Video: Boothbay Harbor

Large boat recovered after mooring breaks

Thu, 10/17/2013 - 8:15am

Westward, the 136-foot boat which has been moored in Boothbay Harbor for the past year, broke free from its mooring October 17 and was about six feet from a dock at Signal Point before Boothbay Harbor Shipyard staff and local lobsterman Bill Hallinan got control of it.

Hallinan, in his boat Apparition II, towed the boat back out to its mooring where it was secured, according to Boothbay Harbor Harbor Master Nick Upham.

“Apparently, the pin in the mooring shackle let go, which caused it to drift away,” Upham said. “The shipyard crew checks the mooring weekly and on Monday it was fine.”

Upham said he heard about the wayward boat through the dispatch center.

“This has been a nightmare. I’ve been waiting for something like this to happen. I’ll be glad when the shipyard can get it on the ways, fix it up, and it gets out of here,” Upham said.

The fish processing ship is due to be repaired at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard once the work on the current boat on the ways is completed, said manager Eric Graves in late August.