Page 8. MAINE COASTAL NEWS September 2016


A Great Season of Lobster Boat Racing Comes to an End Continued from Page 1.


There were two boats entered in the


Wooden Boat Race (A) (up to 35-feet 11- inch), which was won by MERGANSER. In Wooden Boat Race (B) (36 feet and over) ELISE A. was the only entrant. Just two boats came to the line for the


fi nal race of the day and they fi nished as expected MOTIVATION fi rst followed by LE BELLA VITA.


WINTER HARBOR – PEMAQUID: Fol- lowing the Friendship races we had two free weekends before we headed to Winter Harbor on 13 August and the seventh race of the season. Sign ups were slow until about 0930


hrs and then they just poured in. When we were done 72 boats were signed up. The skies were threatening and the forecast was for showers. There are no Work Boat Class races


at Winter Harbor. So fi rst up was the fi ve Gasoline Classes, but we had just three entrants signed up, two in Class B Wayne Rich’s WIDE OPEN [26’ Robert Rich; 350 Chevrolet] and Jeremy Holmes’ JASMINE LEE [30’ Cliff ord Alley, 350 Chevy] and one in Class C (V8, 376 to 525 cid, 28 feet and over), BLACK DIAMOND. On our way out to the race course we passed JAS- MINE LEE, which meant she was done for the day. BLACK DIAMOND and WIDE OPEN were sent down together and with each winning their respective class. For the last three years the top boat in


Diesel Class A has been Thomas Young’s ETHAN R. [South Shore 30; 225-hp John Deere] and today would be no diff erent. Kit Johnson's MR. LUCKY [Duff y 35; 225-hp John Deere] won Class B. Class C was won by Winifred Alley’s LAST DESIGN. In Class D the boat to beat has been Dana Beal’s RIGHT STUFF [Libby 34; 300 hp Caterpil- lar] and today was no diff erent. Class E has also been very competitive between Kenton Feeney’s BAD INFLUENCE [Holland 32, 350-hp Yanmar]; Steve Carver’s BIGGER DIRLS [Holland 32, 400-hp John Deere] and BAD INFLUENCE pushed her way into the lead and won. Six boats came to the line for Class F and Winifred Alley’s VICTORIA ANN [Calvin Beal 34; 430-hp Cummins] got the win. Five boats were on the line for Class G and Fenton Coffi n’s SEA YA [Duff y 35; 500-hp Cummins] was the win- ner. In Class H was won by Scott Knowles’ BLISTAH’S SISTAH [BHM 39; 550-hp John Deere]. There was only one entrant in Classes I Patrick Faulkingham’s MARGA- RET E. [Young Brothers 30; 570-hp FPT] and Class K Jeff Eaton’s LA BELLA VITA [Northern Bay 38; 750-hp FPT] so they were combined. As they came up the course it was too close to call and even at the fi nish there


was not much separation, but just by a half a boat length LA BELLA VITA got the win. David Myrick’s JANICE ELAINE [North- ern Bay 38; 610-hp Cummins] was the win- ner in Class J. Now came the race everyone was waiting for, MOTIVATION and WILD WILD WEST and WILD WILD WEST got the win in a close race. Seven boats came to the line for Class M(A). Milton Merchant’s MISS TONIA [Libby 41; 500-hp Cummins] took fi rst. The biggest class of the day was Class M(B) , which had 21 boats entered. The class was broken down into three heats and then the top three boats from each heat would race off in a fi nals race. In the fi nal race by just half a boat length was CAPTAIN COLE followed by ATONEMONT and then KIMBERLY ANN in the most exciting race of the day. The last diesel class race of the day was Class N Arnold Francis’ KIM CE- LESTE [Calvin Beal 44, 1,000-hp MAN] got the win. In the Gasoline Free-for-All no one was surprised to see WIDE OPEN out in front. Next up was the Diesel Free-for-All


WILD WILD WEST crossed fi rst. In the fi rst Wooden Boat Race A there


was just one entrant, WIDE OPEN and in B there were no entrants. In the Lady Skipper’s Race, Claire


Briggs with MOTIVATION was victorious. The fi nal race of the day was again a


battle between MOTIVATION and WILD WILD WEST was won again by WILD WILD WEST. The following day it was off to Pe-


maquid and the Merritt Bracket Lobster Boat Races. This is the only race that has diff erent classes, which most of the racers enjoy as they often get to compete with diff erent competitors.. When sign-ups were fi nished we had 63


boats racing. The fi rst three races were for Work


Boats and in the fi rst race (Clamdigger and Lobster Pickers: Outboards 25 hp and under. Skiff s 16-feet and under. Age 18 and under) we had eight boats come to the line, which was won by Greg Carter’s UNCLE FERN [15’; 25-hp Yamaha] . Iin the second race (Clamdigger and Lobster Pickers: Outboards up to 70 hp. Skiff s over 16-feet) Devin Carter’s BIG MAMA [Corson 15; 60- hp Yamaha] got the win. There were eight boats on the line for race three (Clamdiggers and Lobster Pickers: Inboards or outboards – 71-hp and over, Skiff s 16 feet and over). which was won by Al Strout’s MAINEAC MITCH [Logic 21; 200-hp Johnson]. There were no entrants in the fi rst


gasoline race (Four and six cylinder gas, 24 feet and over) and just three in the second gasoline race (Gas V-8 any cu. in. and under, 24-feet and over). Bruce Engert’s THUN- DERBOLT [South Shore 30; 621 Chevrolet] took the win.


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Next up came the diesel classes and in


the fi rst race (175 hp and under, 24-feet and over) Peter Kass’ JOANNA A. [24’ Johns Bay Boat; 70-hp Yanmar] got the win. In the second race (176 hp to 210 hp, 24-feet and over) Spider’s HELLBLAZZER [Crowley 28; 186-hp Izusu] got the win. Don Drisko’s MERGANSER [33’ Calvin Beal Jr.; 230-hp Yanmar] won the third diesel race (211 hp to 250 hp, 24-feet and over). Ten boats were entered in the next race (251 hp to 350 hp, 24 and over) and Adam Kimball’s MISS ATTITUDE [Holland 32; 265-hp John Deere] got the win. In the next race (351 hp to 450 hp, 28 to 35 feet 11 inch and under) and Dexter Benner’s FUGITIVE [Duff y 35; 420-hp Caterpillar] took the win. In the next race (351 to 450 hp, 36 feet and up) John Albaum’s WOUND UP [36 Crowley, 450-hp Scania] won by half a boat length. In the next race (451 hp to 650 hp, 28 feet and over) there was another great battle between Andrew Taylor’s BLUE EYED GIRL [Calvin Beal 36, 650-hp Scania] and MISTY and the win went to MISTY. LA BELLA VITA and LISA MARIE were up next (651 – 800 hp, 28 feet and over) and the win went to LA BELLA VITA. Many were waiting for the next race (801 hp and over, 28 feet and over) as everyone wanted to see MOTIVATION and WILD WILD WEST go at. WILD WILD WEST got the lead and the win.


Four Novi boats came to the starting line for the Novi Race. Travis Carter’s CA- NADIAN MIST [38’, 300-hp John Deere] took the top spot with Larry Reed’s GOIN’ DEEP [North Shore 27; 300-hp John Deere] second.


There were fi ve boats entered in the


Wooden Boat Race, WIDE OPEN was the winner with MERGANSER second. There were just two boats, THUN-


DERBOLT and WIDE OPEN, on the line for the Gasoline Free-for-All and it was all THUNDERBOLT. Next came the second race between


MOTIVATION and WILD WILD WEST in the Diesel Free-for-All. WILD WILD WEST got another win. In the last race of the day, Fastest Lob-


ster Boat Afl oat, and the fi nal race between MOTIVATION and WILD WILD WEST we all expected WILD WILD WEST would be the winner, but in an upset MOTIVATION got the win. The Merritt Brackett Races have been


running for 30 years. One of the people who founded the races was Don Drisko. For last 14 years Laurie Crane and he have been doing an incredible job running the event, but following this race they were stepping down. They already had people step up and say they would take over and I am sure we might still see Don and Laurie on board MERGANSER starting the races next year.


LONG ISLAND-PORTLAND – With eight races complete, it was onto the fi nal two races of the season, Long Island and Portland. We hoped to see Galen Alley’s FOOLISH PLEASURE [30’ Custom Riley Beal; 632 Chevrolet], but her engine is still not hooked up. Sign-ups began at 1300 hrs. and we


were ready for racing on time with 49 boats signed up. The fi rst race was Work Boat Class A,


which had just one entrant, William Terney’s NUGGET. In Class B we had seven boats on the line and J-BIRD was the winner. In the fi nal Work Boat Class, Class C saw Al Strout’s MAINAC MITCH [Logic 21; 200- hp Johnson] take the lead and win. Up next was the fi ve Gasoline Classes,


but there were no entrants in Class A and Class E. With just two boats, Mark Davis’


WHISKEY GIRL [BHM 25; 350 300 hp Chevrolet] and WIDE OPEN, in Class B and one, BLACK DIAMOND in both Class C and, ELIZABETH in Class D, they were all run together. ELIZABETH jumped into the lead and led the way. Second over the line and winner of Class B was WIDE OPEN followed by BLACK DIAMOND, winner of Class C. Now came the Diesel Classes. There


was just one boat, LYNN MARIE entered in Class A and she ran up by herself. There were four boats in Class B and leading the pack was Jake Dugas’ PREMONITION [Jason 25; 250-hp]. MISS ATTITUDE was ready to defend her last year’s win in Class C and did. In Class D three boats were on the line, but no one had enough for Craig Stewart’s CARL & CO. [Wayne Beal 36; 320-hp Caterpillar]. In Class E we had two boats signed up, but just Jonathan Norton’s ISLA DAWN [Crowley Beal 33; 375-hp John Deere] come to the line. Two boats came to the line in Class F and to no one’s surprise MS. ROSE took fi rst. The dominate boat in Class G this year has been HAPPY HOUR and she lead the way to the fi nish. In Class H FIRST TEAM got the win. In Class I MISTY was able to best Scott Wood’s WILD ONE [Crowley/Beal 33; 892-GM]. Next was Class J and was won by BLUE EYED GIRL Another competitive class has been K LA BELLA VITA and LISA MARIE and again LA BELLA VITA had the advantage. With MOTIVATION not running two boats, Ed Shirley’s MISS KARLEE [Mitchell Cove 32; 1,000-hp Caterpillar] and WILD WILD WEST came to the line for Class L. It was a close race, but slowly WILD WILD WEST worked her way into the lead for the win. OLD SCHOOL won Class M(A). In Class M(B) had three entrants and the top boat was Cyrus Sleeper’s CENTERFOLD [Mussel Ridge 42, 750-hp John Deere]. The only entrant in Class N was Andrew Johnson’s WHISTLIN DIXIE [Holland 40; 1,000-hp Caterpillar]. The two Wooden Boat Races were next


Class A was won by WIDE OPEN and Class B by DELUSIONAL. Nine boats were on the line for the Boats


Built by Johnson’s Boat Yard Race and fi rst over the line was MISS KARLEE. The next race was the Royal River


Boat Yard Race, which was won by Harold Stewart’s DONNA ELAINE. ELIZABETH won the Gasoline Free-


for-All, with WIDE OPEN second and BLACK DIAMOND third. Then came the Diesel Free-for-All with six boats on the line. As the racers came up the course WILD WILD WEST got out of the throttle for a wake on the side of the course. Due to the circumstances the com- petitors were asked to re-run the race. There was an argument about the decision. WILD WILD WEST won the second race with LA BELLA VITA second and BLUE EYED GIRL third. Now came the fi nal race of the day, Fast-


est Lobster Boat, and WILD WILD WEST led the way to the fi nish. The next day we all turned out at the


waterfront of Portland Yacht Services at 58 Fore Street to run the fi nal race of the year, the MS Harborfest Lobster Boat Races. This is a fund-raiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Maine. First up was the three Work Boat Class.


There were no entrants in Class A, but in Class B we had fi ve boats won by J-BIRD. HOSTILE got the win in Class C with MAINEAC MITCH second. Next up was the Gasoline Classes and again there were no entrants in Classes A


Continued on Page 18.


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