Farrin’s Boat Shop, Walpole

        As usual the bays are full at Farrin’s Boat Shop as they work on finishing out two hulls, one commercial and the other pleasure.

        Back in mid-summer they put over their biggest project ever, a Lowell 43 finished out as a well-appointed cruiser for a customer from Southern Maine. By August her owners were cruising the coast and next year after cruising the coast some more they will head to Florida for the winter. The hull arrived with just stringers and Farrin’s built a custom top for her. This boat has a queen-sized double berth in the forward stateroom with hanging lockers port and starboard. The bulkhead has a swinging door and on the starboard side there is a guest stateroom with upper and lower berths and to port is a head with an enclosed shower tempered glass doors. Going up the companionway to the main salon on the port side is a companion seat and behind this is a U-shaped settee with a nice dinette, which can drop down and make a double berth. On the starboard side is the main helm unit with a full galley behind it. The galley contains a freezer/refrigerator, pull out drawers, black Corian countertops all trimmed in Mahogany. She also sports a flybridge, which is large enough to entertain several couples. She is fitted with solar panels to keep the batteries topped off when she is on the hook, not enough to run the boat, but enough to keep everything up to snuff.

        She is powered with a 1,200-hp MAN diesel, and has an 11kW Northern Lights genset, bow and stern thruster and windlass.

        In one bay they have a Young Brothers 45, which they are finishing out as an offshore lobster boat for a local fisherman. Down below she has just a V-berth with a work bench and she is powered with a 750-hp John Deere. This boat will be going over late winter.

        In the front bay they have a Wayne Beal 36, which is being finished out as a pleasure cruiser for a customer from California. Down below she will have a stateroom forward, a guest stateroom with a single berth, head/shower combo, upper galley with a propane stove, electric refrigerator and a small generator just enough to back up batteries. They are working on the items under the platform before they begin putting the interior in. They are hoping to have this one done mid-summer.

        In the other building they have the CMP boat HIGH VOLTAGE, which is a 38 Wesmac. She is in for general maintenance, which will include checking all her systems and new electronics.

        Next up will be a Holland 32 coming in to be repower and a lot of deck work and house work done.

        If you are looking to have a new boat finished or just the old one redone, they have some slots available, however be quick as they already have people talking.

Kittery Point Yacht Yard, Eliot and Kittery Point

        Like all the yards on the coast there is plenty of work to keep them busy this winter and spring.

        In one bay they have a Marine Trader in for some fiberglass and gelcoat work related to some moisture issues. She had penetration points in the overhead that was allowing the water to get in. All the core effected was removed and new core was put in and they sealed the penetration points, which caused the problem. Now she is going back together.

        There was a little Acadia in, which had the engine pulled and new mounts installed.

        T. Jason 28, used for lobstering, is in and has had the engine pulled and they are doing several upgrades before re-installing the Isuzu diesel engine. They are addressing his engine, transmission, exhaust, steering and hydraulics system. They also have a little rot in the platform floor to deal with.

        A Duffy 35 sport cruiser from Boothbay Harbor, which is now owned by the son of the owner, and she is getting some upgrades. They are going to soda blast the bottom and one of the upgrades will be custom dinghy davits from Edson for his inflatable.

        There is a Duffy in coming in next month. Marshall Farnham added, “DEBORAH LEE is an original 35 Duffy, low sheer and I think she has a 2008 mechanical Cummins. A guy in New Jersey had it, she sat around and this guy finished the boat for himself. It took years as he picked away and when he got it done and he passed away. The family had to sell it. These two guys found it online and drove down that night, made an offer and got it. You can’t find that style Duffy with a mechanical motor that is basically new. If you can appreciate what it is, it’s a rare find. She is going to be a sportfisherman so we are going to add a tuna door, all new windows, and potentially electronics upgrade.

        Over at the Kittery yard in the paint bay is a Wilbur 34. Several years ago, she had the after end of her cabin modified at the Eliot yard for her last owner. She is now back under new ownership and he is adding a bow thruster, a sliding window at the helm station, some different hardware added and her brightwork redone. She is in the paint bay having one side repainted.

        They also have a Catalina 36 sailboat in that had gone on the rocks on the North Shore of Massachusetts during one of the storms in October. She suffered some minor keel damage; her starboard side is scratched up and her rigging needs to be redone. They will also replace the rudder.

        Next month there will be a larger Duffy coming in for some major structural work. This will be a great project.

        They have some commercial fishermen coming in. One wants to add a fish hold, another wants to replace his platform and there is some repower work.

        Like many yards they are already gearing up for the spring, making sure that they can get all the needed work done before commissioning begins in April.

        Anyone looking for work to be done on their boat this winter better get their requests in now because if you wait until March or April it more then likely cannot be done this spring.

Strout’s Point Wharf Company, South Freeport

        Over at Brewer’s South Freeport Marine in the paint booth they had an older (2005) runabout in. They had repaired the hull damage and she had just been Awlgripped. The owner also wanted all the interior vinyl seating redone, which when everything is done will make this boat look brand new.

        In one shed they are refastening a Concordia below the waterline, which was done 30 years ago. They also have a couple of planks that need to be replaced.

        Another Concordia is in to have her cabin top redone. They are going to laminate a thin layer of marine plywood down with epoxy and glass and then Awlgrip it. To do this project they will have to remove the cabin sides, hatches, and the companionway.

        An International 210 will becoming in to have her plywood decks replaced. Again, they will cover the wood with epoxy and glass and then Awlgrip.

        They store about 95 percent wood and this generates a lot of great and interesting projects every year. Over and above the work already mentioned they have some other paint projects and a couple of repowers.

HODGON SPLASHES THE FIRST IN A NEW LINE OF TENDERS

SOUTHPORT – Hodgdon Tenders, the Superyacht tender division of Hodgdon, announced that they launched a new 8.0 meter (26’3″) open tender, which is the first in their new Crossover line.

        The Crossover line’s naval architecture and styling is by Philippe Cabon and Cyril Le Sourd and the engineering is by Hodgdon Tenders’ in-house team. It has numerous unique features including a folding helm console, retractable carbon fiber t-top, custom wrap-around fender, and water jet drive. Ideal for beach landing, it also includes a bow that opens and folds out to become a platform step for easy beach access. The tender has capacity for 12 guests on board and is powered by single Volvo D3-220 engine.

        “We’re very enthusiastic about the new Crossover line with its contemporary styling and modern look,” said Audrey Hodgdon, Director of Sales & Marketing. “It allows us the opportunity to offer more to the market, as we remain committed to our classic Venetian line which continues to be very successful with orders currently under construction.”

        The Crossover line includes Open, Beachlander, and Limousine tenders ranging from 8.0 meters to 11 meters.

        Delivering to a European shipyard, Hodgdon’s Service and Support team will re-commission the tender upon arrival and provide crew training.