Racing Notes 2010

By Brenda Tredwell

Keith (Left) and Travis Otis, Otis Enterprises and F/V 1st Team, appear to have dominated Class H diesel in their 410 SiSu powered Northern Bay 36.  Brenda Tredwell Photo

Evian bottled water costs $21.19 a gallon. At Young’s Market, diesel fuel is at $3.02 a gallon, and regular gasoline is $2.85. That accounts for something. Evian, bottled in New Jersey, someone managed to let us know – “It’s from France.” Cool.

Blow out six pistons and you might need some Pepto Bismal – just know, that’ll be $123.20 a gallon. How much is Budweiser a gallon? It’s Cheaper. Enjoy. A truck driver for the New England distributor for that company casually confirmed that the highest per capita consumption of their beer occurs on sunny Vinalhaven. No kidding, Vinalhaven. That’s also home to some of our finest racers. However, the best of the bunch favor moonshine. Fast engines were born of the moonshine trade, then came fast rum runners, often built by Nova Scotians who came to Eastern Maine. Those guys – well, they built real fast boats. Let’s tip our hats right now to all those guys for doing it. They started us racing.

This season Alfred Osgood’s Starlight Express set a new diesel record at Stonington (58.5) winning the Jimmy Stevens Cup (Fastest Working Lobster Boat). Osgood also won the diesel free for all (57.4) at that venue. Certain highlights occurred during this season, like a You Tube video that was abruptly yanked. Then, came the reappearance of Stevie Johnson’s Sun Bird (custom amphibian/Pontiac, twin 200 hp Yamahas) and the foolish notion that happened during the party at Harpswell – that Johnson’s Sun Bird should replace the chickadee as the pine tree state’s bird. But nobody had Senator Snowe’s number on hand. At Pemaquid, a new speed record was set by Galen Alley’s Foolish Pleasure in the Gas Free for All - 68.9. Looking at the season’s results, provided by MLBRA President, Jon Johansen – to date several boats had the right stuff.

John Temple’s Dueces Wild, Northern Bay 36 pouring it on at the Winter Harbor races. Brenda Tredwell Photo

Looks like Ms. Rose, Sea Cock, First Team, Wild One, Janice Elaine, Motivation, Starlight Express, ’51, and Abigail & Carter are sitting pretty. The Portland Maine Multiple Sclerosis Society Benefit – has yet to be.

A couple of boats designed specifically to race in 2011 are in progress. One is a proposed collaboration between an established Maine lobster boat builder, and a Massachusetts boatyard. While the guys from Maine have their ducks in a row, I’m left wondering about these geese from Marblehead.

The other is in it’s first stages: a set of working drawings with lumber ready to be ordered. On top of that, this guy has scary engine skills. He’s a savant. There is also a strong possibility that a brand new boat - built to fish and race – with a strong emphasis on race – will be built this winter for a Stonington lobsterman known for an uncanny ability to call good shots when ordering up custom boats. It’s spooky how this one knows every right thing to do, so, look out. This boat, if it gets off the ground, will work hard, and play harder. Being sworn to secrecy, readers will have to guess, but these projects and plans are all promising.

You never know who will choose what for an engine – hotrod or classic. According to one pull-truck contender from Houlton, Gene Voizine, a 55 gallon drum of Ethanol costs around $250.00 “There’s two different types. One’s cheaper. ($150.00 per 55 gallon drum) They mix it with diesel fuel to keep out the water-and that’s the racing stuff.” The season isn’t officially over, and there’s already talk about next year. Those with bones to pick over a lost race are already adopting the catch phrase, “Yeah, I learned some things from that loss,” as their mantra, and thoughts are returning to catching lobster.

Billy Bob Faulkingham racing 51' in Winter Harbor. This shot was taken from Pat Faulkingham’s Gramp’s Bird, which also raced in Class M diesel. While Amanda Joy and Logi Bear got by Faulkingham this time, 51' has been a fierce competitor throughout the 2010 MLBRA season, racking up the points. Brenda Tredwell Photo

Mike and Sheila Dassatt, of Downest Lobsterman’s Associa- tion are two to watch races with. With their experience at Glen Holland’s shop in Belfast, they know the histories of many boats, because they’ve worked on and built so many. Sheila Holland Dassatt rattled off a quick recall on the Holland 32' Black Diamond, a boat she helped build in the early 1980’s. Formerly, the boat had fished on Cape Cod, Ma., and had been named F/V Scotsman. After that, Lindsay Durkee of Penobscot Bay came into ownership.

Stories circulated that Linda Bean, of Perfect Lobster Roll fame is interested in buying or building a lobster boat to race. A certain notorious engine guy was approached through a mutual Friend- ship connection, known for his passion for revved cars, fast boats, and moonshine. While the proposition was reportedly made the week of July 24, the mechanic in question said privately regarding customers who want to race a lobster boat, and look to their mechanic to deliver miracles, “It’s a learning curve that you put the customer through. When you get to the end, they hate you, because you put them there.” He advised that rather than going for a super-charged turbo, ethanol juiced, with an experimental hull, another plan might deliver better results. A classic, proven hull design, maybe one from an older boat, could do the job. A dependably fast motor without a blower might be another suggestion. At this point, there’s no boat, just speculation. Stay tuned.