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August 2013 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 5. BUXTON BOATS LAUNCHES 38-FOOTER SEA SONG


STONINGTON – There are only a handful of wooden boat builders on the coast of Maine today, which had a couple of hundred a few decades ago. Fiberglass hulls and tops are now the norm, but for some the wooden boat is still preferred. Peter Buxton of Bux- ton Boats in Sunset, the western aspect of Stonington, built a 36-foot wooden lobster boat eight years ago. This past winter that owner returned and had Peter build him a 38-footer, SEA SONG, which was launched in June.


“I designed and built a 36-footer for


a local lobster fi sherman back eight years ago,” said Peter. “His son was looking for a new boat. He really liked the 36 so he wanted to buy it. The owner decided that he would have me build him a new 38 footer.” Peter designed the 36-footer and after she was launched he learned what he wanted to change when he built his next wooden lobster boat. He explained, “This one is a lot different really. I mean it is the same width and two feet longer, but the bottom is a little more built down with a straighter run on it. She is a little narrower up forward on the waterline so she has a little sharper entry. Because she has the same width as the 36, but is two feet longer, the stern is actually a little bit narrower.”


Peter built this boat with a white oak back bone, local cedar planking and all bronze fastened. Even though this is a lob- ster boat she does sport an interior, which includes a V-berth, enclosed head with a sink and a microwave oven. She is powered with a QSL 9, 405 hp Cummins at 2100 RPMs linked to a 2 to 1 ZF transmission, 2-inch shaft and a 28 x 30-inch four blade propeller. She was painted with a VOC free linseed oil based paint after he applied fi ve coats of regular linseed oil to the hull.


On sea trials she topped out at 21 knots, but was overturning by 100 and Peter thought there was still another knot there. She cruises at 15 knots at about 1650 RPMs burning just under nine gallons an hour. How did Peter like the changes he made to the design? he said, “I was thrilled how this one runs. She has no rails on her and she is dry. She hardly has any rooster tail, pretty much none. She is steady and turns really good. I just couldn’t be happier.” What was even more special, happened during sea trials. Peter explained, “We’re down at Billings Diesel with Michael Warr, my father-in-law, the owner and a mechanic from the shipyard getting ready to do engine trials and a Mayday comes over the radio. No one is answering. He said he was out by Mark Island so we answered back and said that we would go out and see what was go- ing on. We ran out there and came across an empty kayak and then right next to that were two kayaks huddled together with the guy from the other kayak straddled across the


two. He was pretty hypothermic. We called the Coast Guard so that they would have an ambulance meet us at Billings Diesel and ran him in. They took it from there. He is fi ne. He was in a T-shirt, a pair of shorts and a life vest but he was pretty cold. There was another six kayakers on an island close by and the yard sent out their boat to picked them up. They could not get back in because the wind had picked up a lot.”


Peter does not have another lobster boat on order yet, but the news on this one is just getting out. He said that his son has been showing photographs out in California and there seems to be some interest out there. Next comes fi nishing the restoration of the cutter and the oyster sloop. The cutter is in her fi nal stages of work. Peter needs to fi x the rudder, all the spars need to be reworked, build a table, fi nish the wiring, and build a bowsprit.


Once the cutter is done, Peter is going to turn his attention to the 1903 oyster sloop. She has been in the shop for several years and was having work done periodically. When the new lobster boat build came along she was moved outside, but now she will be coming back in. Peter added, “The whole backbone is pretty well done and the framing is almost done. I have got maybe less than a quarter of the frames left to do. I have the cedar for the planking and I have the screws so I am ready to go. We are going to try to go for it and fi nish it up this winter.” There are not many of these boats left. Mystic Seaport has the NELLIE and a mu- seum on Long Island has CHRISTINE, but they were not built on the north shore as this one was at Northport, Long Island in 1903. She worked for a number of years before being converted it into a little pleasure boat in the 1920s. This is the same family that still owns her. Peter explained, “He wants it to look just like a traditional working oyster sloop with a couple of little amenities. There will be a place to lay down and a little toilet, but there won’t be much room, it will be all deck space.”


Peter also used to charter his boat for short cruises, but found that it really con- strained his time and decided it was not worth it. He switched over fi ve years ago and he has been doing dinner cruises to North Haven. He leaves Stonington about 1600 hrs. and arrives at Nebo Lodge about 45 minutes later. After a nice dinner, they return to Stonington about 2000. His mar- ket began as summer people renting local homes. However that has grown to include the locals. SEA SONG is a great looking and performing lobster boat, and it would not be surprising to see another on order soon. Come and take a closer look and if you are hungry how about dinner over on North Haven?


Peter Buxton's newest creation, a 38-foot wooden lobster boat for a local customer. BREAKING NEWS - Bill Page Launches SERIANNA


After more than 15 years under construction, Bill Page of Cushing launched his Northwest Trawler to Bill Garden's design from Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding in Thomaston on 27 July.


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