Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association - 2010

In the racing conference room at the Fishermen’s Forum. (left to right) Chuck Williams (MAJOR WEAKEYES) of Vinalhaven, Butch Hackney of Bucksport and Wesley Shute (DAY DREAMER) of Stockton Springs. Shute is playing his cards close to the vest about the coming MLBRA season. 2010. Brenda Tredwell photo

Once again the Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association meeting was one of the best attended, and the loudest meeting at the Fishermen’s Forum on March 6. As rules changes and qualification regulations were “discussed,” some thought it a pretty good idea that the blood pressure clinic was set up just a few doors down the hall.

Bruce Enger, Thunderbolt, wanted a rules change that would ban the use of alcohol fuel. He referred specifically to Galen Alley’s Foolish Pleasure. The objections, as well as to highly modified boats, have been made in the past. Ultra-light high powered boats can have an enormous edge over the next fastest high-powered boats that are also rigged to fish.

The conversation was heated between Enger and Jon Johanson over rules changes. Johanson explained that the rules can only be changed in the fall after the racing season. It is done this way so that someone who has spent the winter building a boat to race is not bumped out at the last minute after a spring rules change. The rule on rules change seems to become elusive for someone every spring.

There are more MLBRA members at the fall meeting than at the spring meeting at the Forum. Only members can vote the the fall meeting where the rules are established. This fall the Maine Lobster Boat Racing Banquet and meeting is on October 16 at the Trade Winds Motor Inn in Rockland.

Alley defended his right to race his boat with the rules as they now are written. Johanson said the Gas D Class is a modified class and there are currently no limits on the definition of modified. Johanson said, “We may have to come up with a rule on the limits to what can be in that class.”

Questions of whether a boat needs a keel to qualify, and what the definition of a keel in fact is, were also brought up. The presence and size of the keel affect stability and speed. Kris Boehmer of Ocean Marine Insurance pulled down a definition of a keel on his blackberry, which the crowd settled on as a definition.

It looks like Alley will be on the race circuit again this summer with Foolish Pleasure. Stevie Johnson – Carboat, Hate Me Rose, etc. etc. – responded to questions about what he was putting in the water this year by saying, “We’ll think of something.”

Some of the other familiar names on the racing circuit are playing their hands close to the vest, as usual.