2007 LYMAN-MORSE CHRONICLE

A lot has happened in the two years since our last newsletter. The yard has grown to 175 employees and we have completed a huge new building. BARAKA was launched September and wintered in the West Indies. ELECTRA was launched in December for sea trials and has been moved into the new building to be finished (she will be re-launched in May); and MAESTRO was launched this past spring. In 2005 we launched RANGER and ANNIE ROSE, and completed our first summer with our new Travelift – a tool that has changed our lives and business.

NEW BUILDING

NEW LAUNCHINGS

NEW CONSTRUCTION

BROKERAGE

YACHT SERVICES

YARD NEWS

AWARDS

GREEN PROGRAM NEWS

BARAKA is one of the most exciting boats we have built in twenty-five years. She is a "state-of-the-art" boat built for cruising, but has breakaway speed with her lifting keel (14’draft with the keel down) and 102’mast. BARAKA is one of the first epoxy infused (SCRIMP) cored carbon boats ever produced in this size range—a full carbon composite hull and a carbon pre-preg deck with a very lightweight cruising interior. Her powerful hull shape makes her one of the fastest and most performance-oriented cruising boats ever. She managed three days of 265 miles on her way to St Martin – very exciting!

BARAKA’s elegant birch interior and amenities make her particularly unique for a boat with this speed. We are quite pleased to have built her several thousand pounds lighter than the designed weight by using a variety of cored materials veneered with matched grain birch.

We worked with Jean and the designers to generate new ideas and modify old ones. The lifting keel has a fore and aft ram to keep it in place, applying 10-tons of force to stop any noise while under sail. There is a large ram built into the fin and attached at deck level to lift the keel—a superb piece of machining by Mayville Tool and Die. The keel slides up and down inside a substantial carbon trunk (built by Jeff Kent of Composite Solutions) between the bottom of the boat and the deck. We have used a hydraulic pump connected to the engine via an Aqua Marine shaft system to power the hydraulics that lifts the keel. The Lewmar commanders hydraulic system runs the sheet winches and deploys the sprit pole and swim platform.

We have been impressed with the low DB level of the Volvo engine—always a worry in light boats with their lack of mass to absorb noise. She cruises under power at an easy 9 knots, but I would guess that she will not accumulate many hours under power as Jean has quickly mastered this sophisticated machine and has spent some single-handed overnights with her. He has allowed, however, that the boat can be a bit humbling with its power and speed.

ELECTRA This is our largest boat to date—a near sistership to TUMBLEHOME which has undoubtedly been one of the most successful and important boats we have built. George E.Wallner, the owner, also owns TUMBLEHOME. It has been a real vote of confidence to return to us after many hard miles in TUMBLEHOME.

Launching ELECTRA seemed a bit foolish to most observers, as she was not even close to completion. But we all decided that it would be better to do some quick sea trials before next spring, allowing us to take any corrective action over the winter.

We are having one of the warmest winters on record but the launching and sea trials were held in traditional Maine winter conditions. We froze! Everything went well with a top speed of 31 knots, the designed goal. While she is light now she only developed 80% power so she will not slow down much as she gets heavier (maybe use more fuel, though!). Her interior is built completely of cored materials with a birch laminate.

Although ELECTRA is almost a sistership to TUMBLEHOME, it is in looks and layout only. She is 4’ longer with more contemporary styling, and the electrical and mechanical engineering spearheaded by George, Myles, and Billy is light years ahead of the old TUMBLEHOME. She is also 20,000 pounds lighter and has considerable more power, explaining why she is very comfortable at 31 knots -- in fact her wake is incredibly small for such a large boat at this speed.

RANGER is an unusual boat, to say the least, and we are all pleased how she turned out. She is definitely a yacht but with a commercial look and a very salty exterior.

She is the first of the Paine designs called Steady Sailors. Notice the outriggers which will tow the "birds" to keep her from rolling while offshore. The boat has a number of failsafe details for extreme conditions, a state of the art electrical system, and a very pleasant cherry interior. The galley boasts stainless steel counter tops and a Refleks oil heater that also supplies hot water to the radiators throughout the boat to keep you warm on those cool nights. A motorsailer in the traditional sense, she is primarily a long distance cruiser under power with some assistance and steadying from her sails. She will easily live up to the name.

BARBARA Michael Porter came to us as the designer of this wonderful, long-range voyager that he and his wife wanted for cruising the waters of Maine to the Caribbean as well as the canals and rivers of Europe. BARBARA was the second custom aluminum yacht from our metal fabrication shop. As we had very successfully done before, we used the computer water jet cutting process of our friend Jeff Pierce, owner of Pierce Aluminum and the Lyman Morse aluminum-built COMET.

The key element was to build a boat that would carry them safely, and with reasonable dispatch, wherever they wanted to go and would allow them to live and work aboard without major readjustments. Michael turned to us to build his custom aluminum, long-range, "live-anywhere" cruiser, one that would fit within the draft, beam, and height restrictions of European canals, but still have the range and seaworthiness to cross oceans.

MAESTRO One of JB’s customers from several years ago when he was at Dodson Boatyard in Stonington, CT—visited us here at Lyman-Morse during the summer of 2003. As conversation developed over the year, he became increasingly interested in the new 38’ Chuck Paine/Mark Fitzgerald jet boat project we were building called A N N I E ROSE. Soon thereafter, we began to build MAESTRO, the second of this great, custom jet boat design.

In early April we launched MAESTRO. She has twin 440 hp Yanmars that give her a top speed of over 34 knots at half load. Her very clean lines and graceful hull make her beautiful to watch while underway or at anchor. Her cherry finish creates a warm interior which is great for relaxing after a day’s run. She will be in Stonington, Conn. this summer making the rounds of favorite places in Block Island and Long Island Sound.

60 CRUISING CAT -  Bob Rodgers of Rodgers Yacht Sales in Noank. CT. introduced us to this fantastic project. The owners canvassed the world interviewing yards and ultimately settled on us. We have completed the mock-up of the interior at our Tenants Harbor facility and Janicki has cut the male molds for the pre-preg hulls. The interior skins are carbon fiber, the outer skins Kevlar and E-glass for abrasion resistance. We are working out the interior details but as we all know there will be a lot of space available in this 28’wide area.

AUJOURD'HUI - The third boat of the 38 foot series behind ANNIE ROSE and MAESTRO. We have extended the transom to give her a very dramatic torpedo look. Her twin 435 hp Cummins give her the ability to cover a lot of fast miles. She will be our first boat to utilize Blue Arrow technology that allows " mouse" control while docking. She will have a full on mahogany interior with a custom etched glass bulkhead.  A true showstopper!

MAD MAX - Sandy and Helen Jones come to us from the West Coast. As the old salts would say,  "Sandy has dragged anchor further than most people have sailed". Having admired Doug’s designs for years we are not surprised Doug has drawn up a fantastic boat for the Jones’. Her modern interior will be custom selected red birch applied to lightweight panels. We will also be installing active trim tabs to mitigate action in a seaway.

Many of you may not be aware of our major, new investment -- a new, "state-of-the-art" boatbuilding facility. This huge building launches us into the global market in a big way as we now have two bays 160’ long and 40’ wide with doors that accommodate 40’ beam and the height of our 110-ton Travelift. We are not even finished and the building is already full of new construction projects and several large re-fits.

This is a tremendous turning point for Lyman-Morse. We can now handle large cats, high powerboats, and long legged sailboats. In other words, we now have a building that can handle what we are most proud of -- our versatility. There are not many yards in the world that can build such a variety of designs, big or small.

This building is very "green". We have used SIP panels to sheath the exterior and incredibly efficient ceiling insulation that will allow us to regulate the heat perfectly. We have installed a roof system called Dawn Solar which uses the same tubing as in the radiant heated floor. The sun will heat the tubes and the heat will be transferred into the cement walls and floor all summer and fall. Because we have 14" concrete floors and a huge amount of poured concrete walls (we built into a hillside), a huge heat sink has been created for the solar energy.

During the height of the winter we will be working off the heat stored in the concrete and supplementing it with very efficient boilers similar in design to the instant hot type of heating used in Europe. Though the boilers are marketed by HB Smith, they are primarily European in design and manufacture with 92% efficiency.

Since it will take two to three days to significantly change the temperature through the radiant heat in the floor we have added two 250,000 BTU tubular heaters in the ceiling. These are also very efficient and allow a quick rise of temperature when we need to accomplish specific tasks like gluing or varnishing.

The new low energy fluorescent lighting provides better light while using far less energy. The flooring in the offices and bathrooms uses recycled material and we are saving close to 40,000 gallons a year using waterless urinals!

We have used bi-fold doors similar to airplane hangars to get the height and width we need and these will, hopefully, be more efficient than roll-up doors. Just having the doors facing to the south will make a huge difference. There are two ten-ton overhead cranes, plenty of windows, and two central mezzanine floors for offices and workspaces. The outer walls house additional mezzanines for workspace.

A break room on the bottom floor will provide some quiet space. A complete air exchange system creates a high quality environment for the employees. The system utilizes VFDs (variable frequency drives) for low power usage when full power is not needed.

We will be adding a connector to the upper buildings to make employee traffic-flow much more efficient, eliminating the use of cars to travel between buildings. JB, the senior foremen, and the designers/engineers will all have their offices together on the third floor of the building; which is actually the ground floor on the north side of the building. Our major objective is to have all the foremen in one place for better communication.

To see more on our new, state-of-the art, green buidling, click here.

On January 31, 2006 Lyman - Morse Boatbuilding at Tenants Harbor was presented with a Clean Marinas award in recognition of our company’s outstanding efforts to protect Maine’s waters from pollution. The leadership demonstrated here is evidenced by rigorous environmental standards which extend above and beyond compliance. The award was presented by Maine Marine Trades Association and is sponsored by Maine Marine Trades Association in partnership with the Maine State Planning Office, Maine Dept. Of Environmental Protection, and the Maine Dept. Of Marine Resources.

and greener...

The state has recognized our efforts in the Safety and Environmental Programs and has awarded us with not one but two grants to help us with the growth of our company. One grant, the Community Development Block Grant, helped us to achieve upgrades in the yard to better service our customers. The other was a seed grant from the Maine Technology Institute to develop a prototype Power Consol Deployable Power Unit. This unit is a turn-key solution for providing power in remote or disasters situations.

And Greener....

As part of the growth of our company we were also presented with the award for Employer of the Year from the Coastal Counties Workforce Board. As a valued partner of the Career Center in the realm of workforce recruitment and development, we have provided employment and on-the-job training programs for both new and incumbent employees. This is a testament to the hard work of the whole Lyman-Morse team.

In the summer of 2005 we turned the corner with our new 110-ton Travelift. Our repairs and service are stepping up to the sophisticated complexities of large modern yachts. Fishing boats, tour boats, etc. are all starting to use this fantastic facility.

We had an impressive list of boats last year with RED SKY, a Swan 100, testing the lift as the widest and heaviest boat we can haul. Working with Bob and Kathy was a delight and we expect to see them back for their summer maintenance. ARGENT (Hunt 74’) spent the winter with us for a major re-fit.

Skip Novak was unable to complete the Northwest Passage in the summer of 2005 due to extraordinary ice so he turned around and headed to his home grounds in the Southern Ocean. He made a quick pit stop in Thomaston to fix his rudder that was designed to be pulled up in case of ice. The boat has no keel, a very large Reflex heater, and a totally no nonsense approach to extreme conditions. This is a simple boat as the Antarctic is no place to need repairs but incredibly rugged to withstand the several hundreds of thousands of miles they have already sailed. How many times have you planned a charter in Thomaston, Maine for the South Georgia Islands -- arriving with only a few days to spare before that charter -- that is confidence! Steve and Skip were a treat to deal with. I suggest everyone click into their website and follow the adventures of this amazing boat. There is often room on their charters or passages for the intrepid traveler who is looking for unique adventure.

This past summer was very busy with a new look in Thomaston. For a month we had at least three 100’ sailboats with the occasional appearance of 85’ACADIA and 90’ TUMBLEHOME. NGONI, RED SKY, MARGUERITE all "hung out" on our docks as we completed the usual maintenance chores from a busy winter in the Caribbean.We hauled RED SKY’s mast which Bob McClean’s crew painted while we cleaned up her bottom and topsides.

Please don’t think that as a yard we are forgetting our roots. While the large boats make a big splash we especially enjoy working directly with owners on any size boat. We have had an outstanding group of professional skippers work with us but to work directly with our old and new owners is one of the reasons we are still in this business.

We also are becoming the yard of choice for many in the local community. We are committed to servicing any boat and now with the new Travelift in full operation we are getting more and more fishermen—luckily their busiest season is also our busiest so we are able to schedule them in more "off times".

ACADIA, both the 49’and 85’ were in the Caribbean for the winter of 2005. They had an active racing program going for the 49’ (a Frers design we built in 1984 for Burt) with the new ACADIA acting as the mother ship. In ’07 ACADIA will primarily be between the Bahamas and Hilton Head when Burt moves into his newly renovated house.

AMELIA (LM/Fontaine 64) was in the Caribbean for the winter using Dockwise Shipping as a way to get her down and back. This past summer AMELIA was struck by lightning which damaged the isolator so when she tied up to a dock for shore power she developed a fire. Not a big fire but even a little one causes disastrous consequences. An electrical fire means that the smell is incredibly strong and hard to eliminate. She is in Building #1 undergoing major work to get her back up and running. She was in impeccable shape and is truly one of the more beautiful sailboats we have built—pretty discouraging for us all to have to tear into an essentially new boat. NICHE (Seguin 40) has an upgraded electrical system with new batteries, inverter and battery charger. She also received a "bottom job" with a new barrier coat. She is here again this winter and since Gus is off on a new job, NICHE will probably stay in the shed this summer.

BOHEME (Seguin 44) is home this winter after spending the previous winter in the Caribbean—more varnish, Awlgrip, and new autopilot for her. NARNIA (Seguin 49). In ’06 Birge and his family headed to Ireland and managed a good crossing with plenty to keep him busy with strategic parts like starter motors failing. Birge, as usual, kept everything going with his competency. He probably enjoyed re-building his starter in the middle of the ocean. NARNIA is still over in Ireland with plans to head North this next summer to Norway and beyond. High latitude sailing is definitely enticing a lot of sailors now with spectacular scenery and empty anchorages.

FINBACK (Seguin 49). Because of a change of plans she stayed with us last winter and got new Corian counters with sinks and new faucets. She is in impeccable shape. Still, Eric has decided to replace the engine and generator to get her ready for sale. (He has a new baby and is moving to new environments.) The boat is a steal for some lucky buyer.

FINBACK, CHEWINK, and NARNIA are sisterships and, perhaps, three of the finest all around cruising boats, ever. Of course, I am not biased at all as I re-fit CHEWINK with a new engine and a 20 year upgrade which started with small intentions and has grown way out of control.

PELAGOS (LM/Hunt40) got a new electrical system including a new inverter, batteries, alternator, and a teak swim platform in ’05 plus general maintenance with a few new touches in ’06.

WINDWALKER I (Seguin 44). We completed a big electrical upgrade of last year with new electrical panel, entertainment system, new plotter, and a new head.

BREEZING UP (J46). With a new arch, solar panels, new wind generator, dodger and electrical work she then won her class to Bermuda. Of course we like to think it was our upgrades but I think the Willauer family could do it on any boat.

DYNAMITE (J46) has a new entertainment system, varnish, and considerable interior woodworking.

FINESSE (J42). We installed a "state of the art" computer and nav system, carbon Spectra pipe berth and a new carbon radar mast. Last summer FINESSE hit hard on soft Maine granite. It was a good testament to the SCRIMP process that she held together. We have just put the keel back on after some new glass work in the structure of the boat. She is now stronger than ever and has a lot of improvements in the interior.

GAF VI (38 sport fisherman) got new teak coamings as well as an Awlgrip tuna tower and flybridge and a continuation of synthesizing her extensive electrical/electronic system.

SKOAL (Cape Dory 36 power). With work over two winters SKOAL has a new aluminum fuel tank, dripless stuffing box, new cockpit / saloon sliding door, modified arch, new electronics, and a new genset.

PORT CALL (Swan 46). Engine replacement and extensive mechanical work in ’05.

MEERESRUH (Erickson 27). New engine and engine box.

AFTER ALL (Lord Nelson Tug 37). Wick is doing a serious re-fit this winter with new tanks, dripless shaft seal, fire suppression system, and some electrical work. Nice to have him here.

NARADA. Bill Seeman brought her up from New Orleans this year to get her back in shape after surviving hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. NARADA became Win and Bill’s home for several months after they lost their house. After hearing their harrowing stories I think living on a boat was the safest place to be in New Orleans. Having the developer of SCRIMP technology and our long time advisor/friend on fiberglass and composite technology actually on the scene here in Maine is terrific. To top it off he brings us his lovely old wooden classic for a face-lift.

CATHERINE MINOT Bill and Mary have brought my favorite powerboat back for a re-fit—she has seen a lot of miles but is in terrific shape. With a bit of electronic and mechanical upgrade and some exterior paint she will be like new this spring.

TOO ELUSIVE An Ocean 80 with its home port of Camden is here for some paint and maintenance—she looks small in the new building even at 80 feet!

MUGSY Phil and Marlo are amongst our best customers keeping MUGSY to a very high standard. She is adding to the impressive show in our new building.

ALERT is nearing perfection in Seattle thanks to all of Chuck’s hard work.

WOMBAT is headed to the Great Lakes this summer.

JOURNEY Has a fuel tank and a continuing electrical upgrade.

ANNIE ROSE is a great looking, performance 38’jet boat designed by Mark Fitzgerald of the C.W. Paine Yacht Design Group that we built and launched the spring of 2005. She is a very sea-kindly and fast coastal cruiser with amenities for two. Powered by a single Yanmar 6CX-GTE2 500 HP with Hamilton 362 jet drive. Of durable SCRIMP vinylester composite construction, she’ll perform superbly all day in style at 19 knots with 22-knots top. Chip and Annie have signed on for a bigger boat. $825,000

FROG KISS is a unique and desirable example of the classic Freedom 44. The Freedom 44s have enjoyed a cult following for years and for good reason. Many believe they are the most powerful Freedoms ever built. With two overall wins and four class victories in the tough Bermuda 1-2 Race, it’s hard to deny FROG KISS’s fast passage making capabilities. NOW REDUCED IN PRICE. $120,000

TARKA, a 38’9" Spencer Lincoln design we built in 1995, has proven herself over the years as a great sea boat cruising Maine to the Bahamas. In excellent condition, recent upgrades include all new electronics and canvas in 2005. Her topsides were refinished in dark green Awlgrip in 2003. Powered by a 460 hp Lugger diesel, she is equipped for cruising comfort with generator, 2 Cruise Air units, Espar cabin heater, refrigeration, full array of dual station electronics and much more. Price Reduced. $392,000.

WINDWALKER II is our magnificent 60’ yacht with a beautiful profile and exquisite joinery maintained ‘like new’. This shoal draft, centerboard design by Ted Hood is easily driven in light winds and sea kindly offshore. The incredible equipment list allows for safe, comfortable offshore sailing and extended cruising. $1.9M

FINBACK, a Seguin 49 launched in 1991, has cruised thousands of miles including countless runs to the Caribbean and a world circumnavigation. Always maintained to the very highest standards and with a recently completed, two-winter refit, FINBACK is in absolute pristine sail-away condition. This sea kindly Ted Hood design with "whale bottom" and aft tracking skegs is ready for new adventures in comfort and safety regardless of destination. Price Reduced. $625,000

MARILYN D is my original 1993 jet boat and was completely overhauled in 2002. She has a new, custom mahogany windshield, beautiful dark green topsides, and a retro-fitted and rebuilt cockpit. She was re-powered in the fall of 2004 with a more efficient Mercruiser 454. MARILYN D is a handsome, one-of-a-kind classic impeccably maintained and located in the water at Riverside, CT. $75,000

WHIZZBANG is a beautiful, custom yacht designed by Bill Cook and built by Lyman-Morse in 2000 in the true spirit of tradition for an experienced yachtsman. Her full displacement hull design ensures safe, sea kindly passagemaking along with significant living, storage, and machinery space below. Her pilothouse allows a couple to operate the vessel on deck in even the most adverse conditions. She is equipped with every conceivable option to facilitate safe, comfortable short-handed, blue water sailing. Stored inside in MA. $695,000

CATHIE ANN was built for a very knowledgeable yachting couple. Launched in August 2002, she has had light use and yard maintained returning to Lyman-Morse each year for some TLC. Elegant and fast, a single Yanmar 370 and Hamilton Jet Drive provides 20 knot cruising speed and shoal draft. She is ready to go with two fresh coats of varnish and new bottom paint. Seriously for sale. Price reduced. $239,000