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What We Did in Our “Off Season” Fall & Winter 2024–2025

a close up of a pier next to a body of water

While many people think the boats get tucked away and we all take a break after summer ends, the truth is our crew stays incredibly busy through the fall and winter. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to from October through April.

Restoration Projects & Boat Work

Crew member Penelope sanded and painted our “new to us” classic fiberglass daysailer—a late 1950s Cape Cod Shipbuilding 16’ CC Mercury centerboard sloop. It’s a beautiful old design and she’s coming together nicely.

Catherine Moore Conversion

The Catherine Moore was originally built in Maine for an aquaculture school in Connecticut and named after a famous woman lighthouse keeper Catherine Moore Joseph, Sheldon, and Randy continued converting the research/school vessel Catherine Moore into a passenger ferry.

Off season work for Catherine Moore Conversion

This involved new seating, new safety systems, updated electrical work, and painting work.

Catherine Moore Conversions

Schooner Margaret Todd Maintenance

From mid-October until just before Christmas, the Margaret Todd was hauled out at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast using their 440 metric ton travel lift. The entire bottom was sandblasted, epoxy-coated, and received two coats of antifouling paint. We also added new zincs (sacrificial anodes), and opened up the centerboard trunks for maintenance.

Schooner Margaret Todd Maintenance

She was relaunched just before Christmas, and Capt. Joseph and Capt. Steve brought her back to Southwest Harbor in a near northwest gale!

Miss Lizzie’s Winter Commuter Runs

a passenger bus that is sitting in the snowStarting in mid-October, the ferry Miss Lizzie began her weekday winter commuter service out to the Cranberry Isles. She departs Northeast Harbor at 5:45am, picking up residents of Great Cranberry Island at 6:15am and Isleford (Little Cranberry) at 6:30am, then returning to Northeast Harbor.

This run is essential for high school students, islanders heading to jobs and appointments, and everyday errands. At 5pm, the return run brings people home in reverse order.

As the days got shorter, Miss Lizzie operated in full darkness both morning and evening. The residents of the Cranberry Isles requested this commuter run years ago to help maintain year-round island populations. It runs October 15 through April 30—and we’ve now been operating it for about 15 years. You can follow updates on Facebook at Cranberry Cove Commuter Ferry.

USCG Certification for Ferry Seneca

a boat is docked next to a body of waterIn late fall 2024, we completed all the rigorous U.S. Coast Guard requirements for our ferry Seneca, and she was awarded a new USCG Certificate of Inspection.

Seneca started as a 34’ U.S. Navy fiberglass launch used for lifeboat service. Like most Navy launches, she was sold as surplus. We received her as a bare hull and completely rebuilt her into a passenger ferry—adding a cabin, 6-cylinder Isuzu diesel, shaft and prop, full wiring, electronics, and safety equipment.

She passed a new stability test and is now certified for 28 passengers, plus captain and crew. Seneca served as the winter and spring backup ferry for Miss Lizzie in Northeast Harbor.

Other Winter Projects

 

Puffin Chrissy Ferry Sutton Vagabond
Puffin Chrissy Ferry Sutton Vagabond
Our 34’ Morgan centerboard sloop has been under restoration in our shop since late summer and continued through winter. This historic working Maine lobster sloop got a new mast, built from an older spar by Sheldon and Joseph. She’ll sail with it in 2025. In March, Sutton, a converted 50’ U.S. Navy launch (reportedly from the aircraft carrier America), was hauled at Hinckley Yard for Coast Guard hull inspection, new bottom paint, and zincs. After launching, she went to Downeast Diesel for spring service on her John Deere diesel. She’s our primary seasonal ferry from Southwest Harbor to the Cranberry Isles (May–October). In April, the fishing/ferry vessel Vagabond was also hauled for USCG inspection and maintenance. She then visited Downeast Diesel in Southwest Harbor for her annual mechanical service.

Thanks for following along! We’re proud of the hard work our crew puts in behind the scenes all winter long—and we can’t wait to see you on the water this summer.

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