The History and Allure of Maine-Built Boats by Magnus Thiersmann - FromWork to Play - Downeast Style is Here to Stay When the term Downeast is used to describe a boat among certain company, there is always the potential for debate over the specific design attributes, materials and construction processes that have traditionally defined the category. Aficionados and purists may even tell you a true Downeast boat only comes from a small group of family builders still employing the original construction techniques from nearly a century ago. At any rate, most can agree that a Downeast boat is a uniquely handsome and classic form; originally born out of necessity for lobstermen to provide for their families, and now a genre adapted for maximum pleasure by a host of luxury yacht brands. A HISTORIC WORKHORSE The phrase “Down East” or Downeast originates from the geographic locations of coastal New England, particularly Maine, although it’s also used in parts of maritime Canada and North Carolina. In terms of boats, the Downeast moniker was originally coined for Maine-built wooden lobster boats featuring a full length keel. The simple, sensible configuration caught on as a dependable and economical solution for building small commercial fishing boats across the Eastern U.S. in the early 1900s. The first engine-powered Downeast boats largely borrowed the full keel and rudder design from their sailing sloop predecessors. The rudder was still hung directly fromthe keel, onlynowapropeller shaft would exit the back of the keel and into a window carved out to allow room for a propeller. Traditionally, there have been two big distinctions that dominated the classic wooden Downeast boats: “Built Down” vs “Skeg Built,” which refer to the construction process and orientation of the ribs and planks. These methods bore out differences in weight and carrying capacities, but both resulted in boats with bona fide Downeast pedigrees. Despite the many variations and trends wrought by Downeast boat builders throughout a century of iteration, the overall exterior styling remains distinct and relatively easy to spot. Above the waterline, a long sweeping shearline that tapers from the bow towards a relatively low freeboard in the transom is the epitome of the early Downeast style. Like their sailing sloop ancestry, they often have a trunk cabin topped with an additional “house” for operation out of the elements. Some were built with a torpedo stern, others with a protected cockpit to keep the spray and wind at bay as lobster traps were hauled and set over the rails. Mount Desert Island Historical Society (1948) 26 BLUEWATER
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzI5NTg=