Page 24. MAINE COASTAL NEWS May 2009
PROFILE: Giffy Full, More than a Surveyor
first one built. Then this lady from Hampton a fire. I am telling you there most have been boat? Did you see the KITTIWAKE? I said
Continued from Page 16.
Beach, New Hampshire called and wanted to 1,200 people at that launching. They ran the oh yeah and I turned around and started back
successful, but when they had earned enough see the boat. She had three built. Then they passenger boat back and forth all day long. to the office again and she said come back
money they opted to have a new boat built. built the MISS LIZZIE, which is a different One part of their operation was taking people here. Did you like it? I said oh yeah I liked it
They went to Beal & Bunker, Wilford laid out boat. Then they built another one out fishing, and as the fish got scarcer and very much. Well, do you think we are going
Bunker and Clarence Beal, but the boat was with a different layout with the pilot house scarcer they did not think it fair to the custom- to get it? I said oh yeah we already own it.”
actually built by Red McAllister. Full said, way forward, the SEA PRINCESS. ers when they did not catch anything. They Charlotte’s MS was getting worse and
“He was a master builder and there wasn’t Full only made one mistake. He said, ran her one more year and then made a major they figured they could cruise south one
anything he couldn’t do. I drew up the boat “When the first boat was built we weren’t business mistake; they rerigged her for off- more winter. He asked if she wanted to go
originally and then made a model of it. But going to have any launching party to speak shore lobstering and lost their shirt. They back to Marblehead, where they still had a
when you are not sure of what you are doing, of cause it was so far away from Marblehead sold out to a partner and saved some. home, but she wanted to live in Brooklin. He
you better get somebody who is. I was not and the people in Marblehead got upset. Oh Now off the yachts and out of the pas- asked about buying property, but was told
going to risk all the money the boat was going that’s terrible not to have a launching party. senger boat business, and ready to retire from that everything is larger tracks of land. How-
to cost to build based on what I drew. Sonny We all want to come up. About 60 people from the surveying business, Full and his wife ever, while Full was teaching a course at the
Hodgdon had a naval architect that worked Marblehead came up and they came prepared purchased a Bunker & Ellis pleasure cruiser, WoodenBoat School he noticed a house that
for him, Miles Fitch. I gave him all the stuff and because they built two of the biggest friggin’ called KITTIWAKE in the late 1980s. Full was vacant in Brooklin. He asked about the
I said you take this and you make it a finished wash tub chowders that you ever saw. And explained, “One day I happened to be home, owner about it and was informed that some-
product and he did. My brother and I had the they cooked them right over on the island on phone rang and it was Mrs. Porter and she one was planning to buy it and the 28 acres
said Giffy, when we met you said you thought she sat on to add to their estate. Full asked the
our boat was one of the nicest Downeast owner if they would sell just the house. Well,
boats you ever seen. I said yeah she is. She just days later the owner called him and said
said well, we’ve got to sell her and I thought that the potential buyers could not settle the
you might like to have her. My wife was estate for another 18 months and that if he
getting a lot worse and I was ready to call it wanted it, it was his. Full and his wife came
quits and retire and I am glad I did. If I hadn’t and saw the house and in ten minutes owned
quit when I did my wife would never have got it.
to go on her.” After five years of cruising the East
Full was surveying a boat over on Coast in KITTIWAKE, they sold her and
Islesboro and the Porters brought the boat by came ashore. Charlotte would pass away not
for Full to see. She needed some work, but it long after they moved in, but Full has re-
was nothing that Full could not deal with. The mained, even though he does head off in the
Porters set a good price and Full bought her. dead of winter for the warmer climates of the
He added, “I decided I was going to raise south. He has owned several boats during
some hell with my wife again. So I came in the this time, some even made of fiberglass, and
house and hugged my wife and gave her a has tried to stop surveying but some have
kiss and went right down through the hall to managed to twist his arm once in a great while.
my office. She hollered to me come back here, What is most impressive is the knowledge
come back here. I went back and said what do this man has and is willing to share with the
you want. She asked, well did you see the many, many people who know him.
The launching of the five-masted schooner EDWARD B. WINSLOW at Bath in 1908.
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Inflator that dramatically shortens easy to see why the VW Series Vertical
to four digital boat functions at a time. tanks to empty, Air-Dryr from Davis
deployment and retrieval time. Windlass from Maxwell America is
Designed to interface with Digital Instruments uses heat and natural
The most powerful portable inflation preferred on the finest yachts.
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management enclosures (PME), the mold.
designed for inflating and deflating the new traditional rope-and-chain anchor rodes,
Powerkey 400W comes complete with a The compact unit is placed on the floor
lightweight inflatable fenders that have where the rode is transferred manually
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gained popularity on larger vessels for their from the warping drum to the chainwheel.
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ability to quickly and completely vacuum the the windlass can be mounted horizontally
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air out these fenders enables them to be inside the chain locker on the bulkhead.
keyFOB transmitter is then ready to use. Dryr. As warmed air rises, cooler damp air is
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addition, the unit’s high-volume air output in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction.
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and deck furnishings. Series Windlass can pull 500-3,500 lbs.
only need to hold down whichever button no switch, fan or thermostat. A thermal cut-
With corrosion-resistant aluminum with a line speed of 33-59 ft./minute. With
they wish to program for 10 seconds. While off turns the unit off should air flow be
housing, the Extreme-Duty Inflator features clutch disengagement of the chainwheel,
holding this button down, users press and impeded. With no components to cause
tapered aluminum end caps to maximize rope is hauled from any direction using the
release the new keypad button they want sparking, Air-Dryr is safe for marine use. It’s
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keyFOB button, the remote has been rooms and bilges.
8,700 ft/min at between 4 and 8 psi and 5,600 ropes. Traditional shackle and thimbled
programmed with the new function. The Air-Dryr 500 from Davis
ft/min at approximately 12 in/hg. Current is rope and chain connections can be used.
The Powerkey 400W can be Instruments handles up to 500 cubic ft.,
controlled through solid state circuitry that A cone type brake/clutch mechanism
programmed to control a wide variety of draws only 0.6 amps, 130W, measures 14" L
is GFCI-protected for safety. permits manual free-fall anchoring.
digital functions including engine, radar, x 5" W x 4.5" H and retails for $57.99. The Air-
The Extreme-Duty Inflator from AERÉ is The suggested retail price of
sonar and GPS controls. It can also easily Dryr 1000 handles up to 1,000 cubic ft., draws
available in 110-volt and 220-volt models and Maxwell’s VW Vertical Windlass begins
be used to control HVAC, pump, motor and 1.1 amps, 130W, measures 13.5" in diameter
has a suggested retail price of $995. at $2,377.
auto pilot functions. and 4.25" high and costs $67.99.
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