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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 34 Number 8
April 2007
Maine lobster boat racers plan for ’07 season
ROCKPORT, ME – ”You’ve got it, buddy,” declared a smiling Clive Farrin as he turned over the helm of the Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association (MLBRA) to his successor, Jon Johansen, following the group’s election of officers during its annual business meeting held Saturday, March 3 as part of the 2007 Maine Fishermen’s Forum.
Farrin then took a seat in the front row, joining the large assemblage of lobster boat racing fans that overflowed the Samoset resort and conference center’s Pen Bay meeting room.
After heading the organized points series of Maine lobster boat races for the past 10 years, Farrin declined to stand for re-election as MLBRA president, citing “other business I need to tend to.” He will continue to represent Boothbay Harbor on the MLBRA race committee, and will still chair that port’s local race, which kicks off the 2007 season on Saturday, June 16.
Johansen, publisher of Maine Coastal News, has served as MLBRA race coordinator for the past several seasons. He will continue to oversee race registrations, compile points standings, and organize the year-end awards banquet in addition to his new duties as MLBRA president.
Backing up Johansen will be Keith Young of Winter Harbor, who was re-elected vice president. Travis Otis of Searsport was elected secretary/treasurer, replacing Michelle Farnham of Boothbay Harbor, who asked not to serve another term. All officers were elected unopposed by a show of hands. It was also announced that Wes Lash has agreed to take over as chairman of the Friendship race, replacing Penny Reckards.
New Rockland race
The new MLBRA leadership is looking ahead to what is shaping up as the busiest racing season ever, with the addition of a new race to be held in Rockland. Robert Liberty, who has interests in five inns and motels in the Rockland area, is promoting the new race. After hearing Liberty’s pitch, the MLBRA membership eventually approved the concept with some cautionary advice.
As planned, the Rockland race will take place on Sunday, June 17, the day following Boothbay Harbor’s event. Liberty said that a race course was planned for outside Rockland’s breakwater, on advice he had received from the local Coast Guard station.
“We already have their blessing,” he stated. Several racers raised safety concerns with a course outside the breakwater, urging Liberty to revisit that issue.
“We came up with that location because of lobster gear in the water,” Liberty explained. “When I talked with the Coast Guard, I didn’t have anything else to go on, and that’s what they recommended. Now that I’ve had the chance to talk it over with you folks, I can go back to them and see what else we can come up with.”
After some discussion, it was voted to include Rockland in the 2007 points challenge.
Stonington, Searsport
Stonington also will rejoin the circuit this season after a one-year hiatus. Nick Wiberg is Stonington’s new chairman, and the race will reclaim its traditional Sunday date, which falls on July 15 this year.
In a big move announced by Searsport race chairman Keith Otis, the Searsport race will move from its customary, season-ending late August date to Saturday, July 14, pairing with Stonington to create a mid-July double-header weekend of racing.
Nine races
The addition of Rockland and revival of Stonington make for a nine-race schedule this year, the first eight of which will be points races. The season finale will be Pemaquid’s nonpoints, “just-for-fun” race on Sunday, Aug. 12.
Racers voted to count the top six finishes toward season championships so that no boat would need to race in all eight races. It was voted to keep all other racing rules and boat class divisions the same as they were for 2006.
On camera?
Those attending a lobster boat race this season might want to wear their best ball caps and turn their most flattering profiles toward the cameras, as filming for a sports documentary will likely be taking place.
Gene Landry, president of Persistence Media in Portland, gave a 15-minute presentation at the meeting, explaining his vision for an hour-long, high-definition television production on lobster boat racing aimed at the regional sports network market. Landry has a background in producing other documentaries relating to automobile racing.
Tentatively titled “Relentless Quest – World’s Fastest Lobster Boat,” the program would follow the 2007 season while exploring behind the scenes, documenting what a serious attempt at winning a lobster boat race entails.
Landry told the gathering that his preliminary exploration of the idea and previous business experience indicated to him that the lobster boat racing theme should be “a natural” for regional networks such as NESN, and that Discovery Channel, a national cable company, also had shown some interest in the project.
“We are pitching it to some large regional sponsors, such as Sam Adams and Dunkin’ Donuts, and we’re getting some positive feedback,” Landry reported. But, he cautioned, “It could all unravel because it’s all tied to money.”
Should the project meet financial success, MLBRA could stand to gain some income as well, though there is far from any guarantee at this point.
At Jon Johansen’s suggestion, the membership voted to give Persistence Media “exclusive rights” to produce a film about the upcoming season.
Steve Curtis
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