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Moosabec, Searsport and Stonington Races
by Brenda Tredwell
As Ellery Alley iced the engine –dubbed Sweet Polly Pure Bread – his son re-played video of the boat clipping through Alley's Bay on a digital camera inside the first bay of their automotive garage, while Ellery Alley stood by inside the boat watching the thermometer drop on their custom 540 cubic inch Merlin block engine. "Here's where we blew that belt," says Bronson, while Brent Davis nods appreciatively. Davis has been there, racing HEE HAW, and right now, has plans to re-power, which won't be a factor until the 2009 season – if or when he decides to race. A lot of lobstermen are hanging back cautiously, and, "It depends on how things go" has become the stock answer to a lot of fishing issues. For now, Sunday races have had better attendance, as that's when they can't haul. Ernest Libby Jr.'s MYRTLE BELLE launched this May, was built to fish, not race, and Winfred Alley's 41' SARA VICTORIA (3126 CAT) – same story. Calvin Beal, Jr sold the 28'8 wooden lobster boat he built in 2007 to race, to a Stonington, CT client after Kennedy Marine installed a 450 hp IVECO engine in her. Calvin didn't want LITTLE GIRL to "Get banged up fishing, as he'd built her" as kind of a yacht. Still, this is Moosebec, and there are traditions, including their 4th of July Races tomorrow. While UNDERDOG won't be on the line to race, others will. The "Flying Spoon" – as Ellery has dubbed Galen Alley's FOOLISH PLEASURE – does not intimidate him. Randy Kelley learned of UNDERDOG'S increased fire power when he went to get an inspection sticker on his truck. Super-charged, with a blower, UNDERDOG could pose a threat – which was circumvented when they shredded a belt July 3rd. Frayed beyond repair, that was the end of that, and Randy Kelley's response to UNDERDOG'S up-grade was, "Show me the money." FOOLISH PLEASURE was awaiting another coat of bottom wax and a racing wheel on the eve of the Moosabec Races – the fiberglass hull weighs 1730 lbs., with engine, she's 2380 lbs.... The naturally aspirated Chevy powerhouse custom built by Richard Weaver did 64 mph easily, and is reportedly "running lean on the jet" – meaning there's more where that came from. Wesley Shute's DAYDREAMER showed at Moosabec after mechanic Wayne Canning said he'd made adjustments, he just hoped they were "the right ones." What's more he said, "back-to- back races made it almost impossible to complete repairs in time for next day racing" - something that's been said by others racing high speed boats. In 2007 at Searsport, a cylinder issue knocked Shute out of the ring for the rest of the season, ending hopes for an anticipated show down for the Pemaquid Speed Record. The 30' So. Shore (Calvin Beal) hull was brought back from the dead and resurrected with a hot engine which had it's share of bugs to be worked out, the latest of which is piston related. Still, 62.5 (Class E Diesel) is pretty respectable. Nick Wiberg's MISS KATIE served as start boat, as Keith Otis recorded speed. After a wild run down the course (Gas Class D) alone, FOOLISH PLEASURE was towed in by FATHER'S FAVORITE – (Randy Kelley) and put in the hands of Marc Pelletier, Richard Weaver and Rich, Jr., who bolted down the ladder of Benny Beal's wharf like a chinese fire drill as Galen Alley watched the racing from his temporarily out-of-commission boat. (The fuel regulator had started pushing fuel into the carbureter.) Galen was on the water again in time to win Fastest Lobster Boat. Benny Beal's reaction to events could be seen in the rear-view mirror of his big red truck, as he listened to commentary with Wyatt Beal on the monitor station, Channnel 10. Wyatt raced MOXIE, and there was his Dad's boat, CHRISTOPHER...moored just ahead of the wharf. Benny's MEGHAN ANN surfs the wake of this year's racers, contending for their own legacies. Tom Folsom described racing vs. Dale Torrey's AGITATOR and RED BARON in MISS BETHANY, his Osmond 36', with a bored out (472 cid) 455 Olds engine. Corliss Holland has threatened to put TEAM RED BARON back in the water. The top showing by Gavin Holland (9 years old) in Class A Skiffs (BABY BARON) inspired Corliss, as did the fact that "his lady would throttle him" if he didn't (race.) Keith Otis, of Otis Enterprises Marine Chaired at Searsport, where the former sardine carrier, JACOB PIKE hovered by the finish. Niles Parker of Penobscot Marine Museum -new stewards of the wooden sardine carrier – watched races from her deck. Built in 1949 by Newbert & Wallace, Thomaston, the PIKE was owned (and fished) by Dana Rice, who brought herring in for the sardine and lobster industries. Hamilton Marine's Seine Loft had been mentioned at one point as a possible site for the PIKE after the completion of an educational tour As usual, Hamilton's delivered choice prizes for racers, including traps and gear. THUNDERBOLT made the trip from Boothbay Harbor, winning Gas Class C, after which they were overtaken by CRY BABY (Gas Free for ALL) For more information on who did what, refer to statistics provided in this issue. At Stonington, Travis Otis made his presence known taking Diesel Class H (32.8) and the Boat Builder's exhibition Class (33.5) "It was blowing a gale from the southerly," according to a spectator who lobsters, who also commented that weather conditions held off the fast boats from racing. Harlan Billings' barge served as a stable platform for the race committee to operate from as events commenced on the Deer Isle Thoroughfare. There was a decent representation of local working lobster boats, alongside Andy Gove's UNCLE'S UFO. Next stop, Friendship/Harpswell, Casco Bay Area, where another horse powered Phoenix might rise from the burn pile ashes of Steve Johnson's Long Island (Portland) shop. After building a 44' x 17' Offshore Lobster boat for Keith Jordan of Cape Porpoise, maybe Steve's been busy...... |
