Page 6. MAINE COASTAL NEWS September 2016 '70 M - N P
“Most Money We Ever Made,” Norm Pierce and Pierce Marine Services
Early 1940s, WWII was beginning to
take on its ugliest signifi cance. Norm’s two uncles on father’s side had been studying an old wooden sloop across the bay, fi nal- ly buying it, patching her with oakum and pine tar and fl oating her across to the family homestead. Coming back from the war they did a “real” repair job and sold her for the princely sum of $500. Norm said that was a standing joke in the family. “Most money we ever made in the boat business”. 1946, Great War was fi nally coming
to a close and the “Boys”, now “Men” and “Women”, those who survived this horri- ble confl ict were coming home. As bad as the war years were, the Great Depression was over. Many of the returning soldiers had saved money or were now eligible for government loans or schooling through the GI Bill. Francis Pierce was no exception. Francis “Fran” and wife Mildred decided to start a boat storage and repair business in Five Islands. Took but a short time for the business to take hold and fl ourish. Howev- er, like many businesses and working peo- ple in Maine at that time, winters were long and business was slow. Several, especially
those in the trades would go to higher em- ployment areas such as Connecticut and Florida and return in summers. Some would pack the family into the family car, and rent for the winter instead of going alone. By 1950, having put their storage
boats under cover, Francis and Mildred would pack their 4 then 5 children in the car, head south to Broward Boatworks in Miami where Fran would work the winter months. Living accommodations were in one of 12 ex- nurses quarters, at Ft. Bath, an Army Air Force facility in Boca Raton, purchased after the war by Dr’s Joe and Jake Smith. The Pierce family continued this routine annual migration until 1956 when their repair and new sales business began to see substantial growth. Norman, son and now owner with wife Mary recalls back then bringing wheels from the giant sliding doors of Ft. Bath’s hangars home for to build the railways at Five islands. By 1956 Pierce Marine Services, in-
corporating with outside stockholders had moved to Boothbay and become a year- round business at the site of what is now Carousel Marina. (Carousel Marina played a large role in the movie Carousel produced by Sam Goldwyn). As Norm recalls, “During the 50s, the
· Cummins, FTP & MAN Marine Engine Sales & Services · Complete line of marine hydraulics · Belts, hoses, fasteners & fi ttings of all sizes · Full Machine & Fabrication Shop
917 US Rt. 1, Steuben, ME 04680 207-546-7139
kennedymarine@myfairpoint.net We're here to ensure that the only thing keeping you off the ocean
...is the weather!
SEAL COVE BOATYARD, INC.
Work is still progressing on the Eastport pier that let go in February 2015. Presently they are fi nishing up the outside portion before they repair the section that let go on the inside.
If it has to do with the care of boats,
we do it here and we do it better than most.
Tel: (207) 326-4422Fax: (207) 326-4411 Email:
CHASE, LEAVITT & CO. The Chart Room
Flags · Books · Chart Kit · Paper Charts ·Navigation Tools Life Service Station
Abandon Ship · Floatation Gear ·Distress Signals · Overboard Rescue Inlatable Boats
Sales: Achilles, Caribe, & Highield Large Supply of Spare Parts Repair Professionals
144 Fore St., Portland (207) 772-6383 218 Bucksport Rd., Ellsworth (207) 667-9390
www.chaseleavitt.com
Looking to have metal work done at a reasonable cost? Welding a specialty!
Also marina slips with lots of parking and storage available. Call: (207) 991-1953
South Main Street, Brewer, Maine 04412
• Expert Repair • Fuel Polishing • Haulout/Storage
• Showers/Laundry
• Brokerage/Rental • DIY Space
KUSTOM STEEL
Superb Service Best Rates
marine business was mostly made up of small builders using wood and aluminum. There were also somewhere around 30 to 40 brands of outboard motors. Virtually any gas station that could scrape a few dol- lars together could be a dealer, and many were. At one point OMC had a dealer ev- ery 9-12 miles along the coast selling either Evinrude, Johnson, Buccaneer, Sea King, or others made by OMC. From “57 to 76” the industry made the change from wood to fi berglass and boats were built larger and faster. Of course early fi berglass, being the most popular lead to a certain amount of skepticism in the beginning. Early buyers were sometimes skeptical but wasn’t long before power and sail were being manufac- tured in record numbers. It was also during this time when many of the outboard mo- tor manufacturers began to consolidate or were bought out. OMC with Johnson and Evinrude, Kiekhaefer with Mercury soon reigned supreme. By 1970, Mother and Father Pierce
had bought out the other stockholders and Pierce Marine Services had become a sole family corporation, representing and sell- ing among others, Mercury outboards, Old Town, Grady White, Lyman, Slickcraft, Trojan, Bertram, Penn Yann, Paceship, O’Day, and Robalo Boats. By 1974, Sil- verton, Cape Dory, Dell Quay, Aquasport, Fiberform, Century, and Her/America had also been added. As 1979 came around, with 29 years in
the industry, and facing cancer, Fran decid- ed it was time to put the business up for sale in order to provide retirement income for he and Mildred. Carousel Marina was sold
to Jack Cogswell and Pierce Marine was subsequently purchased with outside stock- holders by Norm and Mary who continued to expand the business, adding new lines, dropping others. One outstanding feature of the Pierce “Marines” businesses is the number of awards for outstanding service and sales. I would hazard to say one wall would have to be mighty large to hold them all.
This past winter I called Norm and
Mary, asking them if they would mind stopping by Englewood. I didn’t feel well enough to venture to the East Coast of Florida having spent three extremely pain- ful months with shingles and they agreed. We had a great chat, talked of the early days in the industry, of the beginnings of the Maine Marine Industries (previously Maine Boatbuilders and Repairers assoc.) and shared stories of our federal and state governments who at various times have passed some very trying legislation putting a number of our compatriots out of busi- ness. Norm tells the story of one nefarious ruling back in the late 70s, early 80s when our esteemed Senator George Mitchell came to Maine for a roundtable discussion. Richard Duff y, God Love him, had some forty of his crew turned out with picket signs telling Mr. Mitchell just what he and the beloved government should or could do with this idea Luckily, Sen. Mitchell re- turned to Washington and said ruling was soon rescinded. It’s been a real pleasure to have been
associated with the Pierces reaching back over my 30 years in the industry.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31