Variety at Maine Boats Homes and Harbors Show in Rockland

The 14th annual 3-day Maine Boats Homes and Harbors Show draws many visitors every year. There were 100 pleasure boats to check out, 50 of them in the water. The total of 200 exhibitors ranged from big boats to handmade canoes, furniture, engines, crafts, woodstoves, paintings, photographs and tools. Too many to list, here are photographs of a few that got our attention on a hot day on the Rockland waterfront.

A 30' Royal Lowell design. Wood lobster boat built by John Flanzer, Unity, Maine. The white cedar on white oak framed hull has a beam of 10' 8" and a 42' draft. The engine is a 260HP 6-cylinder Yanmar. The deck is epoxy and dynel sheathed meranti plywood. Flanzer’s boatyard, Traditional Boat, has done restoration of plank on frame vessels for 20 years. This lobster boat is their first new build on spec. Fishermen’s Voice photo

The birch bark canoe has ancient roots in northeastern North America. In Maine, with hundreds of rivers, streams, lakes and ponds the canoe was essential for native Americans to travel long distance or carry any weight even a short distance. These canoes were built by Steve Cayard, working in the background right. They are entirely built with parts of the birch, cedar and spruce trees in the traditional native American way. No metal parts or modern adhesives are used. (For an article on the history, use and those who have led the modern resurrection of the birch bark canoe see “Stone Age Pick-up”, September 2004, fishermensvoice.com/archives) Fishermen's Voice photo

Jeff Pearson, a former wooden ship builder is a Searsport dealer in old and antique boat and wood working tools had this carronade at his booth. The 36" carronade with a 3" bore was a short range anti-ship weapon popular from the 1770s to the 1850s. Built by the Carron Company, Falkirk, Scotland it was superceeded by the development of rifled naval artillery which changed the shape and size of the shells fired along with ending the need for close range engagements. This example had been used on a privateer during the American Revolution. In 1781 there were more than 450 privateers and only about a half dozen Continental Navy vessels. Privateers were smaller privately owned vessels entitled to fire on, capture and sell any British ship they could overtake. The cannonade in the photo had been buried in the yard of a house overlooking Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. The heir to the cannonade sold it to Pearson. Pearson built the replica base. Fishermen's Voice photo

Watching the best boatyard dog contest in the distant background. In the foreground the near ubiquitous Lobstah Trap Loveseat made by Sea Rose Trap Company, South Portland, Maine. There are a lot of these sold in Maine and California. Fishermen's Voice photo