Category: Marine

Down the ways.

Working Waterfront

Capt. Spear joins ferry fleet

[caption id="attachment_26421" align="alignnone" width="600"] The view from the catwalk.[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_26422" align="alignnone" width="600"] The late Richard Spear’s daughter Linda christens the new ferry.[/caption] PHOTOS BY MICHELE STAPLETON The Capt. Richard G. Spear, the Maine State Ferry Service’s newest vessel, was launched April 9 at the Washburn & Doughty yard… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Eating as revenge on invasive crab

The Green Crab Cookbook By Mary Parks and Thanh Thái European green crabs are a scourge on the Maine coast, first introduced during the mid-1800s, likely by sailing vessels. They were first recorded in Casco Bay in 1900, and within 50 years had occupied the entire coast. These little crabs… SEE MORE
Students take turns standing watch aboard the State of Maine, Maine Maritime Academy's training vessel. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

‘Bridge resource management’ means a team approach

After the deadliest crash in airline history, the collision of KLM and Pan Am airplanes in 1977, killing 583 people, the airline industry made major changes, including the adoption of cockpit resource management. For the maritime industry it was after the Exxon Valdez accident in March 1989 that similar changes… SEE MORE
The former pilot boat before being refitted.

Working Waterfront

Island freight business finds its Northern Star

[caption id="attachment_26272" align="alignnone" width="400"] Northern Star, a former pilot boat, at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, where it was retrofitted to carry freight. PHOTO: COURTESY BRIAN KRAFJACK[/caption] Even before the pandemic, online ordering made getting goods shipped to Swan’s Island and Frenchboro increasingly attractive—often more so than heading off for… SEE MORE
An aerial view of Southwest Harbor Boat Yard. PHOTO: JACK SULLIVAN

Working Waterfront

Saving a Southwest Harbor anchor

Jeff and Audrey Berzinis have no firm conclusions on how to do it. But they know one thing—they want to preserve the working waterfront nature of their Southwest Harbor property for future generations. The Berzinises are the long-time owners of Southwest Boat, a marine services yard with multiple buildings, wharf,… SEE MORE
Gamage Shipyard

Working Waterfront

Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol begins new chapter

PHOTOS BY MICHELE STAPLETON This spring, the historic Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol began a new chapter under new ownership. The three new owners—Mike Tatro, John Vinal, and Carol Morrison—closed on the purchase from Rory Cowan in March. The three have been working at the yard—Tatro and Morrison for about… SEE MORE