January 2009 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 7.
SCHOONER HERITAGE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
home-base to tie our vessel up in the winter seasons, and had done well. So in the spring have the HERITAGE ready for sailing with
Continued from Page 1.
and a place to sail from in the summer.” of 1978, we said may be we should think passengers for the 1984 season. We had five
first time this boat had ever had sail on her Linda added, “The Shipyard became a about building a new vessel.” and a half months to work on the new vessel.
since 1946.” place, especially for schooners, where they Soon they began putting ideas on We start spring outfitting typically in April
Linda added, “We lucked out a little bit could haul out, the owners hire their own paper. Doug explained, “We wanted a two and we would finish sailing in early October
about getting out of the river because we workers, and make all the repairs needed.” masted coasting schooner, with a clipper and be busy until mid to late October getting
didn’t have the knowledge on how to The FRENCH was hauled up the beach bow, trail boards, quarter deck and a big the ISAAC EVANS ready for winter and also
tighten up the rig. So things were really and moved off the side. She would not be powerful sheer. We wanted a shallow draft doing miscellaneous stuff around the
slack. We were in some terrific seas and the relaunched until 1977 after a total rebuild. with a centreboard so we can get into those shipyard before we could start in on the
masts were moving in the mast step. Water Doug said, “We had a Coast Guard shallow places.” HERITAGE.
was also coming over the bow and pouring inspector who said he wanted some of the One person who frequently stopped by They had everything: they had a
down into the galley.” inside planking taking off the ceiling so we and offered advice on the plans was Havilah shipyard, machinery and hand tools. They
Of course their trip from Seguin Island could see what’s there. We didn’t want to do Hawkins, who Doug said was very helpful. also had rebuilt a number of old schooners.
up the bay was in thick of fog. Doug stated, that and he went off angry. My father said to Once the lines were done, the Lees took However they were forgetting one thing,
“It is amazing how your senses improve me, ‘Look, you can’t fight city hall, take it them to Woodin & Mearn, naval architects new construction is different than old.
when you own the ship.” off.’ The ceiling was beautiful, the best part. to see just what her tonnage was. She The first hurdle was learning to loft the
They sailed into Tenants Harbor for the She was white oak framed; I figured what needed to be under 100 tons, and the first vessel. They laid down 40 sheets of
night, but had to tack all the way in because could be wrong. When we tore off that first design was too big and the second too small. plywood and began the process. When the
the propeller on the yawl boat was fouled piece of ceiling the frames came right out of The third hit the mark, which was after Doug patterns were complete the floor was taken
with a line. The next day they made her. They were nothing but mush.” used the admeasurement rules and applied up and placed on the wall so that they could
Rockland, removed all the tools from the Linda said, “Every time we came to the them to the design. consult it if a problem arose.
cabins and 22 people came aboard that night end of a project it was fearful, because you It is all about the passengers and that Doug added, “People would come up
for their first cruise. Linda said, “We had a knew you were going to have to learn how means some creature comforts are and say you got a lot of courage, which really
wonderful time, except no body could see us to do the next thing, whether it was caulking, necessary. HERITAGE was originally meant you were really crazy.”
because the whole first few weeks we sailed or making the masts, or whatever it was.” designed with 43 berths, but this was later There were some people who helped
her it was thick of fog. They also couldn’t They also hauled up the J. & E. RIGGIN changed to 40 by eliminating the cabins with them along the way learn the trade. However
talk to us because we had a new FM radio in 1974, which was also in need of a rebuild. three berths. These are now the most asked a lot of workers would not help because they
and everybody else still and the old AM At this time they also became involved for because they have their own head. feared that they would take their job,
radios.” with the schooner ALICE S. When they started the design had been especially when the first arrived. Ten years
When the end of the season arrived WENTWORTH, which was owned by the approved by the Coast Guard. Linda later more offered to help them. One was
they needed to find a berth for the EVANS National Maritime Historic Trust. She was explained, “We had a time table set up for the Roger Morse of Morse Shipbuilding in
and the RICHARD ROBBINS SR. They lying at a pier in Boston and was in desperate funding and what work we expected to do Thomaston, who help Doug understand
thought of putting them on the face of the need of a total rebuild. The Lees purchased along with our commitment to the ISAAS H.
wharf in the northwest corner of the harbor.
Continued on Page 15.
a lot of material for the planned haul out at EVANS and the shipyard. Our plan was to
Three people, David Bicknell, Don Wilson their yard, but it never materialized. They
and Frank O’Hara Sr., offered a lot of advice then wanted the Lees to rebuild her in
and help and helped them find a safe berth Boston, but they refused. Unfortunately the
for the winter.
FIBERGLASS REPAIR
WENTWORTH was cut up and put in a
It was also about this time that they landfill in New Hampshire.
Outside Storage
added a partner to their operation, Captain In the late 1970s the Lees began
Shrinkwrap
John Foss. Linda said, “He was in the Coast thinking of building their own new vessel.
and of course new boat construc-
& STORAGE
Guard in Boston, but wanted to get a Doug explained, “We tried to buy an old
tion (Holland 14, 32 and 38/40)
schooner. He found the LEWIS R. FRENCH, vessel named the FLORA KERWIN, which
down at Lubec and in the fall of ’73 five of us had been built for the pineapple trade in
took the trip Downeast and brought the 1891. When the bottom fell out of the
FRENCH to Rockland. pineapple business she became a
At this time, the Lees and Foss Chesapeake Bay oyster buyer for a number
purchased a piece of property on the of years.”
waterfront, which is now known as Linda stated, “She wasn’t available. So
Northend Shipyard. Doug added, “It had we had done our tour around looking for a
originally been the North Wharf & Marine larger vessel, so we could carry more people,
Railway Company incorporated in 1849, but may be faster than the ISAA EVANS. We
they never really did anything here until had had the ISAAC EVANS for five
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