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MaineBoats Blog

Maine's boating season gets underway, with some changes from previous years

Wednesday, May 20th 2020
Despite precautions, marina operators are doing everything they can to make boaters feel welcome. And Maine boatyards are bustling with work on new builds, refits, and other jobs.

Voting has begun in the annual “Best Harbor in the U.S.” contest

Monday, May 11th 2020
Is there a ‘best harbor’ in the U.S.? US Harbors uses crowd-sourcing to find the winners.

2020 Maine Boat & Home Show Cancelled in Response to Pandemic

Wednesday, April 29th 2020
The largest in-the-water boat show north of Boston, the three-day event draws thousands of people to Rockland over the second weekend in August. We will be back next year.

Social distancing back in the day.

Thursday, April 16th 2020
This photo from the collection of the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport shows siblings Lincoln and Johanna Colcord around 1889 when their father, Lincoln Alden Colcord, was captain of the barkentine CLARA E MCGILVERY. Both the Colcord children were born at sea, Johanna in 1882 and Lincoln in 1883, as their father, like many from Searsport, Maine, was involved in the deep-sea shipping business.

Hamilton Marine is open again

Tuesday, April 14th 2020
The company is offering curbside pickup at its Portland, Rockland, Southwest Harbor and Jonesport stores. Orders also may be placed online

Fishermen selling directly to members of the public

Monday, April 13th 2020
A Camden woman has started a Facebook page, Maine’s Working Waterfront – Seafood Connect, to connect fishermen directly with customers.

Lyman-Morse Lends a Hand to Local Healthcare Workers

Thursday, April 9th 2020
Lyman-Morse Technologies is building and donating Intubation aerosol boxes, which will protect nurses while intubating Covid-19 patients. The company’s fabrication division is building a metal structure for a similar purpose. Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding is using its Raise 3D printer to fabricate frames for face shields.

Let's make it official: put "blue mind" in the dictionary

Wednesday, April 8th 2020
It was fun to read recently that the folks who compile the online Cambridge Dictionary are considering adding the terms blue mind, blue space, and blue acceleration to their dictionary.

Sailmakers turn their talents to mask-making

Thursday, April 2nd 2020
At least two sail lofts, Hallett Canvas and Sails in Falmouth and the Freeport, Maine location of North Sails, have begun using their sewing machines and sail materials to make masks and head gear. And many boat builders up and down the coast have donated their caches of N95 face masks to short-handed community healthcare providers.

Blast from the past

Wednesday, March 25th 2020
The photo was taken by Red Boutilier, whose work, in large part, documented the modernization of commercial fishing.

Boatyards trying to keep working on spring launches

Tuesday, March 24th 2020
Most yards have shut their doors to the public, asking that boat-owners and others postpone visits, or at the least make appointments, staggered work hours to keep employees at least 6 feet apart, and implemented rigorous cleaning routines.

Maine's governor makes it easier to go fish

Saturday, March 21st 2020
The governor has directed Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso to open all inland waters for fishing and to waive the requirement that anglers need a recreational fishing license for fishing on Maine’s inland waters.

We are here and we're hard at work on the next issue!

Thursday, March 19th 2020
COVID-19 has turned all of our lives topsy-turvy. The city of Rockland, where our offices are based, has declared a state of emergency and banned any gathering of more than 10 people. Most of our staff are now working from home, producing this next issue. But while we are socially distancing for now, we want to stay connected.

Maine Boatbuilders Show 2020 is postponed

Friday, March 13th 2020
Organizers of the annual Maine Boatbuilders Show in Portland announced that they are postponing the popular event

Maine's seafood harvest: once again lobster leads the way

Friday, March 6th 2020
Although the lobster harvest of 100.7 million pounds was down 17 percent from the previous year, the overall value of $485 million was the fourth most lucrative ever for the fishery as a result of a 20 percent rise in per-pound-value.

Speed sailors

Wednesday, March 4th 2020
Sailors in Maine and elsewhere in the frozen north don’t let winter slow them down. They embrace the cold and, especially, the ice.

Young builder revives Eastporter brand

Wednesday, February 26th 2020
Elijah Brice has rented space from the city of Eastport where he is building Eastporter skiffs, ranging from 17 to 24 feet long.

President Franklin Roosevelt and the lobster dinner provided by a Deer Isle fisherman

Tuesday, February 25th 2020
The presidential thank-you note has become a cherished family heirloom for that fisherman's descendents.

Artisan building Camden Class Knockabout

Friday, February 21st 2020
The sleek gaff-rigged wooden sailboat will make its debut at the Camden Classics Cup this summer (July 23-25, 2020).

Two Irish designs being built at Rockland's Apprenticeshop

Friday, February 14th 2020
One is a Dublin Bay 24 sailing sloop, the other a Dublin Bay Water Wag, which is considered by some to be the world’s oldest one-design sailboat.