seal harbor yacht club damage

“Massive destruction on a proportion never seen”

Island and shore path take a beating.

BAR HARBOR—Bar Harbor’s famous Shore Path is closed.

After significant damage to the path in yesterday’s mammoth storm, the path has been cordoned off to protect the public and prevent further erosion. Wednesday’s storm brought gusts of over 75 mph in the Down East region, moved a camp out to sea, and caused damage to multiple roads and structures throughout Mount Desert Island. It also left more than 14,000 Versant customers without electricity.

Its impact in Bar Harbor was heavily felt with some still assessing damages today.

“This is massive destruction on a proportion never seen before on the Shore Path in my lifetime,” said  Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association President Dickie Cough. “It will take more money than we have to repair it all, so we will need to start raising money immediately.”

Massive portions of the path no longer exist. Nearby, the Bar Harbor Inn’s pier has a gawping hole in it. Damage to the Harborside Hotel and cruise ship tendering area and shops was also readily apparent as business owners assess damages.

video courtesy West Street Cafe

But the Shore Path is a different beast. It’s part of Bar Harbor’s lure and its history. Less than a mile long one way, it’s a staple for visitors and a major place of vacation photos and memories.

The Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association keeps the publicly accessible path clean and groomed so that people can visit Frenchman’s Bay without leaving the land. The Shore Path begins at the Bar Harbor Inn or the town’s Ells Pier and ends at Wayman Lane. Different property holders own different portions of the path.

According to the association’s website,

”This lovely walking path was made possible by the VIA working with the landowners who generously sacrificed their privacy so the public could enjoy this amazing walk. In return, the VIA accepts the responsibility and costs for maintaining the path and seawall improvements. Please do respect their property and privacy while enjoying this gem. ”The Shore Path dates to 1880. The VIA has made significant improvements to the gravel surface and stone retaining walls. We also added stone benches in 2012 and historic informational panels in 2013. The section of path between Agamont Park and Grant Park was recently widened from three feet to six feet to better accommodate current foot traffic.”

Throughout the year, tourists and locals stroll and saunter around a little point of land and past the inn along a gravel path that hugs the coast line. Toward town in the spring, there will be wild roses, fences on private property in various states of repair.

“This is the fourth damaging storm this winter and we've already talked with Harold MacQuinn Inc. about assessing the damage and prioritizing repairs,” Cough said. “Weather will play a role as to when major repairs can get started, as it will be necessary to replace entire sections of seawall. It’s also apparent the existing height of the seawall is no longer sufficient to keep the storms off the path so that must be addressed, too.”

“The path is closed until further notice ,” Cough said.

The organization’s board issued the following statement:

“The Bar Harbor Shore Path is on land that is privately owned by the abutting landowners. They have for years generously allowed the use of their land. The Shore Path is maintained by the Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association. “In light of today’s storm and the significant damage which has occurred to the shore path from the Bar Harbor Inn to Wayman Lane, and with consideration to public safety, the BHVIA has closed all access points, from the Town Pier, from Grant Park and from Hancock Street and Wayman Lane. “We would ask the public that for everyone’s safety, this closure be respected until further notice.”

During the January 10, Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting, Town Council Chair Valerie Peacock mentioned the town’s need to deal with such events as the storm that can damage roads and other infrastructure.

“I think we need to start thinking differently,” Peacock said about “planning for a different future of resilience” in places like Ells Pier, which was pummeled by storm surge and damaged.

Maine DOT’s Director of Communications Paul Merrill said the DOT has been focused on resilience efforts in recent years because of the changing climate.

“Those efforts involve planning for higher sea-level rise and upsizing culverts,” he said. Some of those efforts are detailed on the DOT’s site.

The costs of cleaning up properties on public and private lands is still being determined.

BAR HARBOR ROUTE 3/HULLS COVE/OCEANARIUM/ACADIA

The Bar Harbor Oceanarium and Education Center near the head of the island had significant flooding, too. Private videos show deep water forming waves throughout the property. The Oceanarium is expected to release photos and a statement later today.

“It’s flooded,” said a staff member on the uploaded video.

Plow trucks removed debris that washed up in Hull’s Cove, blocking the roadway, Wednesday morning.

In Acadia National Park, Sand Beach was covered with water and waves crashed up the access stairs. Nearby, Thunder Hole was filled with water, large rocks were tossed onto the Park Loop Road and there was some erosion. The Schoodic portion of the park was also heavily impacted by storm surge combined with wind and tide.

Isle au Haut, part of Acadia National Park, experienced a 95-mph gust. 

The Tay , a schooner that wrecked in July 1911 and had been buried under sand dunes, came into the air on Wednesday after massive amounts of sand was washed away. Crew clung to the schooner’s mast during the storm that contributed to its sinking. One by one, they swam ashore, all surviving except for the cook, J. B. Whelpley.

As Acadia National Park’s website reads,

“The Tay quickly broke to pieces. Clinging on for dear life to the broken mast, the Tay’s crew waited till the tide went out so they could scramble to the safety of the sandy beach. The crew found refuge in the Satterlee Family’s summer home. A large portion of the Tay’s cargo, close to ninety thousand feet of spruce planks, was washed ashore by the waves. The lumber was salvaged by many local islanders as well as the Satterlee family, who built a boathouse with salvaged lumber to honor the shipwreck.”

Louise Satterlee was J.P. Morgan’s daughter.

The storm that did in the Tay also wrecked a catboat, pushing it up on Rodick Island. Another accounting of the wreck specified that its cargo was spruce shingles. According to the Bar Harbor Record, it was a southwest wind that broke the ninety-four feet long schooner that had been built in 1887.

SEAL HARBOR BEACH/LITTLE LONG POND AREA/ROUTE 3 AND OTHER ROADS

Route 3 by Little Long Pond in Mount Desert is closed. The sea wall was pounded down and swept both in and out during the storm.

Seawall in Southwest Harbor has closed.  Peabody Drive in Northeast Harbor was closed. Route 3 in the Thompson Island area was down to one lane.  

The Bernard wharf and dock had storm surge damage and is closed The Tremont Road in Tremont experienced serious flooding.

Seal Harbor Beach also did not fare well. The Rockefeller Boat House on Dodge Point Road had emergency response staging as a propane leak on the road necessitated attention. The road itself was shut down in sections.

According to the Schoodic Institute, “higher sea levels mean that storm waves and flooding are also higher. The worst case scenario of a storm arriving at the same time as a king tide occurred December 2022. A three-foot surge in water levels provided a glimpse of average sea level rises in the future.”

The water hit those marks on Wednesday.

SATURDAY’S STORM

Meteorologists predict another storm Saturday that also has high winds.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE DAMAGE

From the maine coast fisherman’s association:.

Earlier today, we shared that individuals and businesses whose working waterfront or fishing businesses were impacted by the recent storm should share those impacts and losses with their local municipality.  The response was so overwhelming that the Maine Emergency Management Agency has stepped in to help streamline the reporting process by providing an online survey to fill out  instead of calling your local town hall . "It is imperative that individuals of private industry and privately owned commercial infrastructure who sustained property damage from the January 10th storm, including wharfs, floats, vessels, etc. document and report that damage."  Commissioner Keliher (Department of Marine Resources) HOW TO REPORT DAMAGE  The online Initial Damage Assessment Survey can be found  HERE . This is not an application for assistance nor a guarantee of financial assistance. Submission of damage information will help the State of Maine understand the extent of damage from the January 10th storm.  Individuals who sustained damages to their primary residence are encouraged to document and report that damage by filling out the Individuals & Households Initial Damage Assessment Survey ( HERE ).  MCFA will be updating our website and Facebook with information and links. 

Contact Monique Coombs if you need assistance with the survey.  [email protected]

FROM THE MAINE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES

Yesterday's storm has resulted in unprecedented damage to property along Maine's working waterfront. DMR is working closely with Governor Mills and the Maine Emergency Management Agency as we assess the extent of the damage to Maine's coastline. DMR, with the support of the Maine Forest Service, will be conducting an aerial survey along the coast today, documenting the damage. It is imperative that individuals with damaged property from yesterday's storm, including wharfs, floats, vessels, etc. document that damage, share that information with their local municipality, and ask their municipality to report documented damage to the appropriate  Maine county emergency management agency .  Please share this information with anyone on Maine's working waterfront who may have experienced damage from this storm. In the meantime, please be aware of areas along the coast, both on land and on the water, where there may be hazards as a result of yesterday's storm and proceed with caution. Also, please note that we have a similar storm coming this weekend with an even higher tide, so it’s clear that additional preparations will be needed.    DMR will continue to evaluate this situation and will communicate updates from the Governor's office and from  MEMA  as efforts to recover from this storm move forward.

NEEDS YOUR HELP

If you have still images of the storm, please think of sending them to the MDI Historical Society. It needs your help. The Society is looking for images from the storm  for a project  they are doing with the Schoodic Institute on sea level change. They are particularly looking for images from today from the head of the island, Bass Harbor marsh, and Seal Cove/Pretty Marsh areas. Please send to [email protected] with info about when the image was taken/where the image was taken/who took the image.

LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION

To donate to the Village Improvement Association

To donate to the Oceanarium

To donate to the MDI Historical Society

Storm Smashes Into MDI

BAR HARBOR—High winds and high tide have combined to cause damage throughout Mount Desert Island today, January 10. High tide was shortly before 9:30 a.m. The Bar Harbor Inn’s pier has taken on significant destruction and General Manager Jeremy Dougherty suggests people avoid the Shore Path from Grant Park to the town pier. The below images and video is …

Bar Harbor’s Shore Path

Goldie. Hunter. Rosie. Otis. Necromancer. Alice. Spartacus. Woof Doggy. There is a seemingly never-ending stream of canines that gallivant down Bar Harbor’s Shore Path on Frenchman’s Bay. Their leashes are long, short, red, chained, leather, canvas and sometimes non-existent as they sniff their way down the well-groomed gravel path past rocks and ocean,…

This story was updated to include a statement from the Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association. 12:30 p.m. January 11. It was updated to include a statement from the Maine Department of Marine Resources at 2: 18 p.m.

Bar Harbor Story is a mostly self-supported publication and covering this storm did us in a bit this week, putting us behind on our paying work, so we might be a bit slower for a couple of days. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for being here with us and caring about Bar Harbor, too.

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Camden recovering from powerful storms that damaged seawalls, ripped apart private piers

Thirteen months ago, a powerful coastal storm caused $500,000 in damage to Camden’s waterfront.

Just over a year later, two major storms just days apart battered the seaside town again, ripping off private piers and docks, flooding local restaurants, punching holes in seawalls and carrying off a large propane tank.

“This was the storm that completely reshaped the coast of Maine and Camden is no exception,” said Town Manager Audra Caler.

And while town officials are still totaling up the costs from the two January storms, Caler estimates that it will exceed the half-million in damage caused by the December 2022 storm.

She and other town officials up and down the coast are continuing to get a handle on the fallout from the Jan. 10 and Jan 13 storms that toppled the bricks out from under a historic lighthouse bell tower, sent fishing shacks into the sea and set a new high-water record in Portland.

Camden is lucky to have the reserves to front the money needed to make repairs, especially considering it could take a year or more to get federal funds, Caler said. But moving forward that may no longer be the case.

She said she’s hoping federal officials will consider helping to plan for destructive events before they happen, rather than responding afterward.

“I hope an event like this would be the impetus for moving forward with that kind of change,” she said. “It’s not going to be financially viable for any government to respond.”

On a recent day, there were a few clues that something big had happened — sandbags and crowd control barriers against a building, red tape that said “danger” to keep people off a deck outside the Grand Harbor Inn.

Yet most year-round shops and restaurants are open, and a few tourists milled about, taking in the sites including the Megunticook River Falls.

Down near the head of the harbor, the Camden Yacht Club sustained significant damage Jan. 10, when the winds blew harder and the “force of the waves and surge were more violent,” than the storm three days later, said Colleen Duggan, who acts as the club’s equivalent of a chairperson.

“We’re kind of the canary in the coal mine,” she said. “It hits our seawall first.”

As a result, they have a “big gaping hole to fill” in the wall. Yellow police tape now surrounds the property, which is near Penobscot Bay.

The storm ripped off metal railings, pushed a lot of debris onto the property and churned up what Duggan described as “enormous amounts of seaweed.”

“In 13 months, we’ve had three terrible storms with wind out of the southeast, which is where we’re more vulnerable as a harbor,” Duggan said. “We can’t solve this problem by ourselves. It’s a lot bigger than us.”

Just down from the yacht club is the Waterfront restaurant, where owner Sam Appleton is working on repairs after 18 inches of water came in. They are stripping walls up two or three feet, tearing out wet insulation, fixing the heating system and waiting on new carpet.

Appleton said this is only the second time in 45 years that he’s seen this much water. The other time was in the storm of 1978.

He said his flood insurance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency may help with some of the cost — but only after he exceeds his $50,000 deductible.

“I know I have more than that in damage, but not a huge amount more,” he said. “It will be a lot of money out of pocket.”

Despite all that, he hopes to reopen his year-round restaurant that serves coastal classics such as clam chowder and lobster stew, by Feb. 1.

For the last several years, Camden has worked to become a year-round destination for tourists. Already well-known for its picturesque downtown, a state park with stunning views and as the home of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, the town is now known for its ski mountain.

The Camden Snow Bowl is a big reason the town made the Reader’s Digest list of Best Winter Destinations in Every State, according to a December listing in the magazine.

“Get out there and have some fun in the cold at Camden Snow Bowl, the only ski area on the east coast where you can actually see the ocean,” the magazine wrote.

The write-up also mentioned the U.S. National Toboggan Championships, which are set for Feb. 2-4.

Caler said there’s adequate snow and cold to support the event this year, unlike last year, when it wasn’t cold enough to freeze over the pond at the end of the toboggan chute.

As she looks forward, the Snow Bowl may also be one of the town-owned entities most affected by climate change.

“It’s sort of becoming more and more difficult to look at the future and think it’s practical,” she said.

That may be the case for other popular destinations, including the falls that are a hallmark of the town. Caler said the town has been lucky so far to have either inland flooding or coastal storm surge, but it hasn’t had to deal with both at the same time.

“Our biggest challenge in Maine and the Midcoast is still the increase in precipitation and overland flooding,” she said. “We’re all going to have to make difficult and painful decisions. Cherished elements of what make up a community, we’re going to have to reimagine. They can’t look like they’ve looked for hundreds of years.”

'Nothing left': After California Yacht Club fire, residents mourn loss of a beloved spot

I n an instant, an overnight seaside blaze engulfed decades' worth of boating trophies, historical artifacts and cherished memorabilia at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey on Monday.

Fire crews attempted to control the blaze as heavy smoke and flames consumed the two-story building. By the time they had subdued the fire two hours later, only the skeletal remnants of the clubhouse were left standing.

John Myers, senior vice president of the club, said the blaze had been reported by an employee working late in the clubhouse Monday night. The fire spared the remainder of the facilities on the ground, including the docks and the yachts moored there. But the clubhouse, and particularly its second floor, was all but wiped out.

“We are working closely with the Los Angeles County Fire Department in their investigation of the cause of the incident and will share those findings when they become available to us,” Myers said.

Members are left mourning, comparing the loss to the death of a loved one.

Jennifer Dakoske Koslu awoke in Rancho Mirage at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, before the sun had risen, to find her phone inundated with text messages from club members.

The first message she read simply stated, "The CYC is gone."

“As soon as I opened my phone, it went to a link on the Citizen app and saw a video of the club burning. I was shocked,” Dakoske Koslu said.

For the last 24 years, Dakoske Koslu and her family have been dedicated members of the CYC, whose clubhouse is a few miles away from their home in Playa del Rey. She said it is where her children have grown up, familiarizing themselves with every inch.

“I remember taking my son there on the Fourth of July when he was just 3 weeks old. It was the first place we went with him as a newborn," Dakoske Koslu said.

She and her husband biked to the club in the aftermath of the fire, greeted by the charred remains of the building on Wednesday afternoon.

“The destruction is unbelievable. It's clear that the fire was burning intensely on the second floor,” Dakoske Koslu said. “There's nothing left.”

The second floor once housed a collection of the club's prestigious racing trophies, kept on display for members and visitors. The fire melted all but a single salvageable California Cup. Most notably, the priceless King of Spain Trophy, acquired in 1929 from King Alfonso XIII, was lost.

Additionally, the club lost cherished photographs of every past commodore, a significant position within a yacht club. Members said they didn't know if anyone had digitized the images of the commodores or of the club's founders.

“We would tell yachting stories at the bar around lots of memorabilia, and the yachting artifacts behind the bar are all gone now,” Tom Materna said. “The yacht club provided us a facility for the off-the-water celebrations after hard-fought competition on the water.”

The CYC dates to the early 1920s, started by boat owners from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and other yacht clubs. The Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the first clubhouse in 1922, designed by famed architect Edwin Bergstrom, co-designer of the Pentagon.

In 1965, the yacht club submitted a proposal for an all-encompassing $1-million, two-story, 10,000-square-foot clubhouse on four acres off Admiralty Way. Members envisioned a state-of-the-art facility with 170 boat slips, a guest dock, a small boat hoist and a dry land storage facility for boats. The clubhouse that resulted was dedicated on June 10, 1967.

Then-Commodore William A. DeGroot Jr. told The Times that the triangular parcel of land on which the clubhouse still sits is a “perfectly logical place for a club facility, and a commanding view down the main channel of the marina.”

Though the building has historical significance to its members, it does not have a historic designation, according to Linda Dishman, president of the Los Angeles Conservancy.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and so grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and our members,” Myers said. “CYC has been a beacon for the nautical community for the past 101 years.”

Materna, 68, first found out about the fire through Facebook as friends posted videos and photos of the damage Tuesday morning. Then he began receiving calls and text messages from friends.

“Everybody woke up in the morning and realized we'd lost a significant part of the sailing community,” Materna said.

His connection to the club dates back nearly 52 years, to when he was just 16 years old. After spending 30 years sailing professionally with Hobie Cats, mainly racing catamarans — a watercraft with two parallel hulls of equal size — he recently served as a crew member on other club members' racing yachts.

The CYC is pivotal in the boat racing community, organizing and hosting events such as the Optimist National Championship and Junior Olympic trials, Materna said. He fondly remembers the hundreds of people from across the globe converging on the marina for similar events.

The main topic among members now is what's next for the club. Dakoske Koslu noted that the club's ownership changed over the last few years, and many are unsure and concerned about the club's continuation after the fire.

The club relocated to the marina in 1967, leasing the land it sits on from the county.

“I don't think the county has really valued the contributions of the California Yacht Club as an important part of the Marina. They value Trader Joe's because it's more money for them,” Dakoske Koslu said.

Dakoske Koslu said she’s seen numerous small marine-oriented businesses displaced from the marina, making way for more commercialized developments such as Trader Joe's and Recreational Equipment Inc.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .

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Boat and Ship Yard News

Dec 12, 2022

They have already started another boat at John’s Bay Boat Co. in South Bristol. She will be a 47-foot pleasure boat and should be completed the end of the next year. This is a view of the stem in the foreground with the keel right in the center. In the back right corner is the horn timber and transom all framed up.

Front Street Shipyard in Belfast is working on the 136-foot sailing yacht ABIDE. They are doing a complete overhaul of her, which will be completed in 2023.

Ellis Boat, Manset, ME

        Underway in the shop they have an Ellis 36 Express Cruiser under construction. Shane Ellis said, “It seems to be the model that people really want as we have been building it for a while now, since the late 90s. We have every iteration of the 36-footer out there, but the Express Cruiser has a really nice cabin layout, a great two-person boat. They have got a V-berth, a full shower, head, nice galley, and a place for a couple to sit in the galley. It didn’t have this before, it used to have a really big galley. We shortened up the galley and created a little place to sit. She also has our canter lever seats with fold-out tables in the shelter. That provides great access to the engine (a 440-hp Yanmar) while still having lots of seating.”

        This boat is about fifty percent complete. She was started last summer after they sold one that was in their charter fleet. When this summer wound down, they have been working hard to get her finished for next summer so she can be chartered. Shane added, “This is the third one I have built for the charter fleet and the other two have sold. One of them didn’t even make a single charter. The other one chartered for a couple years before it sold. It is a good setup for us for right now. It is nice to have a new Ellis 36 in the charter fleet. However, I just posted it for sale online and if somebody comes along and buys it in the next month or so then it won’t have any charter obligations for next year, but I will start booking charters with it, come the New Year.”

        All the fall hauling has been completed and they have just less than 50 boats in storage for the winter, with more than enough work on them to keep them busy until next summer. They mostly store their own boats, but with the charter fleet that has expanded to including a Hinckley Talaria, a Hinckley Picnic boat, a Back Cove 41, and a Wilbur 38. Most of the boats in the charter fleet are 36 feet or bigger, but they do offer an Ellis 28, but they consider this a day boat or an overnighter.

        Having the charter aspect this gives the workers different work in the summer keeping the boats looking and running great. They also do some training for those not familiar with running a boat like this.

        Shane did say that they have a few engine replacements to do, some switching from gas to diesel and another going from a sterndrive to outboards. Then there is another few getting electronic upgrades. It will be a busy winter.

Front Street Shipyard,   Belfast

        Hauling up boats for the winter has been in full swing for several months and the end is getting near. The herring seiner WESTERN WAY was in the slings of the giant travel-lift and having her bottom cleaned. There was still another couple that were due in to be hauled up for the winter. Also on the way are three whale watching boats, ACADIA EXPLORER, FRIENDSHIP V and BAY KING. They are actually going to do a lot of paint work on FRIENDSHIP V. They are presently at Billings Diesel & Marine in Stonington for engine work and once this is completed, they will make their way to Front Street to be hauled up for the winter. There is a lot of work to do on these boats, mostly plating and painting.

        The 136-foot sailing yacht ABIDE is still in undergoing a major refit. She is the x-ISLANDIA built by Jongert of the Netherlands in 2002. They have already done a lot of work on the interior and exterior of this yacht. JB Turner, part owner of the yard said, “We are working on putting on new toe rails, the hull is painted, the decks and mast are painted. The decks will start going on pretty soon, then interior joinery modifications and then mechanical/electrical/electronics will go on until the day she leaves.”

        In another bay they have a Mussel Ridge 46, which they are finishing off as a split-wheelhouse lobster boat for a fisherman from Kittery. The interior is simple and she is powered with a 735-hp John Deere diesel. The platform is down and the top is on. They are now working on the platform. She should be heading out later this winter/spring.

        Right behind her is a Mussel Ridge 42, which is being finished out as a sport cruiser. She is not as complete as they have just started putting in the structure under the platform.

        Soon their first New Harbor 28 will be coming in to be finished.

        Still awaiting their arrival is a Little Harbor 55 power boat which will be getting full deck paint and a boat under construction at S. W. Boatworks in Lamoine will be coming over for a full paint job.

        Already work is lining up for next spring, summer, and fall. One boat will be coming for new teak decks, generator, and hull paint.

        The waterjet is busy and could get crazy busy if all the proposed work happens. Fresh Water Stone is bidding on a home on Martha’s Vineyard and that is a big project and couple that with work from Kenway and several artists it looks like a busy time ahead.

H & H Marine, Steuben, ME

        In the layup shop they are working on an Osmond 29 for a customer from Massachusetts. They have blocked out the keel as she will be fitted with twin outboards. They will be partially finishing this one.

        Next, they will be laying up a standard Osmond 42 for James Thurlow.

        In the finish shop they are nearing completion on an Osmond 40 split wheelhouse lobster boat for a fisherman from Southern Maine. She is spartan below, just a couple of stiffeners, and is powered with a 750-hp John Deere.

        Another Osmond 40 is in the finish shop and she will be a sport fishing boat with full accommodations (berths, galley, and head). She is powered with a 600-hp Cummins.

        There are several repair jobs scheduled for the winter. A Dixon 53 went down and she is going to have all her wiring, hydraulics and electronics replaced. An Osmond 36 suffered extensive damage in a storm and she is almost ready to go out after a lot of glass work and cosmetics being done.

        As for future work they are bidding on a 50-foot ferry boat for a customer from Rhode Island.

John’s Bay Boat Company, South Bristol, ME

        The cover photograph of the last issue of Maine Coastal News had the newest launch from John’s Bay Boat Co., which was the 47-foot lobster boat SECOND WIND for Chris Klemenz of Stonington. Peter Kass added, “She is 47 x 14, which is very narrow by today’s standards, but the whole idea was economy. We built the KHRISTY MICHELLE; I don’t know about 10 years ago for Chris’ uncle John Williams and she’s 44 x 14. That boat was built with the idea of being efficient and she is proving out to be an all-around good boat. In the 44, instead of having your $100,000+ engine, 800 hp+ John has a 450 hp 9-liter Cummins, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, quieter and cheap to feed. Chris took the boat home from here, fueled her up, hauled through his gear three days, and he said for 102 gallons. John has told me the most he has pushed through his in a day was 60. She looks a little different because it is the same molds but they are 4 inches further apart. John’s bow looks fuller, but when you stretch things out it eases the shape so they look a little different but it is the same design.”

        SECOND WIND has a 7-inch-thick keel, which is what you need when you are going to have a 2½-inch shaft. The frames are 1½ x 2-inches and the planking is 1¼-inch cedar. She is setup to swing a 34-inch wheel so she’s a little deeper. She is powered with a 550-hp 9-liter John Deere and does 21 knots wide open and cruise 15 knots. Because the family likes to do some weekend cruising she has four berths, galley with a sink and propane stove, a settee for four and a small work bench.

        Next is another 47 x 14-footer of the same design, but this one is a pleasure boat for a customer from Westport, Massachusetts, so Peter added tumblehome and changed the shaft angle because the engine is further back. As for accommodations the owner and his designer are working on that, but she will have berths forward, maybe an enclosed stateroom aft to one side.

        They had some repair worked lined up, but for various reasons this has vaporized and they will concentrate on getting the new boat finished for a late fall, early winter launch next year.

        They are also down a crew member following the launch, who decided to leave and work with someone doing free-lance wooden boat repairs in the Rockland area. Peter said this person had been working for him for six and a half years and really caught on quickly. He is hoping he may return at some point, but until that time he is looking for someone with woodworking experience to fill in.

Wilbur Yachts,  Manset, ME

        Inside the main shop is the 21-foot runabout PINNACLE. They just did a major refit, which included going through the engine, paint, and varnish. This boat was built by James Anthony in up-state New York back in the 1980s. John Kachmar thought he had built 13 of the 21s and 9 of the 27s. Unfortunately, he passed away in the 1990s and did not know what happened to the tooling. She is powered with an I/O and is a 43-plus knot cruising boat. John said at that speed you can speak normally and others will have no trouble hearing you. He added, “It is a fun, fast little boat.”

        Just off her bow is a 19-foot Boston Whaler that is in for her annual maintenance and presently she was having her bottom painted. They will completely go through the boat and make sure she is ready for next season before putting her in storage as they await the arrival of a Wilbur 34 coming from Staten Island, New York. Ten years ago, she went through Hurricane Sandy and had sunk at her dock. She was totaled by the insurance company and then bought back by her owners who brought to Wilbur Yachts to be totally refurbished. She is returning to Wilbur’s and will be looking for a new owner.

        Also in the main shop is LAURIE ANN, a Wilbur 34 extended flybridge cruiser, but she is in for annual maintenance. Just behind her is SEA DRAGON, a teak sided open 34, also in for maintenance and some cosmetic work. The bottom has been painted and the varnish is done. Next to her is a Wilbur 38 cruiser that has been undergoing a major refit for the past several years. She was launched last summer and the owner got to use her. She had been repowered and she topped out at 25 knots. This year she is getting all new canvas from Black Pearl Canvas to cover the bright work as she will heading to Florida next year. She is also getting more electronics.

        Out back they have the Seal Harbor Launch, a Crosby 21, in for maintenance and repairs to some scratches and scrapes. An Ellis 28 has a number of items to do, one being new electronics. A Navy whale boat launch was converted to electric power about five years ago. She has eight 8D batteries to a 20-kW electric drive. An Edgewater 24 and a 28 Key West Ballistic are both in for general maintenance. A Wilbur 38 will be coming in to have her overhead replaced. Several 420s from the Seal Harbor Yacht Club are in and waiting for their annual maintenance as are several Newman dinghies.

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• Seal Harbor Yacht Club, Maine, United States

United States

Seal Harbor

Sailing / Yacht Club

Seal Harbor Yacht Club

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Located on beautiful Mount Desert Island on Maine's coast, with a private membership of over 400+ we offer a range of activities, from beginner rowing and sailing, to advanced racing. We also have several guest moorings for rent during our season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. We also have an annual regatta, club racing, as well as several social functions.

29 Steamboat Rd

207-276-5888

Seal Harbor Yacht Club

Play in the heart of downtown baltimore, marina info.

Seal Harbor Yacht Club is located at Mt Desert Island in Seal Harbor, ME. Contact Seal Harbor Yacht Club at 207-276-5888. No reviews by any seafarers for Seal Harbor Yacht Club have been submitted. ME boaters can always be found in the waters of Seal Harbor.

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Fire guts historic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey

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Firefighters worked overnight Monday to extinguish a blaze that erupted at a historic yacht club in Marina del Rey.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department received a call around 11:30 p.m. Monday for a structure fire at the California Yacht Club in the 4400 block of Admiralty Way, said Fred Fielding, a Fire Department spokesperson.

Crews arrived to find heavy smoke and fire engulfing the two-story building, fire officials said.

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Video from news outlets showed large flames consuming the structure as smoke billowed overhead. Multiple firetrucks and firefighters were called in to help contain the blaze.

Two firefighters suffered moderate injuries and were taken to a hospital, Fielding said. The extent of their injuries and their status was not immediately known.

The blaze was knocked down just before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, said Jeremy Stafford, supervising fire dispatcher at the L.A. County Fire Department.

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The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Stafford said.

The California Yacht Club was started in 1922 by yachtsman from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and other yacht clubs, according to the club’s website .

Representatives for the club did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Alexandra E. Petri is a former Los Angeles Times staff writer who covered trends and breaking news. She previously covered live news at the New York Times. A two-time reporting fellow with the International Women’s Media Foundation, she graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism and international studies.

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Mount Desert Island

Off the beaten path, northeast harbor and seal harbor offer quieter charms.

The home of Acadia National Park , which draws more than two million visitors a year, Mount Desert Island is the most popular destination in Maine. A place of dramatic natural beauty, what locals call MDI is divided roughly in half by Somes Sound , a deep, fjord-like body of water extending five miles inland from the Atlantic coastline. The western or “quiet” side of MDI includes the towns of Southwest Harbor and Tremont, with the village of Bass Harbor at its southern tip. The larger, eastern side includes the main entrance to the park, Cadillac Mountain , and the town of Bar Harbor , which teems with visitors in the warmer months. Not far away are the quieter communities of Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor , both part of the town of Mount Desert. Here, elegant summer homes can be glimpsed along leafy lanes and classic sailing yachts bob at their moorings.

Real estate broker, hospitality investor, and music producer Kim Swan has called Bar Harbor home for most of her life. The owner of the Swan Agency Sotheby’s International Realty , which has offices in Bar Harbor, Northeast Harbor, and Blue Hill, Swan is a devoted member of the MDI community, involved in local initiatives ranging from television and film projects to animal rescue. “Mom” to two Yorkies, Ava and Izzi, she often walks her pups on Acadia’s private carriage roads reached from Seal Harbor. “During the high season you may have to stand aside while one of the gorgeous horse-drawn carriages goes by—that’s a treat for visitors,” Swan says.

Swan also likes to take friends to the charming village of Northeast Harbor, known by sailors for its protected anchorage. “Our first stop is my friend Erika Wibby Mitchell’s shop, Main Street Mercantile ,” Swan says. Across the street, Shaw Jewelry has unusual pieces and paintings by a variety of artisans, and lunch is often at the grand and historic Asticou Inn , where the menu includes the same popovers made famous at the Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park . And no visit to the area would be complete without a hike. “Our favorite is Day Mountain—you can either follow the carriage roads to the top or take the path,” says Swan. “Either way the views are fantastic, especially in the fall with all of the colors.”

Population 10,424

Did you know At 108 square miles, Mount Desert Island is the largest island in Maine and the second largest on the eastern seaboard, topped only by Long Island in New York.

Local icon The well-known and well-heeled have called MDI at least their part-time home since the days of J.P. Morgan and the Vanderbilts. Today, the island’s biggest celebrity is Martha Stewart, whose sprawling stone retreat, Skylands, perches above Seal Harbor.

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Video: Man Accused of Stealing Yacht, Crashing Into Others in SoCal Harbor

Wild video shows a man crashing the yacht into others in the harbor., by heather navarro and vikki vargas • published march 10, 2022 • updated on march 11, 2022 at 9:31 am.

A man was accused of stealing a pricey yacht in Newport Beach, California, and crashing it into several others before being taken into custody Thursday.

Police said Joel Siam was arrested on suspicion of grand theft of a boat and possession of a stolen boat, and held on $3,000,000 bail.

Newport Beach police said sometime Thursday morning, a man was seen vandalizing a yacht near Balboa Bay Resort at 1200 West Coast Highway. 

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Police said the man crossed the highway and commandeered a yacht in one of the slips.

Sheriff’s deputies say the 60-foot yacht was taken from a dock where it had been undergoing maintenance, so the keys were inside.

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He drove the boat around the harbor and hit a couple other yachts in the process, wild video shows. 

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One woman sitting aboard a sailboat was injured in the crash.

It didn't stop there. The yacht could be seen doing donuts in the water, then speeding forward.

"When I looked out, the power boat really going fast. I thought it was a runaway engine -- that's what happens you can't stop the engine," witness Sandi Morgan said,

The demolition derby on the water ended when the boat finally smashed into one more vessel, and then a sea wall.

"The poor owner of this boat it hit just had the boat restored, so they’re a little upset at moment," witness Kai Macartney said.

The owner of the yacht was seen surveying the damage midday afterward. 

The bow sustained the most damage, aerial footage showed. 

The owner of the stolen boat was too upset to go on camera but did tell NBCLA it was purchased new in August to be used for a charter business, and that half a bottle of tequila from inside was now gone.

The man was taken into custody by Harbor Patrol.

NBCLA captured video of the suspect in a life jacket being put into a patrol car.

Police initially called because the San Diego man was accused of trying to steal a Rolls Royce along Pacific Coast Highway, then he jumped in the boat.

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California Yacht Club Destroyed in Fire

MARINA DEL REY— A huge fire destroyed the California Yacht Club, located in Marina del Rey, on Dec. 11.

Los Angeles County Fire Department received a call around 11:30 p.m. that night and arrived to find a massive two-story fire. 

Videos from news outlets show bright red flames traveling over the roof of the club and producing large black clouds of smoke.

Two firefighters suffered moderate injuries and were hospitalized before the blaze was extinguished just before 1:30 a.m. Dec. 12. The cause of their injuries has not been released. 

Among the most prominent California clubs, the California Yacht Club was established in 1922 and has a long history of promoting yachting and maritime activities. It has frequently hosted national and international regattas, with recent events including the J/70 World Championship, U.S. Junior Women’s Championship, Martin 242 North American Championship and CFJ National Championship.

The club was started in Los Angeles harbor by a group of loyal yachtsmen – most from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and the rest active in other early yacht clubs of that day. In 1941, America went to war, and the Coast Guard took over CYC’s facilities in Wilmington. Members continued to fly the Club Burgee, but after World War II, the facilities were so run down that CYC never could return to its birthplace.

Former owner Steve Hathaway noted that his father helped build the club in the 1960s. “It’s been a home for so many people,” said Hathaway in a statement. “We are so heartbroken right now… It tears me apart to see… It’s just terrible.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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