This is a Morgan Bay 43 under construction for a customer from Cape Ann by Morgan Bay Boats in Frankfort. She will be launched early this summer.
This is a Calvin Beal 42 being finished out as a sportfishermen for a customer from Biddeford by SW Boatworks in Lamoine.
A forward view of the Wheeler 55 under construction at Brooklin Boat Yard in Brooklin. The following day they were going to put her shelter and top on. She is scheduled for a late June launching with delivery to the customer in July.
Planning Yard Wins DDG 1000 Contract Renewal
By General Dynamics Bath Iron Works
BATH – The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $22,714,829 contract to continue providing planning yard services for the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer. The contract includes options which, if exercised and fully funded by the Navy, would bring the total value of the contract to $343,717,651 and extend the performance period through 2029.
The planning yard services include design, material kitting, logistics, planning and execution. The majority of the planning yard services work will be performed in Maine.
Bath Iron Works currently manages post-delivery maintenance and modernization activities for DDG 51-class ships as well. The company is currently responsible for supporting 76 surface combatants in the fleet.
“We appreciate the confidence of our U.S. Navy customer that this contract renewal represents,” said BIW President Charles Krugh. “The DDG 1000 class are remarkably advanced platforms and we are committed to ensuring their maintenance and modernization so they can contribute the U.S. fleet’s capabilities for years to come.”
Boricua Boat Works, Steuben, ME
One of the big jobs this winter was on Jason Chipman’s MISS AMITY [Mussel Ridge 46, 900-hp Scania] and she had a lot of work done. She is now scalloping in Massachusetts.
In the first bay is the lobster boat SHE’S ALL WET [Osmond 40; 800-hp Scania], built at Pen Bay Boat in Sedgwick in 2006. In 2019 she was repowered with the 800-hp Scania and refreshed. She is in again for some upgrades, including extending the shelter roof, seating inside the split wheelhouse, custom sliding door on the house, new paint and repairing the skeg, which suffered some damage in one of the winter storms. The skeg repair will include getting a new keel, skeg and rudder. There was also some deck repair work done. Moises Ortiz, owner of Boricua Boat Works said that there was no other damage, but that the skeg was bad enough. She is scheduled to be done and over the end of April.
In the next bay they have a Northern Bay 41, which is a 38 stretched three feet. They are finishing her out as a sportfishing boat for a customer from Connecticut. She is powered with an 800-hp Scania and for accommodations has four bunks forward, head with shower with galley and settee up in the shelter. She will also have a television, air conditioning and an icemaker. The first big challenge was modifying the top, which was really tall. This was cut down 6½-inches and the sides were stretched out a bit. This boat is almost done and presently they are finishing up the systems and interior. The electrical is being worked on as well as the hydraulics. Moises said that if all goes right, she will be done in a couple of months.
Next, ISLA & GRAYSON [Wesmac 50, 900-hp Scania], owned by Travis Perry of Columbia Falls, will be coming in to be repowered. Moises finished her off in 2020, so he will install an engine that Travis purchased in Florida and do some minor upgrading.
This will be followed by a Calvin Beal 38 lobster boat for a customer from California. Moises said, “I think we would start that in August. It would be nice if after 12 years I could take the summer off.”
Brooklin Boat Yard, Brooklin, ME
Over the winter we have included photographs updating the progress of the Wheeler 55, which is being built for a customer from Cape Cod. The trunk and main cabin were built to the side and that was moved over and put on a few months ago. They then built the shelter and top next to her and that was going on the end of March. Inside the hull they are working on the interior furniture and the crew has been given some milestones to focus on. They said that they did not want to put up all the milestones as that would be overwhelming. She is scheduled to be completed the end of June and after sea trials delivered mid-July.
There is another Wheeler 55 on order and this is for Wes Wheeler, which will be started right after the other goes out the door. As they have been building the first 55, anything they had to jig, such as keelson, stem, stern, engine stringers, etc., they made doubles. When purchasing items for the first one they also bought another for the second one.
Brian Larkin, president of Brooklin Boat Yard, said, “Wes would like to sell something between 38 and 45. I think a more utilitarian model that is not a varnish farm. I think that would open up another market. Not so much glitz and glamour. It still takes the same amount to build, but a lot easier to keep. A lot of the original Wheelers were that way.”
It is unclear at this time whether this boat will be at any of the boat shows. They hope the owner will let them take it for a weekend or two, but understand he would like to use the boat before winter arrives.
If that is not enough, they have just started building a cold-moulded 56-foot world cruising sailboat, designed by Mark Fitzgerald. They have laid up the laminated frames and were next building the knees for around the chainplates in the Odd Fellow’s Hall. This will be followed by the transom.
Will Sturdy and Brian met a client for a 47-foot Maine Downeast style powerboat. Will has created a design with the owner and they have almost finalized it. The owner formerly owned a Back Cove, which he liked, but wanted something more personalized and better in the chop of New Jersey. The owner has put down a deposit so he is next in line.
Steve White stepped down as president a year ago but is still involved. He and the yard were working on a quote for a double-end runabout, which his father Joel White had designed. This boat will be stretched to 40 feet so that the owner can power her with a custom-made Italian V-16 engine.
A potential customer from the West Coast, owner of the 72-foot Phil Rhodes designed ESCAPADE, is looking to have her rebuilt. This is just in the talking phase.
Another possibility is an Australian talking about building a 100-footer.
As for repair work, there is more than enough. They had a Chris Craft in for a new bottom and redo the topsides, which is done. They are now just waiting for the engine. This was sent to Van Ness Engineering in Fairfield, New Jersey, who specializes in the rebuilding of classic antique engines. Due to their great reputation, the wait can be long, especially if they have to make the parts.
Other repair work includes repowering a Concordia yawl, rebuilding Thistle, and the LITTLE TUG. LITTLE TUG was designed by Pete Culler and was built by Peter Chase and Brian in 1988. She is 16 feet long, with 2½-inch planks and is powered with a 12-hp engine. She is up in the Odd Fellow’s Hall where they are repairing her stern post. She is a replica of GRACIE, which was a little harbor tug used by Concordia at Padanaram (South Dartmouth), Massachusetts.
For the lobster boat racers, remember CRY BABY [Custom 25-foot; 292 Chevrolet]? Her last race was in 2014 and she was sold. However. D. & L. Boatworks had another one under construction. We kept hearing about her progress in Lewiston, but then age crept in and they put her up for sale. Steve White purchased her a few years ago and now she is in the Odd Fellow’s Hall being finished. Presently they were putting her house on and installing a 383 Chevy gasoline engine. I am trying to get them to bring it to the Stonington lobster boat races in July. When finished she will be their yard boat.
Like many waterfront businesses they suffered some damage from the winter storms. They lost their dock, which lifted up, came apart and floated up further into the harbor. Fortunately, they had noticed that the dock needed work last year and scheduled it to be repaired this April. The repair company has already restacked the stones and is pinning them together. They will next put back the deck, in cedar, but two feet higher, and then build a dock house. They were going to build a wooden ramp but found that an aluminum ramp would be much cheaper. That is all done and waiting to be shipped from Ellsworth.
The rowboat shed had all her floorboards come up during one of the storms. This used to be done by ice years ago and every spring they had to put them back down.
Morgan Bay Boats, Frankfort, ME
In the shop they have a Morgan Bay 43 being finished out as a sportfisherman for a customer from Cape Ann, Massachusetts. She is powered with a C-18 Caterpillar. For accommodations she has a full bunk forward, a quarter berth with another berth over it to starboard and a head with separate shower to port. Up in the shelter the galley is to port and a settee to starboard. Presently, they are working on the finish work and systems. She is scheduled to go over early this summer.
Their focus will then switch to the new Morgan Bay 47. The mould is nearly finished. They were putting skids on and then they are going to gelcoat the outside to protect it from the sun. They were hoping by May they would have the plug pulled out. It will then take them about six weeks to build the first hull.
Once the plug is out, they will be building a new top. Gary Kief, owner of Morgan Bay Boat, said they were probably not going to use the house for the 43, citing that there were just too many changes to deal with. He is moving the windshield back and she is wider.
Right now, they have two 47s sold, both going to Long Island, New York. These owners own marinas on Long Island and feel that they have customers who would like one. Gary is being cautious so as not to take on more work than he can produce in the time frame wanted.
Gary and I then began discussing how complicated these boats have become. He explained, “I think the first sportfishermen I built was 20-something years ago. The name of the boat was the GENERAL LEE, and it went to Florida. She was a 35 Mitchell Cove and we did a custom top, because he was really tall. I raised the trunk up 3 inches and raised the windshield another 3 inches after that.” Comparing this boat and the one on the shop floor he said there is no comparison. This is technology. They make them too complicated. Then you work on it all of the time instead of just using it. Every one of the 43s has had a gyro except for this one and the lobster boat. The one that Tom Clemons is doing is not going to have a gyro either. Everybody that uses them likes them. Swears by them. It makes a huge difference. I don’t get a chance to really go out and run offshore, but when we take them out and you turn the boat side-to-side, she goes back and forth. Then you turn the gyro on and she settles right out. It is unreal. I think they like it because when they are just out there sitting, not fishing, the boat does not move.”
Other items that are now standard, “Bow thruster, windlasses, air conditioning and you have to two on a boat this size, generator, ice chests, ice makers, underwater lights, trim tabs…the list keeps going on, and on, and on,” said Gary.
Then Gary mentioned the get-home system, which he has installed on one of his boats. “I would never do it again,” he said. “It’s a hydraulic system and it goes on the shaft. Everything is hydraulic so when the main engine goes down you start your pony motor up and that runs the hydraulics. So, when the main engine dies you have to shut the hydraulics off that are coming off the main engine and open up all of the hydraulics on the pony motor, so that you can steer. You can run it off of a generator but you have to up-size it of course or you have got to put a separate pony motor in there. Then you have got all kinds of things to switch over, steering and everything else. You have got to have a separate hydraulic tank. That is the hard part. I would never have the system put in. You can’t get through the hydraulic hoses on it to service anything. It is just very complicated, never do it again. In fact, a guy asked me about it and I said you do not want it. It is just too complicated. You are supposed to be able to creep home on it. I think 4½ knots is all it would get. If you are running against the tide or you have got a strong head wind, you aren’t going anywhere. It is not worth it to me.”
SW Boatworks, Lamoine, ME
In the first bay of the original shop Stewart Workman, owner of S. W. Boatworks, is finishing out a very basic lobster boat for himself. She is a Calvin Beal 36 powered with a 450-hp QSL-9 Cummins. He has the engine and deck in. Down below will just be a V-berth with a little bench to port for a coffee maker and a microwave, basically a place to make lunch when he can talk his wife Alice into a boat ride. He hopes to have her done and in the water on 1 June.
Stewart has been using the next bay as his metal fabrication shop for the stainless-steel items he needs to complete his own boat.
Across the road they have two yachts underway. The one further along is a Calvin Beal 42 being finished out as a sportfisherman for a customer out of Biddeford. Down below she as a stateroom forward, bunks on the portside, a full head with shower to starboard and teak and holly cabin soles. Up in the salon is the galley and a settee. Stewart added, “It is a full galley, icemaker, water maker, filter systems and lots of other stuff. The boat is buried with stuff. Live well in the stern, big fish hole. She is all decked right out for sportfishing.” She will be ready for the water at the end of spring.
The other one is also a Calvin Beal 42, but strictly a pleasure boat and she is going to Portland. This one is just in the beginning stages of construction and will not be going over until next summer.
There is a possibility of a major repair on a Young Brothers 45 cruiser, which suffered a major fire. The main salon deck up suffered the most damage, but Stewart said that there is still a lot of boat there and well worth salvaging.
He then added that he might stop doing finish boats and concentrate on producing hulls and tops for other finishers to complete. His other plan is to build a basic lobster boat in the original shop on spec and then sell it in the spring.
Wesmac, Surry, ME
There is always a lot going on at this yard. In the lay-up shop they are starting on a 50-foot hull. This is going to be a finish boat completed as a walkaround for a customer from Houston, Texas.
In Bay 1, they have a Wesmac 42, which is being finished out as a split wheelhouse sportfisherman for a customer from Portland. She is powered with a 1150-hp Scania. For accommodations she has a forward stateroom with a V-berth and side berths, head with shower and full galley. Up in the main salon is a settee.
In Bay 2, they have a 46 sportfisherman, which is being finished off for a customer from New Jersey. She has a full cabin and down below there are two bunk rooms, head and the galley is up with a settee. This one is also powered with an 1150-hp Scania.
In Bay 4, they are converting one of their boats from jets to pods for a customer from Boston. She is well along with the deck in and they are now working on the electrical system. She will be launched this spring.
In the next bay, they have a Wesmac 55, which they are finishing out for the Maine Marine Patrol with a spilt wheelhouse, fore and aft, not side to side. For accommodations she has V-berth, head, shower, and galley. The challenging aspect to this boat will be installing the Tier 4 MAN engine.
In the last bay, they have a 42, which was just pulled from the mould in mid-March. She is going to be finished out as a cruiser for a customer from Beaufort, North Carolina. They were working on the centreline and getting ready to build everything under the platform.
Linda Greenlaw has a new boat, a split wheelhouse Wesmac 58, which was originally FIVE LADIES, then DISCOVERY and now will be named SELECT. This boat is down at the landing and they are getting her ready for the upcoming season.
Also, down there is a twin screw Wesmac 50, which is getting some work done for her new owner. She is getting a mast tower built at Cumberland Iron Works in Durham and they are adding another steering station.
Out in the parking lot they have a Wesmac 50 by 20, which is for sale and a Wesmac 38 that they are waiting for the owner to pick up.
