Tag Archives: lobster boat racing
Speed on the water!: The Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races
The official start to Maine’s lobster boat racing season happens every year in Boothbay Harbor over Father’s Day weekend. This year, that date is Saturday, June 15. In 2005, the race event became the Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races, in honor of the beloved native lobsterman and racing participant. These races have been thrilling lobstermen, their passengers and spectators since the official start in 1964. Over the past 10 years or so, 35-45 boats have participated from all over the coast. Race categories include gas classes based on length and cubic inches, diesel classes based on horsepower and length, a wooden boat race, gas and diesel free-for-alls, and four races just for Boothbay Region boats, including Fastest Working Lobster Boat. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:41
Stonington Lobster Boat Races results
Racing on the Stonington Harbor course on July 9. The big winner was Jeremy Beal’s Maria’s Nightmare II out of Jonesport, which crossed the finish line first in two of the biggest race classes. >click to read the results< 13:01
Eaton, Taylor win Fastest Working Lobster boat at Boothbay Harbor races
Jeff Eaton of Deer Isle/Stonington won Fastest Working Lobster Boat at the Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races in Boothbay Harbor Saturday, June 17. Eaton pushed his boat, La Belle Vita, to 40.2 mph for the title. Andrew Taylor of Southport, who won the title in 2021 and 2022, won Fastest Working Lobster Boat in Boothbay Harbor with a speed of 49 mph in Blue Eyed Girl. Taylor did not compete in the overall Fastest Working Lobster Boat but won second place in the Diesel Free for All. Jeremy Beal won first in the free for all in Maria’s Nightmaregoing 57.5 mph. Below are the results as provided by Johansen. >click to read and comment< 10:21
Get your motor running: Lobster boat racing season is here!
The season opener of Maine lobster boat racing season 2023 shifts into high gear Saturday, June 17 in Boothbay Harbor with the Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races. Boat captains can sign up at Brown’s Wharf on Atlantic Avenue between 9 and 10 a.m. There is an entry fee of $20, but that fee will be waived for boat captains 18 or under to encourage younger participation in the event. The races start at 10 a.m. All entry fees collected will go to Maine Lobstermen’s Association. Ashleeann Lowery has been organizing the Boothbay Harbor races for well over a decade and has been a member of the racing committee since 2007. “I heard, although you never know until these guys show up,” said Lowery, “but I heard David Taylor’s Misty was re-powered this year, and that just might give Blue Eyed Girl a little run for her money.” >click to read< 11:31
Choppy waters limit crowd, times at Bass Harbor lobster boat races
More than three dozen lobstermen battled it out in Bass Harbor this past weekend as part of the annual lobster boat races, but perhaps their toughest competitor was race day’s choppy waters. Conditions were a little rougher than ideal, but nothing the boats couldn’t handle, said Jon Johansen, the president of the Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association. Thirty-seven boats from across the region showed up, about half of what the race has boasted in the past. Some only had to travel from their mooring in Bernard to the starting line but others came from locales such as Prospect Harbor, Stonington, Beals, Searsport, Milbridge, Corea and Islesford,,, >photos, click to read< 10:49
That’s right, lobster boat racing fans! Rev up your engines, lobster boat racing season is here!
There’s going be a whole lot of wake on the water this Saturday, June 19 when lobster boats up and down the coast arrive, revved up and ready to race, in the 2021 Charles Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races. That’s right, lobster boat racing fans, Maine’s races are on and the kickoff is right here in Boothbay Harbor! Boat captains will sign up at Brown’s Wharf on Atlantic Avenue between 8 and 10 a.m.; the races start at 10. All signup fees will go to Maine Lobsterman’s Association. photos, video, >click to read< 2019’s Fastest Working Lobster Boat, Boothbay, was Andrew Taylor’s Blue-Eyed Girl. 09:07
2020 Boothbay Harbor lobster boat races canceled
Event organizer Ashlee Lowery announced Sunday, May 3 that the 35th annual Charles Begin Memorial Boothbay Harbor Lobster Boat Races, scheduled for June 20, will be canceled this year, in conjunction with many other local events, due to the recent pandemic. >click to read< 11:19
Lobster boat racing season was a summer success
As attention begins to turn from boat motors to snow blowers, the Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association reports that the summer racing season was a resounding success. With 10 events on the card spread over venues ranging from Portland to Jonesport-Beals, according to MLBRA President Jon Johansen, 823 boats took part in races last summer. That’s the largest number of boats ever to compete in the summer racing series. >click to read< 14:33
Lobster boats converge on Rockland
Rockland — Although there was a stiff breeze and a few rain drops, a posse of area lobster boats met up in Rockland Harbor for the annual Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association’s second event of the season June 16. This year’s fastest boat was Cameron Crawford’s Wild Wild West, which suffered a broken steering arm in last year’s competition. Race results released June 24 are as follows, with a bunch of great photos! By Beth A. Birmingham >click to read<13:26
Lobster boats race at Winter Harbor this Saturday, on Sunday at Pemaquid Harbor
Whether summer is at its peak or is beginning to wind down may be open to debate, but there’s no question that the Maine lobster boat racing season is entering its final phase. On July 29, racing returned to Harpswell for the first time in five years and drew a fleet of nearly 50 boats to the seventh event on the Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association calendar. This Saturday, weather cooperating, a substantially larger number of entries is expected for the eighth event on the calendar — the 53rd annual Winter Harbor Lobster Boat Races, held in conjunction with the Winter Harbor Lobster Festival. On Sunday, racing is scheduled for Pemaquid Harbor where the 32nd Merritt Brackett Lobster Boat Races will be a feature of the annual Old Bristol Days celebration. >click to read<11:19
Boothbay Harbor kicked off lobster boat racing season Saturday, and in Rockland on Sunday
Maine’s summer lobster boat racing season opened last weekend with turnouts of nearly 50 boats both at Boothbay Harbor on Saturday and at Rockland on Sunday. Both races drew several new boats, including several from Downeast, and both events saw some impressive speed runs, though no records were broken. This year, race organizers established two classes for boats built primarily, or exclusively, to race rather than fish. >click to read<11:46
Lobster boat racing season revs up this Saturday
That’s right, lobster boat racing fans and racers. The 33rd season begins right here in Boothbay Harbor at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 16 with the Charles Begin Memorial races. Categories include gas classes based on length and cubic inches, diesel classes based on horsepower and length, a wooden boat race, gas and diesel free-for-alls, and four races just for Boothbay region boats. The race course runs in front of Tumbler Island toward the finish line at the Maine State Aquarium. >click to read<13:11
Races draw big fleets to Stonington and Moosabec Reach
The summer lobster boat racing season is always compressed, with 10 races in harbors from Jonesport to Portland packed into just 10 weeks at the height of fishing season. It’s rare, though, that two races happen less than a week apart. This year, the fog that is as much a part of summer in Maine as the races themselves forced the fleet to gather twice in six days — on July 4 on Moosabec Reach and July 9 at Stonington — though that wasn’t the original plan.,, The fluid schedule didn’t seem to keep too many boats away. Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association President Jon Johansen had 80 working boats signed up to run. click here to read the story 11:56
