33rd Maine Boatbuilders Show Returns to Portland Waterfront This Month

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The 33rd Boatbuilders Show Will be Held at 100 West Commercial Street, Later This Month.

Building E in Which Some of the 80 Vendors Will be Located is Pictured Above. In the Recent Past, There Were as Many as 200 Vendors at the Show.  A Rebuilding Process is Underway.

A Photo of the 3D Printed Boat by the Advanced Structures and Composites Center to be at the Boatbuilders Show.

The 33rd Maine Boatbuilders Show is back!  That is it’s back on the Portland waterfront following a hiatus because of its temporary relocation off the waterfront and then a pause for the pandemic.

Previously the enormously popular Show was held every March at 58 Fore Street.  That was prior to the property’s  sale to Portland Foreside for development.

The weekend of July 23, 24, 25, 2021 has been set aside for the 33rd Boatbuilders Show, at 100 West Commercial Street. Currently, eighty vendors are expected at the Show. Twenty-five boats will be in the water.  This will give the public an opportunity to meet the builders who come from all over New England. Vendors will be located in Buildings B and E on site.

A special exhibition will be the appearance of  a Guiness World record holder.  It’s the 25′, 5,000 3D printed boat by the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the University of Maine, Orono.

One of the themes of this year’s boat builders show is to encourage youth to enter the marine industry said Joanna Sprague, co-organizer of the Show, recently. “So much of Maine’s economy is tied to the waterfront.”

But, recruiting to work in the marine industry has become  a challenge.   That’s why one of the many seminars offered over the three days at the Show is dedicated to finding ways to attract the declining number of youths entering the marine trades back into the industry.  “There are many good paying jobs in the marine industry and we want to emphasize that at this Show,” said Sprague.  Captain Chris Davis, of Coastwise, Inc. invites the public to discuss ways to get greater youth involvement at this seminar on Sunday, July 25, afternoon.

The history of boatbuilding in Maine is long and diverse.   It dates back to 1607 in fact.  That’s when the VIRGINIA, a 30-ton pinnacle was built in Popham at the mouth of the Kennebec River.  A non-profit is building a replica of her and Orman  Hines from that non-profit will be presenting at a seminar on Friday, July 23, morning, starting at 11:00 am.   The organization has a launching goal of next spring.  Lots of photos of the build can be seen at: www.mfship.org.

Of special interest to many will be a seminar – El Faro Salute – on Friday afternoon at 5:15 pm.  Sculpture Jay Sawyer will discuss the progress of his El Faro memorial to be located on the Rockland waterfront.  Two members of the crew were from Rockalnd. “The piece is envisioned as a representational steel sculpture mounted on a large granite boulder that will depict a pair of life-size merchant marine uniforms, from the torso up, with arms in stiff salute” according to literature from the Show.  The memorial will honor the 33 lost at sea in the Bahamas aboard the El Faro on October 1, 2015.  El Faro is Spanish for the lighthouse.  Please visit www.elfarosalute.com and www.studiojbone.com for more.

The Maine Maritime Academy Alumnae will hold a Flea Market all three days with proceeds gong to support Maine Maritime Academy scholarships. Food trucks will be on site within view of the river.

The show is expected to draw around 5,000 people.  Admission is $15. per day at the door or on line tickets are available.  Children under 12 accompanied by adults will be admitted free.  Groups of 10 or more can purchase block tickets for $10. each.  The Show is open to the public and runs from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Friday, July 23rd and Saturday, July 24th and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, July 25th.  Parking is free on site. There is a special parking section near the main building for the disabled.

To learn more about the 33rd Maine Boatbuilders Show, please go to www.portlandyacht.com