THE STATE OF MAINE'S BOATING NEWSPAPER
PRST STD
US Postage Paid Permit, #454 Portland, ME
Maine Coastal News Volume 30 Issue 10 October 2017 2017 L B R S R FREE
Heather Thompson's GOLD DIGGER winning Diesel Class J with a speed of 39.5 mph at the MS Harborfest lobster boat races at Portland. With the conclusion of the MS Har-
borfest Lobster Boat Races in Portland on 20 August came the end of the 2017 Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association’s season. When looking back everything ran smooth- ly, no major issues and more racers came out than the season before. Despite the good numbers and no problems there is always room for improvement. The schedule also looks like it will expand next year as well. Almost every venue saw an increase
over the previous year and totaling up all the races we had 649 boats who competed at the ten venues. This was 32 more racers than in 2016 and 57 more than in 2015. The best turn out we have had in the last ten years was in 2012 when 696 racers competed at 12 venues. The worst year was in 2009 when just 359 racers came out to compete. The top venue this year was Stonington with 107, just three more than Winter Harbor. Stonington is one of the most popular venues being right in the middle of the coast with great racing and great prizes. Boothbay had the lowest turnout, but this can be blamed on the weatherman for forecasting 30 knots of wind and rain, which turned out to be a beautiful sunny day with just a light breeze. There are not many boats competing
in the Gasoline classes, as most working boats have switched over to diesel. Randy Durkee’s BLACK DIAMOND came out and dominated Class C, and there was hope that Mike Dassett might get his new boat
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Publisher's Note Calendar of Events 2017 Mariner's Award
70s Memories "Selectman" U. S. Navy News
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over in time to give Randy some competi- tion. Unfortunately, Mike’s boat did not go overboard until after the racing season was fi nished. In Class D there was some excite- ment as Steve Johnson repowered LYNN MARIE with a 1,000-hp Chevrolet engine. Who would be her competition? Shawn Alley had said that his engine needed work and that LITTLE GIRLS, would not be out this year. Bruce Engret’s THUNDERBOLT would be out, but would she have enough. At Boothbay it was all LYNN MARIE. However, at Stonington out of nowhere came LITTLE GIRLS, powered with a mud-runner engine and shocked Cameron Crawford’s WILD WILD WEST, the fastest diesel boat for the last two years, to win the Fastest Lobster Boat race. LITTLE GIRLS would suff er an engine issue at Friendship and that ended her racing year. LYNN MA- RIE would fi nd more power and became a threat to be the fastest lobster boat.. In the Diesel classes, there were a num-
ber of new boats, but the one that made the biggest splash was Andrew Taylor’s BLUE EYED GIRL, a Morgan Bay 38 with a 900- hp Scania, at Stonington. She easily won her class (K) races and by the end of the season was running in the high-40s. Despite the strong showing her competition, Gary Genthner’s LISA MARIE and Jeff Eaton’s LA BELLA VITA, had banked enough points to take fi rst and second respectfully. Cory McDonald’s HELLO DARLIN’ II
dominated Class B; Winifred Alley’s LAST DESIGN in Class C; Dana Beal repowered RIGHT STUFF, which put him in Class G making Justin Papkee’s PULL ‘N PRAY the winner of Class D; Ed Torosian’s MS. ROSE dominated Class F; Todd Ritchie had been the boat to beat in Class G, but RIGHT STUFF became that boat; Travis Otis’s FIRST TEAM was having engine issues all year, but still managed to win Class H; Patrick Faulkingham’s MARGARET E. edged out Chris Smith’s MISTY to win Class I; David Myrick’s JANICE ELAINE won Class J; Chris Pope’s OLD SCHOOL repeated his win in Class M(A); Eric Beal’s KIMBERLY ANN came out and dominat- ed Class M(B); and with Andy Johnson’s WHISTLIN’ DIXIE only racing two venues Class N top racer was Marshall Spear’s JACALWA. The real battle all year was in Class L between WILD WILD WEST and Tom Clemons’ MOTIVATION, which was won by WILD WILD WEST, but what fun to watch these two battle it out. There are fewer and fewer wooden
boats on the coast. This year Vance Bunker’s SARI ANN took the top honors in the 38 foot and over class, with no one in the small class. So what about next year? Right about
mid-season it was learned that the race com- mittee for Rockland had decided not to con- tinue and they began looking for someone to take over the event. Nick O’Hara and Mike Mayo at Journey’s End Marina in Rockland
C o n t e n t s Waterfront News
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Commercial Fishing News Maine DMR-Rulemaking Canadian Fishing News
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Misc. Commercial Fishing News 12-13 Boat Yard News
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Lobster Boat Final Results Maritime History
History from the Past Classifi ed Ads
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have stepped up and will be running the Rockland races. There will be dockage at Journey’s End Marina and a get together in one of their buildings the night before the races. During the summer there were rumblings coming out of Harpswell that a group was forming to bring back the races there. They are committed and will be at the awards banquet. This race will probably take place the end of July. There is still interest coming out of Newport, RI about running a race there and Gloucester has made some noise about doing one there too. It does not look like any changes will
be made to the classes. The only rule change might be allowing just one person to be in the boat in the skiff classes, unless the operator is under age. The MLBRA off ers prizes only to the
boats competing in the Gasoline and Diesel Classes. However, should they also off er prizes for skiff s and free-for alls? Would it bring more racers out? It might be interesting to do this to see who actually is the top dog! Now it is on to the awards banquet,
which will be held again at Robinson’s Wharf on Southport Island on 14 October. The annual meeting will take place at 5, followed by a social hour, dinner and the awards. For those looking to stay in Booth- bay for this event rooms have been reserved at the Tugboat Inn and if you say you are a lobster boat racer you will get the special rate of $119. Hope to see you there.
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