The Races

by Brenda Tredwell

Weeks ago, Ellery Alley said Underdog could still enter the scene at Friendship and stir things up. “Her shaft was cracked,” reported Alley. A certain component he described as a banjo fitting, a valve controlling fuel flow, the throttle, just wasn’t functioning. He took a saw to it, boxed up busted parts, and red-labeled them to California.

What happened at Moosabec? “We didn’t dare run her,” said Alley. “She was getting hot.” After a test run Friday, before the Friendship race, it was clear things weren’t working out. Late afternoon, July 19 at Main Street garage, Brandon and AJ quit tweaking Reynard Alley’s truck. Ellery disappeared up the ladder propped against the trailered Underdog to fire her up.

Help came from Wes Shute (Daydreamer) in Stockton Springs, who offered Underdog parts. Richard Weaver offered input, sending down two magnetos. The problem was the blower. It distilled wild amounts of alcohol, atomizing it into the air. As Ellery fired her up on-land, Reynard Alley set down his whiskey gallon on the bumper of his GMC. High fired fumes from the pipes were intoxicating enough.

There was major support for Underdog. She was trailered down to Great Wass. In transport, Ellery blasted tunes from a serious sound system in his truck. Ellery Alley galvanized focus in silence, cruising the bridge. Buffered by rock-and-roll blasting his psyche into that “comfortably numb” zone, where, yeah, nobody can touch you. His look crystallized to a steely 40-mile gaze, while familiar boats in the Reach blurred by. Ellery’s hand automatically issued the subconscious wave given to friends passing by the other side of the yellow line, coming from an island or small town. The deck at Kenton Feeney’s — “The Cave” — held a full house. Feeney races Bad Iinfluence (Holland 32' 350 HP Yamaha) in Class E.

Jonesporters and Beals Islanders can’t escape their love of competition, it’s in the blood, not even a full-body blood transfusion on the Rolling Stones scale (Keith Richards) could erase that component from their DNA. Eva Beal came by in her Oldsmobile, wanting a report on their progress.

Underdog cut through Alley Bay, only turning 4800. “She needs to be up around 6800-7000,” said an onlooker. “She probably is at 45 mph. She sails pretty. Isn’t that just Nernie’s work. Sailing right perfect.” (“Nernie” being Ernest Libby, Jr. ) Things went downhill. What do you do – yank off the jewelry – the blowers, the quirky engine, and go for twin Yamahas? Or, just sell the bitch? Maybe put more pills in a frigged blower? Was it pulleys, fuel delivery?… The checklist grew. Brandon Alley watched in frustration, closing off into his head, into solution mode. AJ was way more frazzled. “Maybe Winterport,” said Ellery. Most just want to see justice - for this beautifully designed Ernest Libby, Jr. hull to get flying like she should.

At Searsport, Jamie Alley said he wished Underdog was up and running. The competition was needed. Jamie races with Galen Alley on Foolish Pleasure. Archie Alley and Galen’s mechanic, Bob Stevens, nodded in agreement. While Galen Alley’s official time at Moosabec for the fastest lobster boat race was 72 mph, he burned the Stonington course at 72.8. Galen’s onboard GPS said he hit 75 mph at Moosabec.

Rocky Alley, ticked that he was not considered a workboat, christened the committee boat at Moosabec in a sheet of fast flying water-swamped them. He thought maybe they needed it after that godless decree. Lorna R won the gas free-for-all and wooden boat races at Searsport. Galen reportedly contacted Bruce and Bruce — the Engerts from Boothbay, before Friendship, looking for a gear for Rocky and inquiring on carburetors.

At Friendship, Foolish Pleasure ran into engine trouble – the bearings, the block.

Early morning weather conditions downeast for the Searsport Races didn’t stop boats from Moosabec, Gouldsboro or Winter Harbor from steaming off.

Troy Alley (Double Taker) Brent Davis (Hee Haw) Dixon Smith (Size Matters) Patrick and Billy Bob Faulkingham (Gramp’s Bird) and David Myrick (Janice Elaine) — headed out in a downpour. “Pouring buckets,” said Brent Davis. “Just pouring buckets.”

Heading in from the west were: Keith Jordan (Bella And Bailey) and Stevie Johnson’s crew, from Portland, Whistlin’ Dixie from Harpswell.

Several racers overnighted aboard boats, Saturday, to race in Stonington.

Becky Faulkingham said Billy Bob went down to Searsport from Winter Harbor aboard Gramp’s Bird. Anxious to race his own boat 51, Billy Bob decided by 5:30, Sunday, not to sit Stonington out. He said to his wife Carrie, “I’m going to have to get my boat.”

At Searsport, Ed Upham’s Valkyrie (65 HP Johnson, built by Otis Enterprise Marine) served as a shuttle between the wharf, and Keith and Travis Otis’s First Team, the Start Boat. At Rockland, Valkyrie led a competitive pack of Class B racers, cruising at 38.3 mph. FIRST TEAM continues on a weighty run of just living life as a heavyweight contender.

At Stonington, an off-duty fireman who was helping Claire Grindle run things from a booth behind the harbormaster’s office, estimated, “There are over 100 boats—don’t quote me—but last year, there was over $27,000 in prizes…this year, it’s more.” Grindle broke into a toothy smile. Claire taught high school in Stonington, grew up there, and has volunteered for many town events. Her interest in all this is about seeing “her kids” do great. There were 44 boats racing at Boothbay, 69 at Rockland, and 90 at Moosabec Reach.

Twelve-year-old Gavin Holland began racing when he was 8, in his workboat, Bits N’ Pieces. Then, he got another boat, Baby Baron (Holland 14, 30 HP Yamaha) Before July 4, Gavin said his best speed was 29.4 mph, at Rockland. Born in 1998, he is in the 8th Grade. The first races he attended, he was too young to remember. According to Gavin, his Grandfather, Glen of Holland’s Boat Shop, started racing in his teens, on Marguerite G of Jonesport. According to Shiela Dassatt (Gavin’s aunt), “The day Gavin was born, I was at Freightliner, in Bangor, getting my Class 1 truck driver’s license.” Dassatt was the only woman in the class. “At 7 am, I got my diploma, then went to see Gavin, so his birthdate, October 26, 1998, is on my diploma.”

While there was a long line of fishermen in the family, from the Deer Isle area, great-grandfather James Holland would open throttle to race others coming in from haul. Grandfather Robbins worked for Billings Diesel. Watching the boats leave after racing, disappearing into the horizon, Dassatt started reflecting after watching Gavin round the point in his boat. “Six or seven generations…Gavin is a natural. Norbert Lemieux says our next generation are our best stewards…”

At Stonington, during their second race of the day (gas, Class C, gas), Lindsay Durkee of Isleboro turned over the helm of Black Diamond (Holland 32' 454 Chevy) to Gavin Holland. According to Gavin, “It was insane. It was a pretty good ride…really bumpy.” Black Diamond moved in for the kill, the Class C win, after Lorna R choked.

Stevie Johnson, of Long Island, Portland is a daredevil at the helm of his race boats, and in the shop, too. At Stonington, Johnson hangs back, against Mike Dassatt’s truck, drumming his fingers, teasing about what might be up his sleeve for Harpswell. Two years ago, Johnson knocked together a Pontiac Sunbird with working directional signals, wipers, and a horn, just to kind of race in the lobsterboat races. We’ve seen twin-engine miracles, crazy hulls, so we always expect the best from Jingle Johnson. At Searsport, Johnson’s presence was felt, then he and his Long Island crew cruised on to race at Stonington, Lynne Marie named for Johnson’s wife, has four engines: two 454-cubic inch Chevy engines in-line, and two 200 HP Yamaha outboards. Her hull is a Jingle Johnson 28' Wild One, another of Johnson’s boats (Diesel, Class I) is owned and raced by Scott Wood.

Troy Alley’s Double Taker won the boat builder’s race at Stonington, cruising over the line at 49.9. There was contention surrounding an alleged jumped start during the Fastest Lobstah Boat Race, an event that, heading out of the gate, was crazy. Halfway down the course around Green Head Foolish Pleasure veered over and cut Double Taker off. Troy Alley chalked things up to experience, putting that issue behind him. “Galen had a $1000 on the line if he broke the speed record. I think he cut in front of me to go straight at the speed gun so they could get a better reading. It had no effect on the outcome of the race.” Foolish Pleasure crossed the finish at 69 mph, the record wasn’t broken.

Troy Alley’s skill as a boat builder, with that beautifully planing hull and her steady-as-a-rock platform…he’s someone to watch. While the racing is fun, Alley has more on his plate right now.

Winner of the Jimmy Stevens Cup, honoring the fastest-working lobster boat, was Robert Young’s Cynthia Lynn (Northern Bay 38'. 1,000 HP Cat Engine) of Matinicus. Young narrowly defeated Andy Johnson’s Whistlin Dixie (Holland 40'. 1,000 HP Cat Engine)
Starlight Express (Northern Bay 36'. 900 + HP Mack) was fastest lobster boat (55.6) at Stonington, won the title also at Searsport, on top of diesel free-for-all winner, at both venues.