October 2014 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 9. Waterfront News Apprenticeshop Readies for Fall Boatbuilding Season


In early September the Apprenticeshop, a school for traditional wooden boatbuilding and seamanship located on Main Street in Rockland’s North End, resumes program operations after summer break. In addition to a number of new and returning appren- tices in the 2-year apprenticeship program, staff will welcome two interns for the shorter, 12-week intensive program. One of the incoming fi rst-year apprentices, Creig Mills, 31, of Union, is joining the two-year program. Creig moved to midcoast Maine from Oregon in October with his wife and daughter. They bought a 13-acre farm in Union where they are now raising pigs, poultry, vegetables, and managing their 19th century farmhouse. He worked as a chef for 14 years; receiving his culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of Virginia and Le Cordon Blue of Paris. Prior to culinary school, Creig served four years in the U.S. Navy aboard amphibious assault ships de- livering troops during the confl ict in Afghan- istan. The move to Maine last year marked a shift in his path away from the 80-hour work week as an executive chef into a slower paced, more mindful life on Maine’s coast. He was driving past the Apprenticeshop one day last year and was immediately drawn to it. He thought, “I really want to do this!” and in December of 2013, after he and his wife Christine celebrated the birth of their second daughter, he got her blessing and began to pursue the idea of attending the wooden boatbuilding program. Creig has always been drawn to historic boats, idyllic coastal communities, and maritime culture. A blend of Irish, Welch, and Nordic decent connects him to the seafaring life of his ancestors. Discovering the Shop triggered something deep inside, and he spoke of his desire to build things with his own hands. “I felt like the Apprenticeshop was the place


Newport, R.I. – Newport Exhibition Group, owners and producers of the Newport In- ternational Boat Show, stated that its 2014 Show was a rousing success. Boats of all sizes were selling as reported by powerboat and sailboat companies throughout the four- day event. Attendance was up slightly (5%) over last year, and typically, Thursday and Friday brought in the serious buyers. “Each September we plan a very


signifi cant exhibit of our Sabre and Back Cove ranges at the Newport International Boat Show and this year was no exception with seven boats on display,” said Bentley Collins, VP of sales and marketing, Sabre Yachts. “We were very pleased with the draw the show had from all over New England this year. We found a large geographic spread of qualifi ed prospects in attendance. Being amongst the most popular brands in New England waters, we had visits with many of our owners. All in all this was a very successful show for Sabre Yachts and Back Cove Yachts.”


One of the largest boat shows in the


country, dozens of new boats and boating products debuted at the Newport Interna- tional Boat Show. Attendees were able to view an exceptional assortment of power and sail boats ranging from 15 to 110 feet. “Newport is always an incredible set- ting for a boat show and this year exceeded our expectations,” said Eric Braitmayer, CEO, Imtra. “Traffi c to our booth mirrors what makes Newport great – we saw a healthy mix of sailors and power boaters who were interested in product for both new boats and refi ts. Interest was high across our line, but it was particularly strong for our LED lights, windlasses and thrusters.” A highlight of the show was the Gun-


for me from the beginning. I walked in, met the instructors, was given a walking tour, and I said, ‘Yep. This feels right.’” After a brief orientation period in early September, apprentices and staff will begin making plans for an annual expedi- tion aboard traditional Shop-built boats on Penobscot Bay. The expedition provides a good introduction to the program, to some basic seamanship and boat handling skills, and to building confi dence and camarade- rie as a community before launching into the building season. On the seamanship component of the Apprenticeshop’s 2-year program Creig says, “I think seamanship is so important. As a Bos’n Mate in the Navy, I operated 900-foot vessels. I sailed some as a teen, but it’s been a long time, and I am looking forward to having the opportunity to get out there and learn the rules of the road and to get the qualifi cations needed to skipper a vessel. I think it’s a very important part of being a boatbuilder, knowing how to sail the vessels you build. Boatbuilders are fi ne craftsmen, but you also need to know why you’re putting a line here or a cleat there. You need to understand where a boat is going and what it’s going to be used for. Seamanship is integral to boatbuilding, and I wouldn’t have chosen a program without it.”


In its 40-plus year history, The Appren- ticeshop model has not changed: apprentices and interns learn through direct, hands-on experience, in order to develop the hard and soft skills necessary for quality wooden boat craftsmanship. “One of the things I am most looking forward to at the Apprenticeshop is the life experience,” says Creig. “We often- times go through life doing this or that in order to get somewhere. I want to do some- thing for this moment, for the right here and now. This time at the Shop learning to build


Newport International Boat Show a Success


boat 55, receiving the Newport For New Products award for Best New Sailboat Boat 30 feet and over, as well as the Peoples Choice Award. Judges’ comments included: “The Gunboat 55’s innovation and esthet- ics are incredible. Its coolest feature is its unbelievable sightlines that make it easy to cruise in multi-vessel environments such as between ferries, paddle boarders, and every-


Continued on Page 22.


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traditional wooden boats is going to help slow me down. I have no idea if ten years from now I’ll be working in the industry, but I do know that I want to build my own boat someday, and I want to learn these skills. Traditional boatbuilding needs to live on in our culture, and I want to be a part of that. And, living in an 1820s farmhouse, there will always be something that needs to be fi xed or built. I know that what I learn during the next two years is going to carry over into my whole life.” Creig Mills is attending the Shop’s two-year program with the aid of VA benefi ts, which provide for skills-based learning programs. The Apprenticeshop is approved as a VA- sponsored educational institution. The Apprenticeshop is now accepting applications for the 2-year apprenticeship program with January and July start dates; the 12-week intensive program runs year- round with start dates in September, January, April, and July. Kevin Carney, the Apprenticeshop’s longtime lead instructor, had this to say


BEALS - Gilbert “Gibby” W. Alley , 46 , died unexpectedly on Aug. 25, 2014 at a Ma- chias hospital. He was born on Oct. 8, 1967 in Bar Harbor the son of Winfred “Boson” Alley Sr and Hattie (Wallace) Alley. Gibby was a very hard worker. He lob-


ster fi shed for 16 years with Vinal Crowley, and eventually went out on his own. He loved to be out on the water ,fi shing traps out of his outboard boat F/V Patricia Lynn. He worked in the winter building traps for Mark Alley. He enjoyed four wheeling , and camping with his friends and family. He especially enjoyed spoiling and playing with his beautiful grand baby Macie Jane. He is survived by his beloved wife Zelma Alley ; a daughter ,his pride and joy,


about his upcoming season: “After spend- ing the fi rst part of 2014 evaluating our successes and failures, the staff, board, and incoming apprentices of the Shop are looking forward to the fall building season and to putting our energies into running an apprentice program based on what we know has worked best for the past forty years: using the craft of wooden boatbuilding to develop manual and interpersonal skills in a community that shares a passion for boats, working with your hands, traditional skills, and seamanship. We are feeling energized to set to work reestablishing The Appren- ticeshop as a vibrant center for wooden boatbuilding for the apprentices and the larger community.” The Shop also offers short courses in marine-related skills such as marlinspike seamanship and oar making throughout the year, and also the popular toboggan-making workshop in mid-winter. For more informa- tion, contact the Apprenticeshop at info@ apprenticeshop.org, visit www.apprentice- shop.org, or call 207-594-1800.


Passed over the Bar: Gilbert W. "Gibby" Alley


Patricia Stott and her husband Stephen ; a granddaughter, the love of his life Macie Jane ; his mother Hattie Alley ; brothers and special friends Winfred Alley Jr and wife Vicki , Marcus Alley and fi ance April ; nieces Sara Alley and Kaitlyn Alley ; sister- in-law Irma Chandler and husband Scott ; special friends- Roland Frenette, Walter Howland , and Glenn Libby; in laws Ralph and Guyula Thompson ; a special aunt Dor- othy Wallace and many other aunts, uncles, and cousins.


He was predeceased by his father Win-


fred “Boson” Alley Sr ; fraternal grandpar- ents Riley and Elmira Alley , and maternal grandparents Gilbert and Zelma Wallace.


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