ROCKPORT — Rockport Marine recently debuted a custom 26-foot powerboat, Rembrant, which won “Best Professionally Built Powerboat” at the Wooden Boat Show, in Mystic, Connecticut. Immediately upon her debut at the WoodenBoat Show, the cold-molded powerboat won her class at the Concours d'Elegance.
Rembrantis a New England-style center console yacht designed by the Rockport Marine design office. Judges noted exceptional craftsmanship in both her hull and interior.
Designed and built by Rockport Marine for a customer who will cruise New York-area waters, Rembrant has a sweeping sheer and generous tumblehome that reflect the Maine traditions from which she was built, according to a company news release. Her Vee hull and Volvo Duoprop outdrive provide a comfortable ride throughout a speed range that tops out at 28 knots. She has a composite center console that is raised with a push of a button to reveal the 200-hp diesel engine below. Her aluminum framed T-top and large round-fronted dodger provide protection from sun and spray.
"While very much a custom boat, Rembrant's design is easily adaptable to a variety of tastes and uses," said Taylor Allen, president of Rockport Marine, in the release. "Our yacht designers envisioned this boat from many perspectives during her design and have ideas for alternative arrangements and modifications, even as REMBRANDT is just completing her sea trials. She's a beautiful boat with a lot of possibility."
Rembrant was completed in June 2015 and was immediately trailered to the WoodenBoat Show for her debut. The following week her owner accepted delivery of the yacht in New York. More information about Rockport Marine's latest new yacht construction rockportmarine.com
Rockport Marine Inc. (RMI) was founded in 1962 by Luke Allen. Since that time, the yard has grown in reputation to become one of the industry's premier wooden boat yards. Specializing in new construction, restoration, and design work, RMI has built a wide variety of boats, from traditional plank-on-frame to modern wood-composite vessels. Rockport Marine offers design services, storage facilities, and has an on-site metal fabrication shop, and 55-ton boat hoist.
Front Street Shipyard to host New York Yacht Club
In August, the New York Yacht Club 2015 cruise will visit Front Street Shipyard. The NYYC cruise is a longstanding tradition at the club. Every year it leads club members to locales where the cruisers enjoy the scenery, the waterfront and camaraderie. This year Belfast is opening its waterfront to NYYC members who will be joining us in Penobscot Bay for a few days.
Front Street is anticipating dozens of beautiful yachts for this special event, and our docks are already full with NYYC members.
Penobscot Pursuit Regatta, July 18, 19
Registration has officially opened for this year's Penobscot Pursuit Regatta scheduled for July 18-19. The two-day regatta runs between Rockland and Belfast in a pursuit-style race among boats of all sizes and styles. Classes include spinnaker and non-spinnaker as well as a multi-hull start. Saturday evening, July 18, Front Street Shipyard hosts the whole fleet at a fun party with music, food and drinks for all the racers. Register online.
Big equipment in Rockport Harbor
Prock Marine has been driving new pilings for floats in Rockport Harbor the past few weeks, a planned upgrade funded by a grant from the Maine Department of Transportation. The new pilings allow for more float stability and less potential for storm damage than the steel arms that had been used to connect the floats to the wharves.
Hungry bluefin tuna in a sea of plentyBluefin tuna are going hungry in a sea full of fish because their foraging habits are most efficient with larger — not necessarily more abundant — prey, according to a study led by a University of Maine marine scientist.
Walter Golet, assistant research professor in the School of Marine Sciences and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, led a research team that involved marine scientists from five institutions, including Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Simon Fraser University.
How can bluefin tuna go hungry in a sea full of fish?
In a paper in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series titled “The paradox of the pelagics: why bluefin tuna can go hungry in a sea of plenty,” the seven authors outlined how the overall condition (fat content) of Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus in the Gulf of Maine declined despite an abundance of Clupea harengus, Atlantic herring — their preferred prey.
The Gulf of Maine is an important foraging ground for bluefin tuna, which spend up to six months there consuming high-energy prey such as the herring and in doing so accumulate as much as 200 pounds in fat. Energy acquired in the Gulf of Maine is vital to support bluefin tuna migration and reproduction.
The population of Atlantic herring has increased over the past two decades suggesting that foraging conditions should have been favorable for bluefin tuna. A decline in bluefin tuna condition despite abundant prey resources was puzzling, so the researchers tested hypotheses related to the energetic payoff of eating herring of different sizes, comparing this across different regions of the northwest Atlantic. Researchers had expected to find that due to the high abundance of herring in the Gulf of Maine, foraging would have been favorable for the bluefin tuna, thereby increasing their lipid stores and overall body condition. Their results suggest bluefin tuna are more sensitive to the size of their prey rather than prey abundance (i.e., for bluefin, bigger prey is better than smaller prey).
Researchers identified a correlation between bluefin tuna body condition, the relative abundance of large Atlantic herring and the energetic payoff resulting from consuming different sizes of herring. The correlation is consistent with the optimal foraging theory, a model used to predict how an animal behaves when it's searching for food.
These correlations could explain why the condition of bluefin tuna suffers even when prey is abundant. According to the researchers, this may also explain a shift in distribution of bluefin tuna to offshore banks and locations further north on the northwest Atlantic shelf where herring (and their corresponding energetic payoff) are larger.
Management strategies for small pelagic fish, including sardines, herrings and anchovies, have the potential to alter food web dynamics and energy flow through changes in the size and abundance of these species. Changes in these fish stocks impact marine mammals and other large warm-bodied fish (like bluefin tuna) whose physiology is geared toward high energetic returns while foraging.
The researchers utilized the extensive data collected from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
First-ever Boston Whaler Rendezvous at Maine Boats, Homes and Harbor Show
ROCKLAND Organizers of the 13th annual Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show invite Boston Whaler owners from near and far to trailer their Whalers to Rockland for a rendezvous during the show, Aug. 14-16. The event is sponsored by Port Harbor Marine and USHarbors. Owners who exhibit their craft, new or vintage, spiffy or well-loved, at this premier annual gathering of fine Maine craftsmen will receive four weekend passes and a one-year subscription to Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors magazine.
“Boston Whalers aren’t just boats,” said show promoter (and owner of a classic 1972 Whaler) John Hanson. “They are iconic New England boats. They represent Maine, and boating, and fun on the water. They are a part of our families. This will be a huge, fun gathering.”
That fun will include the first-ever Whaler Tales party, a pig roast and music fest on Saturday evening (vegetarian options available). Carnivores and herbivores alike can sample local beers crafted by Rock Harbor Brewery while they sit back and enjoy live jazz and funk and “talk Whaler.” Party tickets are $25 per person and should be reserved in advance at maineboats.com/boatshow/bostonwhaler . During the show, owners can swap tips and stories, see brand-new whalers on display, learn about the history of these iconic craft, show off their own vessels, and learn from restoration experts about how to keep them spiffy, all while they enjoy what has become New England’s premier high-summer boat and home show. Awards will be handed out in a fleet of categories: Best Original Whaler, Best Restored Whaler, Most Bedraggled (but Beloved) Whaler, and the coveted “Best in Pod” award for all-around Whaler excellence.
The Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors Show is known for fine boats in the water and on land, handsome home wares, custom-made jewelry, and bespoke furniture. Other signature events and displays for 2015 will include Boats that Make Maine Work, a squadron of classic wooden lobsterboats; the Refit Docks, a fleet of beautifully refitted yachts, sponsored by Epifanes; the Demo Docks, boats available for sea trials; a Food Truck Rally (vote for your favorite!) and other food vendors; fun and science for the kiddos; and the always-popular (and silly) World Championship Boatyard Dog® Trials (Sunday morning, entries are closed).
The show was founded in 2003 by Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors magazine, which is now in its 28th year. Held annually in early August on the waterfront in Rockland, Maine, the event attracts thousands of discerning attendees from all over the country and world.
The 2015 Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show will be held Aug. 14-16. Gates open at 10 a.m. daily. Tickets are $12, children under age 12 get in free. Hours are Friday, August 14, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, August 15, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, August 16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Advance tickets are available online or call 800-565-4951 or e-mail showinfo@maineboats.com. For more information and a full list of exhibitors and activities, visit www.maineboats.com/boatshow. No strollers are allowed on the docks and no pets are allowed on show grounds (all service animals should be marked as such).
Hurricane Island Outward Bound School Partners with the Island School to Offer Sailing Expeditions in the Bahamas
The Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS) is partnering with The Island School to launch an expeditionary sailing program to be operated out of The Island School’s campus in Cape Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Thanks to seed funding with Mactaggart Third Fund, the two organizations are looking forward to hosting groups and students starting in 2016.
In 2012, the Island School developed the concept of a sailing program. After deciding a partnership was the best option, The Island School was introduced to HIOBS’ Executive Director Eric Denny in 2013. It was May 2015, when the dream took shape as a veteran crew from HIOBS sailed on an epic expedition from Florida, across the Gulf Stream and the Bahamas Bank to Eleuthera to deliver two sailboats, Avelinda and Eliza Sue, to the Island School’s campus. Avelinda and Eliza Sue are 30-foot twin masted sailboats designed to sail quickly and navigate into shallow waters with extractable center boards.
In keeping with the “human powered” expedition ethos of Outward Bound and the Island School, these open boats are oar powered by students when there is little wind. Designed and built specifically for Outward Bound, the boats can carry up to 8 participants and 2 instructors and will allow expeditions to sail out across the Exuma Sound to the Exuma Land and Sea Park, the oldest marine protected area in the world.
“I see this partnership as a model for non-profits in the coming decade.” said Denny, in a news release. “It brings two world class organizations together to share their complementary areas of expertise to create an exceptional program that neither organization could accomplish on its own.”
The first step in this partnership is to integrate HIOBS’ expeditionary sailing approach into the existing curriculum of The Island School’s 100-day fall and spring semesters and Gap Year program beginning in the fall of 2015. In the winter of 2016, HIOBS and Island School will launch a 21-day expedition that includes sailing, exploring, and studying around Eleuthera’s neighboring islands. The trip will include research, a coastal marine ecology and conservation course, focus on island sustainability, teach seamanship and leadership skills, and allow for team and leadership development.
Outward Bound, started in 1962, is a nonprofit educational organization and expedition school that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through active learning expeditions that inspire character development, self-discovery and service both in and out of the classroom. Outward Bound delivers programs using unfamiliar settings as a way for participants across the country to experience adventure and challenge in a way that helps students realize they can do more than they thought possible. The organization established its first sea-based school on the coast of Maine in 1964. For more information, visit www.hiobs.org.
The Island School, started in 1999 with a pioneer group of students and faculty from the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, is a 14-week semester abroad program for high school sophomores and juniors from the United States, The Bahamas, and throughout the world. Students have come from over 400 public and independent schools to study advanced placement courses in science, field research, history, math, English, and art, as well as physical and outdoor education. All courses are explicitly linked and place-based so that students and faculty can examine complex academic topics and social issues that confront this small island developing nation that is facing severe environmental pressures. For more information: islandschool.org.
Schooner Bowdoin Sets Sail for Educational Cruises and Public Events
CASTINE, Maine—July 6, 2015—Maine Maritime Academy’s schooner Bowdoin, a National Historic Landmark and the Official Vessel of the State of Maine, will make a number of public appearances in July and August, during which the ship will be available for public tours.
The ship will be sailing with three groups of students in the Maine Maritime Academy Vessel Operations and Technology program. Students navigate and maintain the vessel during 14-day summer training cruises to fulfill degree requirements and competencies toward a U.S. Coast Guard limited license. Bowdoin travels widely in its role as flagship of the MMA sail training program and will participate in the following public events this summer:
July 14-15 L’Hermione Voyage to Castine (Open Boat: July 15, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.)
July 18 Tall Ships Portland, Portland, Maine (Lead Vessel in the Parade of Sail)
August 1 Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, Brooklin, Maine
August 15 Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors Show, Rockland, Maine (Open Boat: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
Maine Maritime Academy is the only college in the United States with a dedicated sail training program that leads to a U.S. Coast Guard license as mate on an auxiliary sail vessel. Students may start with no prior sailing experience and graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree, a USCG license, and all necessary certificates.
Bowdoin’s Captain, Alec Schoettle, was born into a sailing family and worked and sailed on wooden vessels from a young age, starting with his first job at the WoodenBoat School in Brooklin. As a young teen, he sailed as a student aboard the schooner Harvey Gamage and spent summers working at boatyards and sailing. Alec has been sailing professionally since the age of 25 and has worked at Maine Maritime Academy since 2011.
The schooner Bowdoin enjoys a long history of seafaring education and Arctic exploration.
Commissioned by explorer Donald B. MacMillan to facilitate his work in the high northern latitudes, Bowdoin has made 28 trips to the Arctic, 25 of them before 1954 under the command of MacMillan. MacMillan sold Bowdoin to the U.S. Navy for use in World War II during the Greenland Patrol. After WWII, MacMillan bought the ship back and continued to sail her for nine more years around Greenland. After MacMillan’s retirement the boat belonged to the Schooner Bowdoin Association until 1988 when Maine Maritime Academy purchased the vessel for the purpose of training students. It was at this time that Bowdoin became the Official Vessel of the State of Maine and was designated a National Historic Landmark.
The public can follow the adventures of the schooner Bowdoin throughout the summer. Visit bowdoincruise.mma.edu or follow the cruise on facebook at Arctic Schooner Bowdoin.
At public events this summer, visitors will also learn about the Bowdoin Centennial Campaign, a fundraising effort to keep the vessel exploring, sailing and training for another 100 years. The $1.6 million campaign will fund the replacement of the ship’s deck, which will cost approximately $600,000, and will strengthen the ship’s endowment by $1,000,000 in order to protect and preserve her in perpetuity.
“We want to celebrate the Bowdoin in excellent condition on her 100th birthday in 2021,” said Campaign Director, Kay Hightower of Castine. “We are well underway, and we have strong donor support for the campaign.”
The Bowdoin Centennial Campaign Cabinet includes Co-Chairman Capt. G. Andy Chase, Co-Chairman Alexander Watson, Fred Atkins, Capt. Bill Cowan, Capt. Cate Cronin, Capt. Dave Fenderson, Lawrence Kaplan, Matthew P. Murphy, Capt. Alec Schoettle, Capt. John Worth, and Capt. Heather Stone. Honorary Cabinet Members include (to date): former Maine Governor Kenneth Curtis, Pete Rand, Phineas Sprague Jr., Ed Morse, and G. Baer Connard. For more information about the Bowdoin Centennial Campaign, please contact Kay Hightower at 207-326-8932 or kay.hightower@mma.edu. 
Rembrant was completed in June 2015.
Prock Marine has been working in Rockport Harbor for a few weeks, driving new pilings. (Photo by Lynda Clancy)
