2008Mahone Bay Classic Boat Festival in NovaScotia with awards for a 21' Handy Billylaunch built in 2006, and for Firefly, aBluenose sloop. The facility accommodatesboats up to 40', having completed an expan-sion project that doubled shop space.www.transomboatworks.com; 902-640-2312.

Tri-Werx: 16' Skiff

TRI-WERX is the one-man, East Falmouth,Massachusetts, shop of George M. Williams, whobuilds 15 skiffs annually. Customers bought 14',16', 18', and 20' models that are now afloatthroughout New England, and inland at LaddsLanding Marina in Vermont on Lake Cham-plain, where a number of the 16' skiffs are avail-able for rental. A 20-footer functions as a guideboat for bird watchers in the Orleans/Wellfleetarea of Cape Cod, and a 12' rowboat is now inresidence at the Woods Hole Yacht Club. 508-548-1397.

16' Square-Stern Canoe

UNION RIVER CANOE SHOP’s TomCiarametaro completed the building of a 16'cedar ribbed and planked canoe and repaired2 boats in Amherst. 207-584-3787.

VICEM YACHTS USA, the sales and serv-ice operation for the Turkish boatbuilderVicem Yachts, reports the completion of 7new boats: a 52' and a 58' classic express, a63' sportfish, a 67' classic flybridge, and 72',75', and 92' cruisers. The newest addition,the 52 classic cruiser, has a modified V-hulldesign, a starboard helm door for accessbetween the steering station and starboardwalk-around deck, and a raised station floorfor better visibility. Among the full comple-ment of luxury features is a powered sunroofthat allows for sunbathing in the main salon.Two Frank Mulder-designed megayacht proj-ects were underway in a new facility inAntalya, Turkey. www.vicemusa.com; 954-713-0737.

The main construction building ofWASHBURN & DOUGHTY ASSOCIATESwas destroyed by fire in July. Shortly thereafter,the East Boothbay builder of steel and alu-minum vessels began the rebuilding processand laid the keels for 2 98' Z-Drive tugs on anadjacent property that had recently been pur-chased with an eye toward expansion. Workcontinued on a 121' Intercon Tug that was inthe building at the time of the fire. Significantlymore damage was done to a 92' Z-Drive tug’sengine room and hull, though some portionsof the boat were saved. The 121' Linda Moranwas delivered to Moran Towing Corporationof New Canaan, Connecticut, in August, hav-ing been tied to the barge at the time of thefire, and thus not damaged in the fire.www.washburndoughty.com; 207-633-6517.

Wayfarer Marine: White Hawk

Ownership of Camden’s WAYFARERMARINE transferred to Shane Flynn, who

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Robin R, certified in 2008 for 16-passenger service and used in Penobscot Bay.

Proud builders of Mitchell Cove Boats

Mitchell Cove Boats are built in 20', 32', 35', & 37' models. All designed by Calvin Beal, Jr.

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094MBHH103 1/1/09 5:05 PM Page 94




plans to expand the facility and offerings.A wide spectrum of boats was restored dur-ing the year, from the 95' Holland Jacht-bow Aeolian—new teak decks, engine, gen-erator, and hull, spar, and superstructurepaint—to an 8' Old Town canoe tender,Bold Baby. Mechanical and electricalrepairs, engine replacements, varnish andpaint work, and new deck installations werecompleted on: Sumurun, a 94' Fife; Cuilaun,a 55' McGruer ketch; Susanna, a 55' Lau-rent Gilles ketch; Sincerity, an 88' Bagliet-to ketch; Mercury V, a Hinckley T-29; BlueLoon, a Dyer 29; Namhara, a Vicem 67;Madlen, a Hinckley 42; Freya, a F&C 44;Muk-Luk, a J/100; and the 72' Dragonera.The horn timber, transom knee, and under-water planking were replaced on Belle, an80' 1927 motoryacht. Kemmuna, an 80'Jongert, returned to the yard after 10 years,for bow plating repair, engine room repairs,a teak deck, and hull and superstructurepaint. Area businesses Aurora Sails andCanvas, C.W. Paine Yacht Design, and TeakDecking of Appleton participated in theproject. Restoration work commenced onthe sailing yacht White Hawk, originallybuilt by the Lie-Nielsen yard in Thomas-ton. www.wayfarermarine.com; 207-236-4378.

West Bay Boats: 37' Cruiser Molds

WEST BAY BOATS of Steuben complet-ed molds for a new 37' pleasure cruisermodel, including the hull, deck, and roof;interior parts were in progress in the fall. Themold was built so that each hull taken fromit can be infused. Four different keel propul-sion systems are available: standard, dual-prop, and jet set ups, and dual prop withcounter-rotating shaft system. The Evolu-tion Drive system is a standard part of thepackage. Interior space in the pilothouse pro-vides as much as 7-plus feet of headroom.The crew of 5 to 6 also repaired a 39' boatand readied a lobsterboat for the annualMaine Lobsterboat Races, and began theprocess of starting a sailing class for area stu-dents. www.westbayboats.com; 207-546-4300.

WEST COVE BOAT YARD in Sorren-to completed a systems refit, hull andhouse repair, and refinishing of a 1964

wooden Grand Banks trawler. A 24' 1962Chris Craft Constellation was re-deckedand refinished, and the keel of a 1914Dark Harbor 20 was replaced. The year-round crew of 4 maintains 120 boats atthe facility, which has 3 service bays ableto accommodate boats up to 50' in length.They would like to add a new boat con-struction project to the tasks at hand.www.westcoveboatyard.com; 207-422-3137.

Whitehall Spirit 17 Expedition

WHITEHALL ROWING & SAIL of Vic-toria, British Columbia, completed 155Whitehall Spirits. Offerings range fromdinghies to sailboats and rowing modelswith sliding seats. The latest model, theWhitehall Spirit 17 Expedition, draws 12",and has a kick-up rudder and a roller-furl-ing, light-air jib. The Sitka spruce mast witha carbon fiber sleeve breaks into 2 parts foron-board stowing. There is a traditionalrowing configuration for up to 3 rowers, ora sliding-seat option for 1 to 2 rowers, with


095MBHH103 1/1/09 5:05 PM Page 95


hinged bronze outriggers and 9'6" sculls.www.whitehallrow.com; 250-384-6574.

Flybridge Cruiser Leyna Grace

WILBUR YACHTS launched LeynaGrace, a 44' flybridge cruiser equipped witha Caterpillar C-18 marine engine, a North-ern Lights generator, full electronics, 2 heads,a master stateroom, and a second stateroomwith double V-berths. The boat cruises inLong Island Sound. Construction began ona 46' raised pilothouse vessel for a Californiacustomer. The Southwest Harbor yard con-tinued the refit of a 20' 1965 Bertram Mop-pie; added a teak windshield and completedbright work and paint updates on a 22' 1992Wilbur/Webco; and reconfigured the headof a 1984 Wilbur 34. A recently refitted 1985Wilbur/Newman made a safe journeythrough the Northwest Passage and is nowmoored in Alaska. A new dust-collection sys-tem and table saw were installed at the shop.www.wilburyachts.com; 207-244-5000.

Williams 28 Bass Boat

JOHN WILLIAMS BOAT COMPANYlaunched the first of its new Williams 28 BassBoats in June for a customer on Cape Cod.Trumpa has a completely open cockpitwrapped by a solid teak windshield, withbronze deck hardware, a 260-hp Yanmar for25-knot cruising, and a small head forward.(See page 90 for more.) Construction of aStanley 38 was in progress and due to launchin 2009. Weather Gauge, a 44' Farr-designedConcordia, underwent a nearly completerefit, with new deck hardware, new fuel andfresh water tanks, a total system upgradeand fresh Awlgrip for the decks and mast.A 39' Bunker & Ellis, Morgan, received anextensive mechanical and systems overhaul,a new sound package, and a new forwardbow seat. Service department projects inprogress include rebuilding the helm seatand repowering Osprey, a 26' Pemaquid,with a Yanmar 260-hp diesel, and new teakdecking for a 39' Bunker & Ellis. The Mount

Desert company added employees, for atotal of 22 in the busy season, and new toolsand equipment. www.jwboatco.com; 207-244-7854.

WOODENBOAT SCHOOL of Brooklinenjoyed its strongest year since 1998. Designsincluded: Nathanael Herreshoff ’s Coquina;William Atkins’s Ration skiff; Bill Thomas’sWillow sea kayak; John Karbott’s 121⁄2' semi-dory skiff; a 16' Rangeley Lakes double-ender;Rollin Thurlow’s Kingfisher square-sterncanoe; Karl Stambaugh’s Bay Skiff 15; BillGarden’s 12'6" Tom Cat catboat; Pete Culler’s101⁄2" Wherry yawlboat; Eric Schade’s WoodDuck kayak and Shearwater sea kayak; the AsaThomson skiff; John Brooks’s Somes Sound121⁄2; Ted Moore’s woodstrip canoes andkayaks; Henry “Mac” McCarthy’s Wee Lassiecanoe; David Nichol’s Voyager and IndianGirl canoes; a number of Whitehall pullingboats and Chaisson dory skiffs; ChesapeakeLight Craft’s Skerry daysailer, 17LT sea kayak,and Sassafras canoe; Nick Schade’s NightHeron sea kayak; Joel White’s Shellbackdinghy; Jerry Stelmok and E.M. White cedar-and-canvas canoes; John Brooks’s 12' Ellensailing dinghy and 9' Compass Harbor pram;Henry Scheel’s 25' Cinderella sloop; 25 radio-controlled pond yachts; and 8 single-fin long-board surfboards. www.woodenboat.com;207-359-4651.


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096MBHH103 1/5/09 4:27 PM Page 96




YACHTING SOLUTIONS offers restora-tion and construction services, yacht manage-ment, and is an authorized dealer for HuntYachts. Star Dust, a 39' Bunker and Ellis fromMartha’s Vineyard, was rewired and the ailingChryslers were swapped for twin Volvo Penta300s. Harpy, a semi-custom Hunt Harrier 36was delivered in August, after fabrication workand the building of a bridge deck seating groupand cockpit cabinetry, and installation of elec-trical and refrigeration systems. Belle, a 1929motoryacht built by the New York Steam &Launch Co. and now owned by the WestmoorClub of Nantucket, is managed by the Rock-port company, which provides captain andcrew, and manages the schedule. The shoppartnered with Wayfarer Marine to haul andstore the vessel for extensive repairs last win-ter. A new 6,000-sq.-ft. service and storagebuilding was completed, and incorporatesmany energy-efficient details, such as the useof biofuel to fire the in-floor radiant heat.www.yachtingsolutions.com; 207-236-8100.

YORK MARINE completed a York 36 sin-gle jet with teak interior for a client in BlueHill. The boat is equipped with a Cumminsdiesel coupled with a Hamilton 322 jet. Alsoleaving the Rockland shop was Snarlyow, thefirst in a new line of York 32s, offered in eithera jet or a propeller version. This first modelhad a 320-hp Cummins diesel. Constructionbegan on a Mark Fitzgerald-designed York 46twin-jet flybridge cruiser, with two 600-hpCummins diesels paired with Hamilton jetsand Hamilton’s Blue Arrow control system.The 46 will have a custom dinghy launch andretrieval system and a custom ventilation sys-tem. In the repair department, the steering ina 36' yacht was replaced, cosmetic and serv-ice work was done on numerous boats, and a21' O’Day was rebuilt and refinished.www.yorkmarineinc.com; 207-596-7400.

Zurn Yacht: Inland Sound 28

Boats launched from designs created atZURN YACHT DESIGN of Marblehead,Massachusetts, included the 62' motoryachtMad Max, built by Lyman-Morse Boat-building (see page 72); a Samoset 30 cen-ter console built by Samoset Boatworks;the new MJM Yachts 40z built by BostonBoatworks; and an Inland Sound 28 byShannon-Elder Yachts. Designs for a 50'motoryacht for use in the Bahamas and a48' performance cruising sloop are forth-coming from the 15-year-old design firm.Palmer Moore rejoined the group afterworking for C.W. Hood for several years.www.zurnyachts.com; 781-639-0678.

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Beautiful Maine sheerlines—power and

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AND MUCH MORE!

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