7/13/2008
Compass Project's 5th Annual Boatbuilding Festival
Boat Building teams of families, employees and youth groups are invited to join in the 5th Annual Boat Building Festival, July 13th and 14th 9-4:30, July 15th 9-1. There will be a parade of Boats led by Down East Adventures. The Duckboat leaves Monument Sq at 1 on the 15th. Rides are free.

The festival is held to raise funds and awareness for boat building programs for at-risk youth. Up to 20 teams will build twelve-foot boats in 2 1/2 days, culminating in a dramatic boat launching at East End Beach. Boat building teams are composed of youth groups, local businesses, and families.

To date, the Compass Project has taught more than 750 middle and high school teens from the Greater Portland area how to build and row boats, work as a team, and most importantly take pride in their ability to complete a task. Compass youth are hands-on learners, and possibly the future workforce of Maine’s traditional boatbuilding industry.

7/30/2008
Samoset Boatworks to Launch their Samoset 30
Samoset Boatworks will launch the Samoset 30 – a unique 30-foot, center console, sport fishing boat on June 10th. The Samoset 30 is cold-molded, inboard diesel powered, and exceptionally fuel efficient boat, and was designed by Samoset Boatworks. It is a thoroughly outfitted, appropriately-priced, “Gentleman’s Day Boat” weighs less than 7000 lb and has a Yanmar 440 engine.

8/2/2008
Eggemoggin Reach Regatta
The Eggemoggin Reach Regatta began in 1985 as a chance for wooden boats and their owners to get together, race, and enjoy each others company. The race is 15 miles, and has feeder races from Castine and Camden.

8/8/2008
MBB will exhibit at Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show
Maine Built boats will be exhibiting at the Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors Show August 8-10. Come see Maine's finest artists, architects, boatbuilders, furniture makers, craftsmen, designers, marine gear vendors, and musicians. There'll be a model yacht pond, live music, a children's area, exhibits, fine food, the running of the 6th Annual World Championship Boatyard Dog® Trials, and more! See sailboats, powerboats, lobster boats and yachts of all kinds. As the only inwater boat show, with over 80 boats in the water and 150 exhibitors on land there is something for every member of the family!

9/5/2008
Eastport Pirate Festival
The Third Annual Eastport Pirate Festival will be held September 5 & 6. With Salmon Sunday being held on September 7 we have a great line-up of two back-to-back events for a fun-filled and tasty Eastport Celebration.

The Eastport Pirate Festival Committee looks forward to working with The Eastport Chamber of Commerce to cross promote and grow both events. We look forward to another great year of celebrating our maritime heritage and bringing thousands of visitors to our Island City of Eastport.

9/11/2008
Hinckley to launch new Picnic Boat
Hinckley will launch its new Picnic Boat at the Newport International Boat Show this fall. 15 years in the making, the new boat will be 36'11", feature a deeper vee hull, yet draw only 2'1". It will have twin-diesel engines, an open-deck design and a raised pilothouse. The hull construction is a Vinylester resin-infused composite of Kevlar, E-Glass, and Carbon Fiber, for superior strength & light weight. It features JetStick® control. Lastly, as a waterjet, it is environmental friendly to our seagoing friends like the manatees –and provides greater safety by not entangling lobster bouys.

7/3/2008
Langley Phtography Nautical Details Show Opening
Nautical Images Gallery and Alison Langley presents a new exhibition "NAUTICAL DETAILS".

Opening night will be a great start to a summer celebration!

6/27/2008
MBB will exhibit at WoodenBoat Show
Maine Built Boats will be exhibiting at the WoodenBoat Show, Tent C, booths 14-15. The show is held at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. "Uniting the most dynamic wooden boat show in the country, with the premier American maritime museum, creates an unforgettable weekend of excitement,” said Carl Cramer, publisher of WoodenBoat Magazine.

Many members of Maine Built Boats will be exhibiting at the show as well, so please see us there!

6/23/2008
John Williams Boat Company to launch Williams 28
John Williams Boat Company will launch hull #1 of the new Williams 28, "Trumpa" June 23. Construction started in February 2008. The hull is hand-laid up solid fiberglass with the decks and platform using composite panel construction. The idea is to keep the boat light and simple with the engine and steering being the only mechanical systems aboard. The engine, a new generation Yanmar 260hp, along with the hull design, will result is a fast, comfortable platform on which to chase stripers.

The family formerly owned a Stanley 36 built by JWB Co, and wanted to get back on the bay fishing and cruising after a 3 year hiatus with a smaller boat. The boat will reside in Buzzards Bay.

6/22/2008
French & Webb to launch 3 restored Buzzards Bay 30's
Buzzards Bay 30s were originally built in 1902 by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. of Bristol, R.I.The 47-foot yachts were ordered by the Beverly, Mass., Yacht Club and were raced as a class.

French & Webb has been selected to restore three of these 30 foot class sloops. These yachts, in varying stages of disrepair, will be brought back to their original Bristol condition using materials, hardware & details specified in their Herreshoff plans. Where possible, the same species of woods will be used as the original boats, including double planking of cypress and fir with a bedding of thickened shellac between them. The new BB 30's are living testament to last century’s golden age of yachting.

6/20/2008
Atlantic Challenge to launch
Atlantic Challenge will launch the Gilmer designed 22' yawl "Blue Moon". The construction is traditional plank-on-frame with teak decks. The work has been completed by the students at Atlantic Challenge.

6/19/2008
Lyman Morse to Launch Mad Max
Designed by Doug Zurn for a couple from the Northwest, MAD MAX will be the "ultimate power boat" for the Jones'. Built with SCRIMP infusion system, it will provide an exceptionally strong hull for their long travels they plan in the Pacific Northwest. This flybridge cruiser has an excellent layout with many great details making her a superb design. The twin C-18 1,000-hp Caterpillar diesels will provide an easy 20 knot cruise with top speed of about 32 knots.

6/6/2008
Sabre's 1st & latest launched together
The very first Sabre to be built, Patience, a Sabre 28, was launched from the South Casco boat yard 38 years ago, in time to make the September 1970 Newport Boat Show. Patience is today owned by Sabre, has been restored and will be sailing in Casco Bay this summer.

Last week, 38 years and over 2600 boats later, we launched one of our most recent models, a Sabre Spirit day-sailer, and, for a moment, the oldest and the newest Sabre yachts stood together in front of our plant.

Having started with a single model, Sabre Yachts now produces 8 models of sail and power yachts, sold from coast to coast as well as in Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Sabre Yachts, and its sister company Back Cove Yachts in Rockland, ME, employ 260 Associates, producing boats in three plants.

5/29/2008
Rumery's launches TARA, Herreshoff 26' sloop
Rumery's will launch TARA at their river front yard Thursday morning. The boat will be delivered to the new owners in Menemsha, Martha's Vineyard later in June.

The Alerion design is the jewel of Herreshoff's daysailers. The original was built for Nat Herreshoff and used as his personal recreational boat for decades, in Bermuda and Bristol, RI. Rumery's has completed 16 Alerions, with number 17 now under construction.

5/28/2008
Imi Loa by Rockport Marine
IMI LOA, designed by Melbourne Smith, is a 32-foot pulling boat that will be used for adventure-based experiential education programs in the Hawaiian islands. IMI LOA is a pinnace, an 18th century craft that would have been carried on larger ships for use on shore expeditions. It has 10 oar stations and can also be sailed with her sprit sail ketch rig.

IMI LOA is strip planked with Port Orford cedar over steam-bent oak frames. She will be shipped to Hawaii in May.

5/24/2008
Rockport Marine to launch 6-meter Jill
Rockport Marine proudly announces the launch of Jill a classic Sparkman and Stephens 6-meter racer. She has received a complete restoration at the shop and will be joining the 6-meter racing circuit this summer.

5/16/2008
The Boat School-Husson to host Launch Day
Friday, May 16th marks the first Launch Day at the school in 3 years. “We are excited to once again have this very important day part of our calendar of events,” says lead instructor Bret Blanchard. "Family, friends, instructors, staff and students are joined by guests and media to participate in the noble Maine tradition of sliding our boats down the ways into the mighty Atlantic. This is something that has been happening here on the coast of Maine for over 400 years.”

Launch Day is also Parents Day at the Boat School-Husson and students will host a picnic and cookout for invited family, friends, alumni and guests. A Boat School – Husson Open House will take place from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM with tours of the facility. The launch of the Boat School – Husson’s student built boats will take place at 11:00 AM at the school’s pier. The Family & Friends picnic will follow. For additional information you can call John Miller at 207-853-2518.

5/15/2008
New Morning launch at Lyman Morse
Lyman Morse proudly announces the launch of "New Morning", a custom Chuck Paine design 54' sailboat. The yacht features many cutting edge technologies. The hull is scrimp infused, the deck is hand laid cored E-glass, the rudder consists of an epoxy/carbon fiber blade with carbon fiber post and PVC foam core. The rig is fractional and carbon fiber, and features rod rigging. It has a Dutchman mainsail flaking system, and a fixed lead ballast keel.

Built with a 150gal. fresh water tank, a 40gal. black water tank, and a 240 gal. fuel tank, her owners, from California, will be well equipped for some serious Bluewater Cruising. They plan to live aboard all but 6-8 weeks a year. Work started on "New Morning" in January, 2007.

5/2/2008
Rockport Marine launches Bernice
Rockport Marine has just completed restoration of BERNICE, a P Class Sloop. Built by Hodgdon Brothers Boatyard in 1916, she is believed to be the last remaining P boat designed by George Owen, an MIT professor and acclaimed racing yacht designer.

The Universal Rule was created by Nathanael Herreshoff, to allow boats of differing designs to race fairly against one another. “Letter rule boats” such as the famous as America’s Cup defender J-class boats, created vessels with clean lines, power, speed and beauty. P boats like BERNICE are considered the “biggest of the small boats,” with an average length overall of 50 feet and a waterline length around 30 feet.

BERNICE is 90 years old, and has spent much of her life in the Great Lakes. All but four pairs of frames were replaced. BERNICE is double planked, and some of her original planking remains. The interior was updated to accommodate a family of four comfortably on weekend cruises.

5/1/2008
Morris 4806 Barra Launched
Morris 4806 Barra was launched earlier this month at Morris Yachts Bass Harbor yard. The 48-foot Ocean Series Yacht christened the company’s new travel lift pit that was widened and lengthened by Prock Marine to accommodate Morris Service’s new 50-ton travelift.

The owner of Barra and his family plan to cruise and participate in offshore racing. The first event is the Newport Bermuda Race. From there the boat will sail to Scotland then travel down to the Canary Islands for the 2008 ARC race to the Caribbean.

4/11/2008
Rob Eddy & Assoc. launch a model of Stormy
After three and half years of on-the-job training, Reuben Brown has completed his first solo model at Robert H. Eddy and Associates. STORMY is a 32' S&S sloop, and is the result of over 1000 hours of precision craftsmanship.

This 1965 sloop was built as a bright work finished hull. The 24.25" model features a brilliant mahogany grain that sweeps the length of the hull and reveals a striking likeness to the planking you can see on the real boat.

Please come see our shop and other model projects at our open house/launch Friday, April 11th, 3-6 pm.

3/14/2008
Annual Maine Boat Builders Show - March 14-16, 2008
58 Fore Street - Portland, Maine

A Gathering of the finest fiberglass and wooden boat builders on the East Coast. Sailboats, powerboats, canoes, kayaks and rowing boats with the builders there to discuss and sell their work. Three days of seminars for all who love boats.

1/11/2008
Hodgdon Yachts Launches New Navy Seal Transport Vessel
Hodgdon Yachts, of Boothbay Harbor, launched a new composite version of the Navy Seals "Mark V" patrol boat Friday morning. The current Mark V boats are constructed of aluminum, and the G-forces that the crews experience often leave them exhausted before their missions begin. The new prototype is 50% stronger, and slightly lighter, than the current Mark V. Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, christened the vessel. Also in attendance at the launch were Representative Tom Allen D-Maine, Captain Evan Thompson, Commander of Special Warfare Group, Dr. Robert Kennedy of the University of Maine, Dr. John Pazik, Office of Naval Research, Rev. Peter Panagore, Radio Parish Church, and Commissioner John Richardson, Department of Economic and Community Development for Maine.