“And if I had a boat, I’d go out on the ocean, and if I had a pony I’d ride him on my boat.” — Lyle Lovett song, “If I had a boat”

Boats seem like wonderful things. I’ve ridden in a few over the years but have not been very successful keeping one on the water. Seems there’s never quite enough time or money. But if I had a pony I’d definitely find the time!

Over the years we’ve tried our hand at “yachting.” Way back when, I bought an old Rice Brothers launch built in East Boothbay from Dan DeRepentigny, which he kept tied up at Tugboat Inn. When I used to work at the Tugboat (late ’70s), I could look down on the dock thinking it would be cool to own a boat like that. When Mr. Dan offered to sell me the boat, I jumped up and down and then tried to figure out what to do with it. She was in pretty hard shape but the engine ran and the water mostly stayed on the outside. We had some fun rides but soon I realized there was more to owning a boat than fun. So we packed her up on a very shaky trailer and put her up for sale. The new owner in East Boothbay was pleased for the opportunity to own such a special craft; so pleased that he never finished paying me and the boat vanished.

We then sized down a bit to an old Norman Hodgdon skiff which is when the real fun began; so much so that I decided to take a class at adult ed for ancient mariners — “Red on Right Returning.” Jerry Watson and I compared notes in that class. Neither of us ever were over the top good students but as far as I know we avoided landing our crafts on the rocks. Our skiff had a draft of about a foot, a little more with the family aboard. It was a solid boat but a little long in the tooth, eventually needing work that I could not do. The bottom had been glassed over but not well. Bailing became a way of life, so much so that I couldn’t risk leaving her tied up anywhere but the back yard.

Speaking of vanishing boats! The recent threat of a massive nor’easter really got the attention of many boat owners. Local trucks and trailers moving boats ramped up providing haul-outs and storage. The number of vessels in the harbor dropped markedly making the harbor seascape appear far less summer-like. There were a few bigger yachts that popped into the harbor to get out of harm’s way. It wasn’t too bad in the harbor, but word had it that things were quite active offshore. No mishaps that I’m aware of. Most of the boating community took precautions. The high “King” tides provided a timely series of ideal water days for pulling floats and securing runs. Now, as tides settle down a bit, so too will the waterfront action with a little less frantic scurrying about.

So, the next time you head out on the water, don’t forget your pony and definitely remember your personal flotation devices. Be careful out there! The life you save may be your own.