Boat builders Festival in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Boatbuilding in Maine is a big and old tradition. If you google it, you'll come up with more responses than I care to make links to, but here are a couple of builders with old histories and beautiful boats (if you think a tugboat can be beautiful, and I do). Hodgdon Yachts, one of the oldest yards in America, builders of luxury yachts, and Washburn & Doughty, a tugboat building company destroyed by fire last year and back from the ashes through the help of the community, and now back in business,

There are many smaller yards as well, with the surrounding satellites of the industry, boatbuilding schools, magazines, clubs, etc. If you love fine boats, Maine is the place to find them.

Does a little girl who plays with seaweed (and chews on it too)

...grow up to be a chick who wears cool tools on her hip? I hope so!

Undone tug...these things are massive from the ground up

Skeleton of a tug

The propellers can each and individually be turned 360 degrees

Laurie took this...I'm adding it for scale

These old engines were amazing! No Seagulls though

I have to include this one, it's so different and beautiful

From small boats to big ones...a great day in Maine

Lobster Boat Races

Yesterday was the annual Lobster Boat Race at Boothbay Harbor. Phil and I went over to the Aquarium, which is considered the primo viewing spot to watch them. There were a couple of guys who had VHF's, so we could listen to the races being called - and a few inside jokes I sort of got; boat talkin'. There were a few women captains as well, which was great to know.

Criteria was that the boats had to be working lobster boats, even though they had souped up engines. There were 25 races and then a free for all gas race for the winners of each class and a free for all diesel for the winners of those classes. All in all it was a lot of fun...and sort of a crazy Maine thing. All these boats roared right down the center of a lot of other boats, some being used as party boats, some just out on a beautiful day. The wakes were incredible and I didn't see anyone fall down. Guess Mainers have better balance than we do...

In the last free for all race, the Coast Guard boat that was cruising around joined in. Not quite like our Coasties, I don't think.

I took a LOT of photos, and I'm really posting too many, but it was a wonderful scene on a beautiful day (don't forget you can click on the photos to enlarge them)Thanks, Phil! And thanks, lobster boat folks, for a fine show.

Does this look semi-familiar?

Taking a soaking

One of some fine old pleasure boats out there

This guy roared in last in his class - can you tell why? Ouch!

Some kind of strange!

I think the top speed I heard on the radio was 49mph

I couldn't tell if he was parading her around...or what

or what...

Best Bow Wake of Show

Best Stern Wake of Show

I wanted to get a tee shirt, something I'm rarely inspired to do at an event, but it was so funky it seemed like a good idea. But I never got to the awards ceremony where they were being sold, as I was getting a work time out and it was time to go back and move some hot sauce down the road. Which I did. Thanks for the time out, Laurie!

It looks like Culebra is getting some serious soaking...maybe I won't be the only one to lose my tan this summer!

Happy Father's Day to all of you Dad's and all of you Mom's who do double duty. Have a Fatherly Sunday! Do something fun!