Page 20. MAINE COASTAL NEWS July 2011


40 YEARS AND COUNTING AT MMM - NATHAN LIPFERT Continued from Page 7.


work it was a huge undertaking. It was hang- ing things on the walls, making sure the artifacts were being treated properly, provid- ing the artifacts to the mount maker, arguing with the exhibit designer as to how many objects could be put into the exhibit and it was a long process. A huge amount of work went on into the evenings and on weekends.” Webb left in 1999 and the museum hired Ann Witte and she stayed until there was a financial crisis in 2003. At that point Lipfert became head of the curatorial department again. He said, “We merged the library back into the curatorial department basically with the idea I do both jobs.”


Another great facet of Lipfert’s job has been putting together the symposiums. He added, “The symposium was an idea from outside the museum staff. The first was in 1973. There had been a similar maritime his- tory symposium at the University of Maine at Orono. That got people excited. We tried it once and it was quite successful.” Over the years there have been some very interesting speakers and even though it does not draw as many people as it should, it is still one of the premier events at the mu- seum.


Through the museum and the sympo- siums Lipfert has met some very interesting people. One in particular was Basil Greenhill from England. Lipfert explained, “He was the director of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London. He was a friend in some way of Capt. W. J. Lewis Parker, who was a friend of the museum and lived in Camden. Basil Greenhill started to come to these sym- posiums, came every year and he made sure that a member of his staff came too. Also, either he or the staff member would make a presentation every year. He did a huge amount of research and a huge amount of writing. He had world ranging interests. He


wasn’t just limited to one place, like I am mostly interested in the State of Maine. He had been all over the world and had been involved in archaeology, ship restoration, and ship salvaging projects. An amazing character.”


Another part of Lipfert’s job is publish- ing books from time to time. He said, “That is part of my job that I like. Every few years we work ourselves into a frenzy and bring out a book. Mostly it has been books that we have commissioned, but in a few instances the authors have come to us.”


The first one was “The Maritime History of Bath,” which was to be written by Mark Hennessy, but unfortunately he passed away. The museum then hired William A. Baker to complete the project. This was fol- lowed by a book on the Pattons, another on the Skolfields and lobstering, which Lipfert co-wrote with Ken Martin. Then there was a book on the Percy & Small Shipyard, the clipper SNOW SQUALL, “The Doryman’s Day” Barry Fisher and most recently “Live Yankees” by Bill Bunting.


Bunting has written a book on Captain Drew and hopefully that will get published soon. There is also one on the tug SEGUIN and one by Michael Connelly about the long- shoreman in Portland, which hopefully the museum will publish.


Lipfert still has a lot he wants to do at the museum before he retires. He said, “I would like to see better public access to collections. I would like to see it become possible for someone to go to the website and just look up stuff about our collections right there. I hope I can get that done before I retire.” Even when he retires, he still sees himself at the museum volunteering. Will he miss certain aspects of his job? Absolutely not. “There is a certain amount of what I do that is not really fun. There is the bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, evaluating the people that work for me, budgets, and grant applications.


Let me tell you if I learned today that I would never write another grant application for the rest of my life I would be a happy, happy man. Right now I am actually incredibly busy and I am working nine and 10 hour days. I am cataloging Lew Parker’s collection and that is very interesting. When I retire I would like to be able to just sit down and catalog the manuscript collections and the photograph collections that haven’t been cataloged yet. I would like to be able to just spend some time here with nobody bothering me and not hav-


ing to answer the phone.”


Lipfert also has some books that he would like to do. One is on the tools of the shipbuilding industry. He has also given thought to one on Mainers who designed vessels and Maine ship design as it evolved. As far as maritime museums are con- cerned Lipfert feels that MMM is in the top ten. He added, “If you want to live in Maine, and you want to work in a maritime museum, there is no better place."


BOOTHBAY & ROCKLAND LOBSTER BOAT RACES - FINAL RESULTS


Continued from Page 19.


- Diesel Class G - 436 to 550 hp, 28 to 35 feet: 1) Seacock, Todd Ritchie, 35 mph; and 2) Emily Grace, Bill Lowe. Race 15 - Diesel Class H - 436 to 550 hp, 36 feet and over: 1) First Team, Travis Otis, 33.8 mph; 2) Starlight Express, Mark Bemis; 3) High Hopes Isaiah, John Bickford, Jr.; 4) Miller Time, Ryan Miller; 5) Blue-By-U, Don Nickles; and 6) Askk’n, Ed Shirley. Race 16 - Diesel Class I - 551 to 700 hp, 28 to 35 feet: 1) Misty, David Taylor, 38 mph; 2) Lisa Marie, Gary Genthner; 3) Three Stars, Chip Johnson; and 4) Wild One, Scott Wood. Race 17 - Diesel Class J – 551 to 700 hp, 36 feet and over: 1) 16th


Avenue, Wendall


Bryant, 36 mph; 2) Janice Elaine, David Myrick; 3) Molly Ryan, David Haskell; 4) Decadence, Ryan Haskell. Race 18 - Diesel Class K – 701 to 900 hp, 28 feet and over: No Entrants. Race 19 – Diesel Class L – 901 hp, 28 feet and over: 1) Starlight Express, Alfred Osgood, 54.2 mph; and 2) Cynthia Lynn, Robert O. Young. Race 20 – Diesel Class M – 40 feet and over, up to 750 hp: 1) Gramp’s Bird, Patrick Faulkingham, 32.3 mph; 2) Size Matters, Dixon Smith; 3) Jill Cayden, Shane Hatch; 4) She’s All Wet, Clayton Walker; and 5) Sari Ann, Vance Bunker. Race 21 – Diesel Class N – 40 feet and over; 750 hp and over: 1) Whistlin’ Dixie, Andy Johnson, 40.9 mph; 2) 4 Girls, Tom Clemons; 3) Abigail & Carter, Chris Page; 4) Phantom, Nick Lemieux; and 5) Sunday Money, Murray Thompson. Race 22 - Gasoline Free for All: 1) Foolish Pleasure, Galen Alley, 36.6 mph; 2)


Black Diamond, Lindsay Durkee; 3) Cry Baby, D. & L. Boatworks; and 4) Frosty Punkin, Walter Rich. Race 23 - Diesel Free for All: 1) Cynthia Lynn, Robert O. Young, 41.2 mph; 2) Whistlin’ Dixie, Andy Johnson; 3) 4 Girls, Tom Clemons; 4) Three Stars, Chip Johnson; 5) Size Matters, Dixon Smith; and 6) Jill Cayden, Shane Hatch. Race 24 Wooden Boats. 1) Emily Grace, Bill Lowe, 39.6 mph; 2) Abigail & Carter, Chris Page; 3) Lizzie, Todd Hubbard; 4) Queen’s Lady, Gary Hatch; 5) Sari Ann, Vance Bunker; 6) Rich Returns, Wayne Rich; and 7) Mistress, Ryan Marves. Race 25 - Fastest Lobster Boat: 1) Cynthia Lynn, Robert O. Young, 45.8 mph; 2) Whistlin’ Dixie, Andy Johnson; 3) Foolish Pleasure, Galen Alley; and 4) 4 Girls, Tom Clemons.


HELP - SATURN'S Engine Room Next Big Project!


This is SATURN'S main engine, which is a Cleveland 16-278A.


SATURN is a 117-foot railroad tug built as the BERN for the Reading Railroad in 1907. She is one of the last railroad tugs in existence and is being saved for future generations to enjoy. For further information : (207) 223-8846 or to join the Friends of SATURN, send a check for $25 or more to P.O. Box 710, Winterport, ME 04496.


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