August 2009 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 5.
STEWART WORKMAN OF SW BOATWORKS IN LAMOINE
LAMOINE – Life is full of all kinds of twists a small boat station in Rochester, New York. it there for about a year and then we hauled
and turns as some try to figure what just what He added, “I was the coxswain for the small her out and restored her. It was just one
they want to do in life. Sometimes we can boats. They had 44-foot motor lifeboat and project after another there for quite awhile.
narrow it down to a field, but then it takes time Whalers and we did boating safety, boarding Then I decided to get my own tour boat and
working around an industry to see just which teams, and ice rescue. They also sent me to go into that business.”
aspect one likes the best. Stewart L. Work- EMT school and all kinds of law enforcement Workman purchased the SEAL off
man of SW Boatworks of Lamoine as been in training. I was there for a couple of years and Sammy Blanchard. He used her for awhile
the marine industry for years, started build- I was getting ready to take the surfman quali- doing sightseeing tours, but later switched
ing boats, then went lobstering, did a stint fications out on the West Coast for Cape over to deep sea fishing charters. However,
with the Coast Guard, came back and worked Disappointment, but I ended up getting call after eight or nine years he said that was
restoring a passenger vessel, owned his own to duty on a ship as a bos’n’s mate. I was a enough of that. He added, “We were taking
sightseeing and deep sea fishing boat, before second class bos’n’s mate at the time and 30 people to a time, two trips a day, with no
going back lobstering and then finally get- they needed one on the SHERMAN so off I breaks during the summer months. It just got
Stewart Workman of SW Boatworks.
ting back into boat building and repair. went to California. We cruised from Adak, tiring.”
Workman, who grew up in Prospect Alaska, almost into Siberia to all the way It was back lobster again, this time in a 36 knew that Beal was having some trouble
Harbor, said, “I started at Young Brothers down around San Diego doing patrols and Stanley, which originally had been built for getting the hulls laid up in a timely manner
when I was right out of high school. The first search and rescue.” Howdy Powers of Southwest Harbor, but had when he made him the offer. However, things
boat that we built was a 30-footer. We got the Cape Disappointment was named by been sold to someone from Rhode Island. He changed and Beal was getting hulls, but it
hull and we started finishing it off. Of course Lewis & Clark and it is one of the most fished that awhile out of Winter Harbor and was not long before Workman got a call from
at that time we stick built the whole top, all oak horrendous outlets to the oceans where nu- then decided lobstering wasn’t really what he Beal asking him if he was serious about laying
framing and plywood glassed over. A lot of merous boats and ships have met there de- wanted to do. He said, “I got into boat build- up his hulls. They then got together early last
them wasn’t glassed on the inside and were mise. Workman said, “I was kind of itching to ing and this is what I like.” winter and worked out a deal with Workman
just painted. Things have changed a lot, we go to that. I really liked search and rescue.” The first project was a 32-foot Mitchell purchasing the moulds from Beal, which in-
hardly use any plywood now. So I went right After his four years, he returned to Cove, which he did with Mike Gilley. Gilley cluded the 34, 36, 38 and 44 and tops for each
from the beginning right to the end. Next was Maine and assisted building a dock with a actually had the job, but needed a building so model.
a 33-footer and then the 38s came along.” marine contractor at Southwest Harbor. Then they started working together. They did three He has laid up several hulls since the
Workman was there two or three years he went to work for Captain Stephen Pagels or four boats together and then Gilley left and
before he decided to try his hand at lobster of Downeast Windjammer Cruises. Work- Workman continued working out of his shop.
Continued on Page 14.
fishing. He purchased a 34-foot wooden boat man explained, “At the time they had just Over the years he
off his cousin, which had been built by Junior bought the sardine carrier LOU ANN and has done a number of
Specializing in Marine Electrical Systems
Backman, named the HOPE ANN. Workman they were restoring her. That caught my eye different hulls. He has
· New installations · Rewiring · Upgrades
added, “My cousin fished out of Corea and because when I grew up in Prospect Harbor finished off hulls from
· Custom Electrical Panels · Electronics
I bought the boat and all the traps while it was I used to see that boat all the time. That is one Mitchell Cove, Duffy,
all in the water. I fished it for a short time right of the prettiest sardine carriers around. I got Wesmac, and Calvin
out of Corea until I could get the gear shifted involved in working on that and then he had Beal.
Full Service Boat Yard
over to Winter Harbor.” some other boats that I worked on. I also went While he was fin-
offering complete boat repairs
After three or four years, Workman de- out to Lake Superior. He bought a 1923 riv- ishing off hulls for
· Engines · Mechanical · Storage · Carpentry · Painting
cided to join the U. S. Coast Guard. He went eted steel hull ferry boat, the CHIPPEWA, Calvin Beal, Jr. he of-
www.oceanpursuits.com
to boot camp and his first duty station was at which I brought back to Bar Harbor. We used fered to lay them up 75 Front St. Rockland 207-596-7357 Fax 207-596-9944
for him. Workman
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