BAR HARBOR — With the Maine Seacoast Mission’s Sunbeam V coming out of the water for a major refit later this Spring, the Mission had to find a way for the Sunbeam crew to continue traveling from island to island providing social, health, education, and spiritual services in the Sunbeam’s absence.

Sunbeam Engineer Storey King researched, located, and inspected several possible boats to fill in for the Sunbeam. He located the 34-foot wooden Downeast Cruiser to serve this role.

Now the big question: What to call the Sunbeam’s interim replacement? 

Island Outreach Director Douglas Cornman solicited possible names from Mission staff and crew and asked island schoolkids to vote for their favorite name on the list.

“End of day, Friday, March 8, was the voting deadline,” said Director Douglas Cornman, in the release. “The majority of island schoolkids selected Moonbeam, with Hope in second and Promineo in third.” 

Moonbeam was suggested as a complimentary name to Sunbeam V; Hope was the name given to the Mission’s first vessel launched in 1905. Promineo is the Latin word meaning “to reach out.”

Holistic outreach is the crew’s focus with outer island communities.

“So, the Sunbeam crew will be traveling around on a Moonbeam this Summer and Fall while our beloved Sunbeam is enjoying its much needed refit,” said Douglas.

Stay tuned for details on the official Moonbeam christening.

Learn more about the Sunbeam V and the crew’s work among Maine unbridged islands: https://www.seacoastmission.org/what-we-do/island- services/