Friday, March 29

Lobster Boat Races Return to Maine

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The popular lobster boat races are underway again Maine this summer, after some of them were cancelled last year because of the pandemic. So far, the fastest lobster boat, winning races in Boothbay and Rockland, is Blue Eyed Girl; it was clocked at 51 mph, which is a bit faster than it travels on its everyday working life picking up lobster pots in Southport, just west of Boothbay Harbor.

Blue Eyed Girl is a Northern Bay 38 with a 900-hp Scania V8 owned by Andrew Taylor (pictured below), who makes his living as a Maine lobsterman. In his spare time, Taylor likes to go fast – at least faster than any of the other lobster boats he’s racing on any given day. In the Boothbay race, second place went to Janice Elaine, also a Northern Bay 38, that was repowered over the winter with an 815-hp FPT. Owned by David Myrick, it topped out at 46 mph.

If you’ve cruised Down East at all, you’re used to seeing lobster boats going slowly, often setting or retrieving their traps; you’re certainly used to scanning the water ahead to avoid those traps. All those lobster boats do what they’re supposed to do – go out in any weather, in any sea conditions, and come back with a payload to sell at the local dock or lobster pound. They’re generally driven by a single, powerful, and fuel-efficient diesel, and they’re some of the most reliable and seaworthy vessels on the planet.

But that’s on working days. On race days, the competition is fierce; the bragging rights tend to last over the long Maine winters. This year, 44 boats signed up for the season opener at Boothbay. Most were from Maine, although some came from Massachusetts.

And they were not all big boats. Indeed, the first race was for Class A skiffs, 16 feet and under, with up to 30-hp outboards and operators 18 years or younger. Emily and Jennifer Noyes, sisters, won that with Jenily, a Corson 14 with a 30-hp Johnson outboard. Then their brother Jacob, in Zippin Too, a Corson 15 with a 90-hp Nissan outboard, beat their father, David, in Zippin, a Corson 14 with a 60-hp Johnson in Class B for outboards up to 90-hp.

The lobster races go on all summer. For the schedule, see http://mainelobstermen.org and watch a video of the Rockland race by clicking on the Facebook link here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/127520957365333/permalink/4162464493870939/

 

 

 

 

 

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