 Carroll Staples’ MONKEY’S UNCLE skipping across the wakes and Phil Torry's Master Simon, left, at Winter Harbor. Staples was the winner. Brenda Tredwell photo
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Friendship
There were two messages on the machine the Wednesday after Galen Alley’s LORNA R. bent a piston. One was from mechanic Marc Pelletier, saying, “We&Mac226;re almost done, right NOW.” The other was from Richard Weaver, informing that, “I got it going ON.”
Richard Weaver arrived at Friendship with Charles Olson of Cushing. Olson rafted up with MORNINGSTAR and the LORNA R., where Archie Alley was working in the stern. Galen Alley fixed a curious gaze on Gene Landry as he jumped onto LORNA R. and shot footage for a documentary film. He looked relieved when Weaver stole the spotlight by grabbing his wife Marcia, swinging her into a tango dip, and proclaiming “Torque and horsepower are like love and marriage.” The camera swung away from LORNA R. to catch Weaver. Never underestimate a mechanic who knows how to throw a curve ball.
Nick Martin’s MORNINGSTAR (the former SIRIUS) was sold to him by Ryan Post when INSTIGATOR was being built. Post is the subject of another documentary, which focuses on a year in the life of a fisherman. Martin, who lobsters in MORNINGSTAR, is from Cushing. During the races, the NEW MOON, which idled around Olson’s boat took off, returning with a small tuna they’d hooked. They were back in time to catch Keith Simmons bring HEATHER & ISAAC past the finish at 31 mph and claim the title of Fastest Friendship Lobster Boat.
The Friendship’s Fastest Race drew eight boats to the line, and had a close finish, with Gregory Havener’s EMILY (30 mph) tailing Simmons. Steaming in behind them were Ernest Wallace’s REEL CATCH (28 mph) Adam Simmons’ JILL MARIE, Samuel Lash’s LASHING OUT, Shawn Lash’s SEA FLEA, Arnold Benner’s BECKY JEAN II, and HARVESTER. HEATHER & ISAAC ran Class K Diesel uncontested, while EMILY (30 mph) kept the pressure on GLADIATOR (32 mph) in Diesel Class E. The match between Havener and Grant, who won the race, was a good one. In Diesel Class G, SEACOCK and LISA MARIE battled it out.
While several boats in the gasoline classes ran alone, there was some competition in Gas Class B. Matt Taylor’s NANCY RUTH, (wood, 1966-130 hp) won the Class B at 17 mph over Phillip Genthner’s M. CRACK N. (16 mph) They raced again in the Gas Free For All , won by NANCY RUTH. There was also some fine racing in the Workboats Under 24 Feet category.
Calvin Beal and Douglas Dodge came down from Beals and spent the day with Don Drisko and Laurie Crane on MERGANSER. As mentioned before, Beal built MERGANSER in 1977, and Dodge remembers putting in MERGANSER’s original 6 cyl., 250 cubic inch Chevy engine. Sunday, the two planned to watch an airshow at Brunswick NAS. Bruce Engert and family attended the event. According to Bruce Engert, Jr., “We got VOOP’s engine from Louie Stewart.” They say they’ll be ready for next year’s races. In the mean time, the Engerts scoped out the course.
While the visibility wasn’t great, it was a good turnout, regardless. Wes Lash and his crew did an excellent job hosting the event and raised money for their ambulance. Lash has built many workboats in his time, and remembers a few sardine carriers that came into or were built at Lash Brothers.
Harpswell
Steve Johnson’s 2 WILD made it’s first appearance here, where during a “processional sail” through the bay, it occurs to him “Whoa! I’m gonna have to race against WILD ONE!” Scottie and Laura Wood, the owners of WILD ONE (Crowley Beal 33/ Diesel /892hp GM, 6 cyl./735cid.) went head to head with Steve, who drove 2 WILD (Jingle Johnson 28/ Gas/ twin 454 Chevys) in Race 26. MOTIVATION would later claim a first over WHISTLIN’ DIXIE, 2 WILD and WILD ONE.
Everyone wanted a look at 2 WILD, Johnson’s new rig, powered by twin Chevys housed in the bed of a former 9-11 boat. “Look-twins!” said Steve, who became the grand father of a set of twins last February. Steve took the Diesel Class I and then the Gas Free For All over CRY BABY after pouring it on only a few boat lengths before the line. FIRST TEAM used similar tactics in Class H Diesel. Travis Otis waited till the last second then bombed past Keith Jordan’s HOT SPOT II and ran away with it. FIRST TEAM (Northern Bay 36, 410 SISU) has made an impact throughout this season, and Travis Otis showed us some good racing. There was no radar gun at Harpswell, so speeds were unrecorded.
Tom Clemons’ MOTIVATION (Duffy 37, 900 hp) won for Fastest Lobster Boat Category, then did it again in the contest for Fastest Boat in Casco Bay. From out of the blue, Garbo Lobster stepped in to put up a $1,000.00 prize to heat up the competition. Others in the Casco Bay Race included Andy Johnson’s WHISTLIN’ DIXIE, Steve Johnson’s WILD ONE, and Katie Johnson’s KATIE JEAN.
In the single gasoline engine contest, where more than one boat was scheduled to race, Hank Thorburn of South Harpswell set off on a clean run for the finish in ISLE OF SKYE, while engine trouble terminated Dana Hole’s run mid course, and CAMMY TERRY didn’t finish. While there are hardcore racers, revved engines, and boats that compete on every course in the circuit, it’s got to be a rush, flying down the course on your own turf, undaunted by boats with major horsepower. Thorburn brought ISLE OF SKYE to the line against LORNA R., MERGANSER and HANNAH CARSON in the Wooden Boat Race and enjoyed cutting through hometown waters at a fast clip. “My boat’s so slow, it’s ridiculous,” laughs Thorburn, who yelled over to the LORNA R. at the start,”Ya got no chance, bud-dy!” Seth Walker, too, was in the mood for a challenge and raced MISS JESSICA. That’s the beauty of lobster boat racing.
On the ride in, aboard Jeff Conant’s NO CENTS, a blond girl standing under a pirate flag stretched out her t-shirt so I could read it. The Harpswell races were unofficially dedicated to Dustin K. Winn, 1986 - 2007. As Conant shifted down, steering NO CENTS toward the dock, the girl said quietly,”He was a good kid. Everyone liked him.” When the racing ended and the crowd thinned, boats hovered around the sign-up float where there was some post-racing music that carried over the water as the sun set.
Winter Harbor
Amidst pirate flags and trophies, Buddha Byers of DC AIR summed things up, “Almost 70 boats ran. There were around $10,000.00 worth of prizes, a raffle for a trip to Mexico... Racers took home cash prizes up to $1,000.00 cash, and hand blown glass trophies were awarded.”
This was the last points face of 2007.
Brian Treadwell won Class A Diesel, in PRINCE OF PEACE II. BIGGER Dirls took the Class B Diesel over HEE HAW. Winfred Alley's SARA VICTORIA overtook PISCUTTAH Q (Diesel Class D). Clair Whitten’s CC & WATER beat VIRGINIA LEE, Diesel Class F. Jim Minott, who had serious engine issues at Searsport retired HOOKED UP for the season with 30 points in the bank.
Todd Ritchie finished out the season with 49 points after sailing SEACOCK down the course alone in Class G Diesel.
Ira Guptill’s MYSTERY MACHINE saw a Class H Diesel win over FIRST TEAM. WILD ONE'S win over THREE STARS in Class I may have clenched another title.... Wendell Bryant picked up 10 points after a Class J Diesel win for 16th AVENUE.
James West shook things up as WILD WILD WEST rolled over the Class K Diesel pack, besting MOTIVATION. The two boats competed again in the Diesel Free for All, which was won by West.
Andy Gove’s UNCLE'S UFO, with a season total of 30 points was not around, so Rick Albertson’s ALL SET ran Class L Diesel, solo. ATONEMENT took Diesel Class M where 11 boats ran... In Class N Diesel, MISS MADELYN was disqualified - Andy Johnson’s WHISTLIN’ DIXIE finished the season with a 1st place win and 59 points total.
Carl Guyton’s HOT TICKET sailed past Walter Rich’s FROSTY PUNKIN’ (Class B GAS) In Class C, Wade Sargent’s MICHELLE LEE topped WANDA LOU. LORNA R bested UNDERDOG in Class D GAS and won the Gas Free for all and World’s Fastest.....
Kris Boehmer of Ocean Marine Insurance sponsored the Pride of the Fleet Award, putting up the generous prize – a FURUNO 1750 Radar won by Phil Torrey’s MASTER SIMON. Entrants were Judged on several categories and rated on a 1-5 scale. Boehmer said, “The quality of the boats was fantastic - we went from boat to boat, wrote down a number - the judges had no idea who won until the ratings were tallied, it was very objective. A perfect score would tally up to 30 points, total.” Killer Smith, Patrick “PJ” Presnell and Boehmer judged entrant's boats on several categories then they sailed by EZ-RIDER, where judges were able to see how smooth they were in the water. Boehmer, who fished in the North Sea on his own 76' dragger, grew up in a fishing community on a Maine Island, and got interested in lobster boat racing because “It’s a natural, living in Maine. Families from the fishing community get together and have some fun with their work.” The Pride of the Fleet award was a way to reward those who have a commitment to going that extra step - “Just being average isn’t good enough,” said Kris.
