Page 4. MAINE COASTAL NEWS April 2018
Maine Coastal News Winterport, Maine 04496-0710 U.S.A.
P.O. Box 710 (207) 223-8846 E-mail -
igmatats@aol.com Website:
www.mainescoast.com Publisher's Note For over 30 years I have been running
Follow us on Facebook: Find under - Jon Johansen
Maine Coastal News is published 12 times a year and is dedicated to covering the news
along the entire coast of Maine, Kittery to Eastport. We cover general marine news, commercial fi shing, yachting (power and sail), boat yard and waterfront news and maritime history. Distribution of Maine Coastal News is from Eastport to Marblehead, MA and is free on
the newsstand. It also can be obtained by subscription. A year subscription, 12 issues, is $20.00. A single copy is $2.00, which covers the postage. Foreign rates for subscriptions are $40.00 per year.
T e Maine Coastal News offi ce is located at 966 North Main Street, Winterport, Maine. Comments or additional information write: Maine Coastal News, P.O. Box 710, Winterport,
Maine 04496. Publisher Editor-in-Chief
Jon B. Johansen Rachel Elward
Advertising Deadlines: T e deadline for the May issue is April 13. T e deadline for the June issue is May 11.
around the Coast of Maine and I have seen a lot of changes. One could just look at the changes in the lobster boat and in those 30 years the changes have been signifi cant. The average boat when I started running around the coast was about 35 feet in length and powered with a 200-300 hp engine. The engines were predominately diesel as gaso- line was on its way out in commercial boats. There were still wooden boats and builders, but most boats in the late 1980s were being built of fi berglass. Today, lobster boats range up to 50 feet in length, but I would guess the average is around 40 feet. It is not the length that is signifi cant, but the beam. Today’s fi shermen want lots of deck space so they push the bulkhead forward and widen the boat. The rule of thumb back in the early to mid-1900s was a length to beam ratio of 4 to 1. So for every four feet there was one foot of beam. This would work out to be a 9 foot beam on a 36-footer. Today there are 47 footers with a 17 foot beam. I understand the reason behind it, but how hard is it to push these boats through the water? Longer, not wider is the real answer. There have also been a lot of changes to
the marine businesses of the coast. Workers come and go, but that is normal. Some go work for another company or start their own company. However, for the most part, own-
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On-going Exhibits – 10 June 2018: Pull Together: Maritime Maine in the 1914-1918 Great War Maine Maritime Museum Bath
Info: (207) 443-1316
Dive Deep with Whales New Bedford Whaling Museum New Bedford, MA Info: (508) 997-0046
- June 2018: “Thou Shalt Knot: Cliff ord W. Ashley” New Bedford Whaling Museum New Bedford, MA Info: (508) 997-0046
Enlightened Encounters: The Two Nations of Manijiro Nakahama New Bedford Whaling Museum New Bedford, MA Info: (508) 997-0046
The Importance of Place: A Sketchbook of Drawings by Stuart Davis
Cape Ann Museum 27 Pleasant St. Gloucester, MA Info: (978) 283-0455
MARCH 15 Syma Ebbin: Researching Native Fisheries in the Pacifi c NW Adventure Series Mystic Seaport Museum Latitude 41 Restaurant River Room Mystic, CT
Info: (860) 572-5331
APRIL 19 Elizabeth Cottrell: Expedition to Artic Volcanoes Adventure Series Mystic Seaport Museum Latitude 41 Restaurant River Room Mystic, CT
Info: (860) 572-5331
MAY 17 James L. Nelson: From Tall Ships to Viking Longships Adventure Series Mystic Seaport Museum Latitude 41 Restaurant River Room Mystic, CT
Info: (860) 572-5331
JUNE 16 Boothbay Harbor Lobster Boat Races
Boothbay Harbor Info: Ashlee Lowrey (207) 808- 9230
17 Rockland Lobster Boat Races Rockland Harbor @ Breakwater Rockland
Info: Nick O’Hara (207) 594-0400
23-25 Maine Boatbuilder’s Show Portland Sports Complex 512 Warren Ave. Portland
Info: (207) 774-1067
24 Bass Harbor Lobster Boat Races Bass Harbor Info: Wayne Rich (207) 244-9623
30 Moosabec Reach Lobster Boat Races U. S. Coast Guard Station Jonesport
Info: Jay Mills (207) 598-6347
JULY 8 Stonington Lobster Boat Races Town Dock Stonington
Info: Cory McDonald (207) 664- 4525
Genevieve McDonald (207) 266- 5113
22 Friendship Lobster Boat Races Town Dock Friendship
Info: Robin Reed (207) 975-9821
29 Harpswell Lobster Boat Races Harpswell Info: Larry Ward (207) 833-6325
AUGUST 11 Winter Harbor Lobster Boat Races Town Dock Winter Harbor
Info: Chris Byers, (207) 963-7139
12 Merritt Brackett Lobster Boat Races State Park Restaurant Pemaquid
Info: Brent Fogg (207) 380-4909 Sheila McLain (207) 677-2100
ers usually are there for the duration. In this issue, I happened to interview two people, mainstays in the marine business world, that have decided for two diff erent reasons to retire. Ron Thomas was the founder of R. E. Thomas of Hancock, who produced marine hardware. He has had a couple of health issues, and thought it was time to slow down a bit and also bring in someone that could take it to the next level. The other was Susan Swanton, who for more than two decades ran the Maine Marine Trade Association, and her dedication to the industry has been key in helping those in business get over numerous issues thrown at them by the Government. She stated she was tired and thought MMTA needed someone younger with more energy and new ideas and stepped away when they found a replacement. What defi nes a career and when should
you walk away from one? For many, those questions will come with a variety of an- swers. Some are happy to retire, because they have other things they really want to do. Some want to travel, some want a dif- ferent job and others are content puttering around doing all sorts of things. Many of us in business do what we absolutely love and will have a hard time changing course. I also look at retirement as your fi nal phase in life and I am not ready for that. I am ready to give up some of the side things I do and focus on other things, but certainly continue doing this paper and documenting maritime history. Keith Otis is always telling me to say no or simply not off er to do more and I have started.
Remember life is not a trial run! You are
not going to get a second chance so know what you want and do it early. One never knows with that grim reaper is going to tap you on the shoulder.
MCN's Calendar of Waterfront Events
18 Long Island Lobster Boat Races Ferry Dock Long Island Info: Lisa Kimball (207) 332-3968
19 MS Harborfest Lobster Boat Races Portland Yacht Services Portland Info: Jon Johansen (207) 223-8846
SEPTEMBER
13-16 Newport International Boat Show America’s Cup Avenue Newport, Rhode Island Info:
newportboatshow.com (800) 582-7846
OCTOBER 13 Awards Banquet & Dinner Robinson’s Wharf Southport Island Info: Jon Johansen (207) 223-8846
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