MBHH Show Features Boats, Crafts, Dogs and More

by Fishermen’s Voice staff

Some of the nine Peter Kass-built boats exhibited at the Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors Show in Rockland, Maine in August 2015. Left foreground are fishing boats, right foreground is Steve Rosen’s Sailor’s Way; far right background is Vance Bunker’s Sari Ann; next to Sari Ann is Jimmy Tripp’s Outer Fall launched in May 2015 and to the left of Tripp’s is Ryan Larabee’s Resolute, launched in the spring of 2014. For all of these owners the boats here are their second Peter Kass-built boat. Fishermen’s Voice photo

The 13th annual MBHH Show in Rockland drew crowds to Harbor Park in Rockland August 14-16. The show is very much about boats, but it has grown into a show that includes arts, crafts, food, music, furniture and of course, the Boatyard Dog event. This event is a kind of beauty/unique personal qualities contest for dogs who spend a lot of time hanging around boatyards. With some dogs deciding to show up in tutus this year, it’s easy to imagine how this event could good-naturedly spin out of control. Especially if Donald Trump saw an opportunity to fill his now open beauty contest emcee slot.

Some of the owners of Peter Kass-built wooden boats who exhibited their vessels at the MBHH show. Left to right: Steve Rosen, Jimmy Tripp, Wallace Alston and his wife, Chris Paige, Jay Smith, Peter Kass, Nathan Jones, Dick Bridges, John Williams and Vance Bunker. They are aboard Ryan Larabee’s Resolute. Fishermen’s Voice photo

The weather was almost too good, three days of clear skies and summer sun, a lot of sun. In the shaded tents there were marine company reps and crafts people with every imaginable specialty.

The majority of the boats exhibited were fiberglass pleasure boats. Maine’s premier fiberglass boat builders were represented. This year for the first time noted wooden boat builder Peter Kass of Johns Bay Boat in South Bristol, Maine was represented by nine of his boats tied up at the exhibition wharf. The owners were invited to bring their lobster boats and one yacht to exhibit at the show. The boats ranged in age from the 1991 yacht Fair Lady to the most recently launched and largest to date 47' Outer Fall, which lobster fishes out of Spruce Head.

The Kass boats were rafted up for visitors to come aboard and see the quality and craftsmanship for which Kass is known. Kass’s Johns Bay Boat Company has almost singlehandedly revived an interest in the sailing qualities of wooden boats. In particular for lobstermen who spend all day, six days a week working aboard their boats.

The SW Boatworks, Lamoine, Maine-built Gertrude Steele. Exhibiting the yacht are right to left Alice Workman, general business manager, Stewart Workman, designer and builder and an unidentified guest. SW Boat is a major producer of pleasure and commercial vessels and has exclusive rights to Calvin Beal and Young Bros. designs. Fishermen’s Voice photo

Owners of Kass-built wooden lobster boats regularly refer to the health of their backs and knees.

They say the weight of the wooden boat reduces roll, the wood dampens vibration from the engine and slicing through chop without pounding all contribute to less wear and tear on fishermen’s bodies. Kass boats have a following. The owners appreciate the way they sail, the strength and quality of the construction and the market value retention. The wheelhouse and down forward have a practical yacht quality finish with mahogany, brass and varnish aplenty. John Williams’ wife Judy said John sold his Kass-built boat to have a new one built, 17 years after launching it, and it sold for just $1,000 less than he paid for it.