Blue Bay Boats Building 26' and
28' Downeast Boats

Blue Bay Boats’ upgrades on this 45' Dixon Marine fishing boat included extending the hull to 48' and and installing a split wheelhouse.

Boat building in Maine is on a roll again. Builders are busy and there is a demand for a wider range of boats. Blue Bay Boats in Steuben has set out to supply the demand for boats in the 25' to 30' range. Blue Bay Boats owner Steve Carter said they are building two boats designed by Kevin Briggs, which are a downeast lobster boat style for that market. They build a 26' with a 9' 6" beam, which is 8' 3" at the transom, that draws 2' 6" and a 28' with a 10' 6" beam which is 9' 4" at the transom that draws 3' 2".

The Carter has built boats since he was 15. Beginning with John Williams at Hulls Cove on Mount Desert Island. Carter said of Williams, “there is not a person who ever met John Williams who didn’t like him. He was a great mentor to me.” Williams built commercial fishing boats at the time. Today most of his boats are high finnish yachts. Carter went on to work at Mitchell Cove Boats, H&H Marine in Steuben and Wayne Beal’s Boatyard in Jonesport before opening his own Blue Bay Boat shop. He said he’s done everything from building a mold plug to wiring up running lights over the years.

1954 Arno Day designed and built lobster boat restored by Steve Carter at Blue Bay Boats, Steuben, Maine. The boat got a new cabin and wheel house top in 2010 and is still fishing.

Carver brought a high surface finnish practice with him from his time with John Williams 40 years ago. When fairing a hull he said he likes to go beyond the 280 grit paper and fine the finnish with a 500 grit before buffing it out. Six years ago he restored a wood lobster boat built by Arno Day in 1954. The hull was glassed over with a new cabin and a new top installed. It is still lobster fishing and not showing it’s 62 year work life.