Tag Archives: owner
Effort builds to save historic legacy of sardine carrier ‘Jacob Pike’
At one stretch in Maine’s maritime history, the sardine was as mighty as the lobster, a fishery that employed thousands along the coast. Sardine canneries were a common sight beside busy harbors, and carriers plied the Gulf of Maine, especially in the warmer months. Thomaston was in the thick of the industry, a boatbuilding hub for sturdy fishing vessels that included the Jacob Pike. “The sardine industry back in the days was a big deal, rivaling what lobsters are today,” said Rockport Marine owner Taylor Allen, who himself spent several years restoring and then relaunching in 2020 the William Underwood, a sardine carrier built in 1941. “A lot of real estate along the coast was bought up by captains back in the day.” The Jacob Pike, built in 1949 at the Newbert and Wallace yard in Thomaston, was in the thick of it all from launching day. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:41
Descendant of salvaged Maine boat’s namesake wants to save it
After seven months of being submerged off the coast of Harpswell, the historic fishing boat Jacob Pike has finally been raised by the U.S. Coast Guard. But a descendant of Jacob Pike himself is fighting to save it from being destroyed. Sumner Rugh, a student at the Merchant Marine Academy in New York, is the great-great-grandson of Jacob Pike, the namesake of the refrigerated sardine carrier. His nonprofit, the Jacob Pike Organization, wants to refurbish the vessel and use it for education. But acquiring the boat has proven tricky, Rugh said. The Coast Guard towed the boat to Portland on Wednesday to be destroyed. Rugh asked the Coast Guard to donate the vessel to his nonprofit, but because the Coast Guard doesn’t own the boat, it can’t donate it. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:36
Inside the frigid effort to salvage a wrecked Maine fishing boat
With an environmental remediation and salvage plan in place and OK’d by several governmental agencies, landowners and the Coast Guard, workers toiled in sub-freezing temperatures, on icy rocks, trying to remove any reusable fishing equipment from the vessel before breaking it up and hauling away the pieces in dump trucks. The Tara Lynne II’s owner, David Osier, stood and watched, impassive, as his boat was shredded. “It wasn’t making money, anyway,” Osier said, shaking his head a little bit. “We were insured, but not enough.” Besides, the Bristol-based fisherman and business owner has other things to worry about. Osier has two more boats at sea right now, trying to catch enough fish to make a living. more, >>click to read<<12:21
Struggling seafood processor hopes to come back stronger under new ownership as ‘New Peter Pan’
Peter Pan, the seafood processing company with an array of plants in Southwest Alaska, had been struggling to keep up with competitors. So when its owner, Japanese seafood giant Maruha Nichiro, initially announced its sale of Peter Pan to three private equity groups, it said it expected a loss of almost $28 million. The deal means the company is now vertically integrated, so all stages of production and marketing — usually operated separately — are now under one owner. It also places Peter Pan under American ownership. >click to read< 15:46
Sad news from Point Judith – The Passing of Harold A Loftes Sr, Commercial Fisherman
December 31, 1917 – October 20, 2013 Harold A. Loftes, Sr., 95 of Normandy Rd., Wakefield, passed away Saturday, October 20, 2013. He was the husband of the late Virginia May (Bossard) Loftes. Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Alvin and Sigred Loftes. Mr. Loftes was builder, owner, operator of many fishing vessels and a commercial fisherman out of Pt. Judith all of his life. He was a founding member of the Pt. Judith Fisherman’s CO-OP and a member of Hope Lodge #25 AF & AM, Wakefield. He was the father of Harold Loftes Jr. and his wife Mary of Wakefield; father of the late Bruce Loftes and his wife Connie; grandfather of Brian, Brent, Amanda and Kevin Loftes and great grandfather of six. Funeral services and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers donations in his memory may be made to The Pt. Judith Fisherman’s Memorial Foundation, Box 3315, Narragansett, RI 02882. 19:11
