 Lorna R’s offspring Foolish Pleasure in Jonesport recently. The glass hull was built from the mold pulled off the Lorna R’s wood hull. In this make over Lorna R’s 7,000 + lbs. was trimmed down to a slim 2,380 lbs. 650 of that is engine. Brenda Tredwell photo
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It’s only 40 days till June 21, opening day for the Maine Lobster Boat Races. Right now, racers are in a frenzy to get ‘r done as they work on their boats. With diesel at $4.10 at the Jonesport wharf, and right up there along the coast, a lot of serious racers are going to cut back on how many events they’ll be racing in—some plan to only attend races and cheer the others on. “I’d like to see the sport continue—there’s great potential,” said Ira Guptill, who quoted the Jonesport diesel prices, which he said “are astronomical, it affects everything.” Quite a few have chosen to race only in their local venue. The rumors that the races had been cancelled this season due to the price of fuel are false.
MLBRA Pres. Jon Johansen received a call recently asking if there was a radar gun to record speed. Johansen said he’d just cut the check and sent it off.
Galen Alley’s FOOLISH PLEASURE weighs 2380 pounds—that includes the 650-pound motor. His wooden lobster boat, LORNA R., weighs 7,000. plus pounds. So it will take some getting used to, racing in an ultra light shell, and it has taken a lot of time for his crew to work out the kinks. After a few trials, the boat was laropping—literally bouncing. “There are a lot of curious people around, waiting to see what this [boat] is going to do,” said Archie Alley, gesturing towards Galen Alley’s fiberglass version of LORNA R., FOOLISH PLEASURE. After a test run, they cut the skid down, rounded it out, and worked on the keel. More adjustments are going to have to be made. “It’s an adrenaline rush,” said Arch. “There’s a difference from the wood boat, so much more lively.” Lively, indeed. One eyewitness swore all he saw watching trial runs on Alley Bay through binoculars was a flash of red, just a boot stripe zipping by. Randy Kelley’s artwork adorns the rudder—a cartoon of arch-rival UNDERDOG being devoured....
 Launch day for Foolish Pleasure. Engine builder Richard Weaver in the easy to find red shirt, directing engine affairs. Brenda Tredwell photo
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“It’s all in jest,” said Ellery Alley at Jonesport’s Main Street Auto. “We like to get each other going.” After racing with Ernest Libby, Jr. On the 4th of July in 2006, Ellery bought UNDERDOG and finished the season. In 2007, there were some transitions, and UNDERDOG only made three or four races, then the Alleys tore the motor down and re-built it. Bronson, Ellery’s younger son, has done a lot of that work. Now, he’s “freshening up, working on the motor, cleaning the reduction gear. It’s coming, and it’s coming fast,” adds Ellery, referring to progress on the boat and the short time frame left before the opener at Boothbay. Ellery remembers tucking in to Round Pond a year or so ago with Kenton Feeney before Friendship, and the guy who let him tie up at his float, then, the thunderstorm that night - and when Donald Drisko tossed him the key to his house when the hotels were booked during Pemaquid’s 2006 races. Glen Holland (RED BARON) lent him a racing wheel. Welcoming competition, the UNDERDOG team wants to see everyone tuned up and ready to go on the 21st.
Ernest Libby, Jr., who built UNDERDOG and took a mold off LORNA R. to make the glass hull for Galen Alley’s FOOLISH PLEASURE built one for himself this winter, 34’ , MYRTLE BELLE, with a 200hp John Deere engine ( that’s all you need to haul). Never mind anything else, Libby just wants to get his boat in and lobster. He and his crew—four sons, two grandsons—worked this winter on the wooden framework for a 31’ mold, a project Libby almost deep-sixed, according to son, Ivan.
 Dr. Power with his thumb poised over the detonation button near his laboratory on the Plains of Steuben. The top of his latest IED, and his assistant, obscure the camera’s view in the background of what are believed to be the centrifuges that produce the IED’s fuel. Dr. Power, aka Richard Weaver, has disclosed few facts about this engineering project other than referring to peaceful uses and the first day of spring. Sources in Maine’s far east have disclosed the likely wedding of this project with the recently cloned Lorna R., aka Foolish Pleasure. Brenda Tredwell photo
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On May 12, the Libby 41’ SARA VICTORIA was launched. The boat was designed by Ernest, laid up at Norman (Libby)& Sons, and built by his crew for Winfred Alley, who chose a 3126 CAT 420 HP engine. Alley’s not too anxious to race it, this is a workboat—a really nice workboat. Dana Beal is the new owner of Winfred’s former boat (34’ SARA VICTORIA).
Ernest Libby, Jr. Designed the 41’ AMANDA JOY & LOGI BEAR, which sports an IVECO Cursor 600 hp engine. Owner of the boat, Colon Alley, raced last season. IVECO has become a popular engine choice—among others, Ryan Post’s INSTIGATOR and Wesley Ames’ SHAMELESS, boats new to racing last year, are powered with Cursor engines.
Bruce Engert and son, Bruce Jr., of Boothbay were not available for comment, but it sounds like THUNDERBOLT, powered by the engine from VOOP, might just race. Archie Alley said they’d spoken to “the Bruces” on occasion, as have others.
Wes DAYDREAMER Shute says, “Right now, we’re waiting for an engine—it’s getting re-built. We’re going to give it a shot.” Mechanic Wayne Canning said he’s made adjustments, he “just hopes they’re the right ones.”
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