If you were to take a stroll (safely accompanied by shipyard staff) around the historic Boothbay Harbor Bristol Marine property, you would be amazed by the amount of activity at every turn.

Presently, a full speed ahead repair project is under way on the main railway. Work is focused on the time-sensitive repair of the great ship Niagra. From the street, driving by, it would be difficult to realize what is going on under the huge white canopy that protects the ship and workers. So let me give you a little tour from my weekly photographs at the yard.

The on deck work involves new major sections of curved heavy material where the deck intersects the bulwarks. These sections must be hand fashioned to tie into the remaining “good wood” which runs the length of the ship. The old caulking on the main deck has all been replaced by new material. This is a long, tedious and back-straining process that has taken a lot of time with considerably more to do. Sections of the gun ports have been refashioned and rebuilt with new wood and fastenings. Up forward, with new planks installed on the exterior, the bulwarks are being laid out in preparation for new wood. Sections of the stern have been removed and are being rebuilt. New hull planking is complete on the port side and all exterior surfaces are being sanded and prepped for paint.

Below decks, in the engine room, new power is installed with piping woven through an existing maize and reconnected to original lines. This will be a long and complicated project due in large part to the number of redundant systems that flow through this area, both electrical and power critical. Everything on the ship will require rigorous safety inspections both here in Maine and at the home port on Lake Erie.

None of the ongoing projects at the yard would be possible without major repairs and updates to the physical structures on the property. These improvements were absolutely essential. When Bristol Marine bought the yard in 2017, Andy Tyska, founder and CEO, pictured above, knew that the yard needed a lot of attention, especially if the big Ernestina-Morrissey project, which had been landed by the yard, was to be undertaken, and, new work scheduled. The main railway had to be rebuilt, piers reconstructed, buildings updated with new pilings and superstructure.

So, while the Ernestina-Morrissey project advanced, the property, at the same time, needed extensive repairs. It was a big task. But, with help and support of H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, the decision to go forward prevailed. Mr. Lenfest had special interest in the Ernestina-Morrissey project. As a 13-year-old, he was invited to join Captain Bob Bartlett and crew on an Arctic trip. Although the trip didn’t work out, Mr. Lenfest never forgot his experience with the ship. He told Andy if the yard was purchased the restoration of the Ernestina-Morrissey would be a top priority. Unfortunately Mr. Lenfest died in 2018 and never got to see the finished ship. With significant guidance and supervision by David Short, the Ernestina-Morrissey left the yard a new ship for Mass Maritime, with a homeport in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Andy Tyska and the staff at Bristol Marine have made great progress with updates and improvements to all aspects of the Old Sample’s yard which I have photographed for over 40 years. Andy knew this was a big project, but he also knew that if the yard were to attract new work, the property had to be looked after and that it was going to be a long-term commitment. With the help of many talented craft people and dedicated management, the yard has developed a quality reputation with many new projects on the horizon, including the possible return of the Sherman Zwicker for updates and repairs.