Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube
SUBSCRIBE
Magazine cover with large white yacht on it.
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Boats
  • Podcasts
  • Maintenance
    • Refit and Upgrade
    • Marine Engines
    • Ask Professor Diesel
  • Voyaging
    • Destinations
    • Seamanship
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Real Estate
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Boats
  • Podcasts
  • Maintenance
    • Refit and Upgrade
    • Marine Engines
    • Ask Professor Diesel
  • Voyaging
    • Destinations
    • Seamanship
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Real Estate

Boatbuilding, Downeast Style Gallery

Mount Desert Island, Maine, lies Downeast—about 100 miles northeast of Portland as the seagull flies. A century ago, most islanders made their living from the sea: fishing, lobstering, skippering yachts for "rusticators" (summer visitors), maybe a little bit of all three. In the winter the watermen built boats to use themselves or to sell. Today the descendants of those rugged old-timers
  • By Mike Smith
  • May 1, 2007
<p>Wilbur Yachts' customers include Billy Joel, Woods Hole, and even the Smithsonian.</p>

Wilbur Yachts’ customers include Billy Joel, Woods Hole, and even the Smithsonian.

At Ellis Boat Company, not every Downeaster it builds is a lobster boat.

Don Ellis and his Freisian horse, Deisha, in Southwest Harbor, Maine.

Here’s a scupper’s-eye view of boatbuilding at Ellis Boat Company.

Richard Stanley carries on the family tradition of building custom wood boats.

The Maine man himself: Ralph W. Stanley. Interesting to note: When he’s not building boats, he plays a mean fiddle.

Malcolm L. Pettegrow builds cold-molded wood and ‘glass Downeasters.

Mac Pettegrow.

Two yachts a-building at Wilbur.

Eric Clark of Marine Systems learned his trade from top Southwest Harbor builders, including Lee Wilbur.

Marine Systems also uses other local yards’ hulls, an approach shared by some builders worldwide.

SUBSCRIBE TO POWER & MOTORYACHT

SUBSCRIBE TODAY
Picture of Mike Smith

Mike Smith

  • Boats, Design, Photo Gallery

More Boats Design Photo Gallery

An underwater shot showing the tail end and underside of a shark swimming away into deep blue ocean water, with a tag visible near its dorsal fin.

An Axopar With Teeth

A classic mahogany wooden runabout boat named "Bucket List" cruising across a lake at dusk, throwing up a spray of white water.

Legacy Continued

A side-profile running shot of the sleek, white Ferretti Yachts 800 luxury motor yacht cruising at speed on calm blue water, showcasing its large glass windows, sweeping lines, and expansive flybridge superstructure.

Ferretti 800

A front-angle shot of a white Silent Yachts solar-electric catamaran docked at a marina, showcasing its wide multihull bow and solar panel array stretching across the upper decks.

High Voltage. High seas.

Related

For do-it-yourselfers, this is all of the equipment needed to take an oil sample.

Scientific Method Gallery

prm-OA45d

Drawing Board: Ocean Alexander 45 Divergence

Regal Commodore 3560 Page 4

prm-main_SanlorenzoSX88

First Look: Sanlorenzo SX88

PMY_WHITE_logo
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Gift Subscriptions
  • Customer Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Firecrown Media
  • Sister Brands
    • Anglers Journal
    • Passage Maker
    • Sail Magazine
    • Soundings Online
    • Trade Only Today
    • Yachts International
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Gift Subscriptions
  • Customer Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Firecrown Media
  • Sister Brands
    • Anglers Journal
    • Passage Maker
    • Sail Magazine
    • Soundings Online
    • Trade Only Today
    • Yachts International

Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Power & Motoryacht may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site.

Copyright © 2025 Power & Motoryacht Firecrown. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

PMY_WHITE_logo
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Boats
  • Voyaging
  • Maintenance
    • Engine
    • Marine Engines
    • Ask Professor Diesel
    • Refit and Upgrade
    • Systems
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Gear
  • Electronics
  • Megayachts
  • Blogs
  • Sportfishing
  • Best Stories in Boating
  • Contact Us
Facebook X-twitter Instagram
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Gift Subscriptions
  • Customer Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Firecrown Media
  • Sister Brands
    • Anglers Journal
    • Passage Maker
    • Sail Magazine
    • Soundings Online
    • Trade Only Today
    • Yachts International
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Gift Subscriptions
  • Customer Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Firecrown Media
  • Sister Brands
    • Anglers Journal
    • Passage Maker
    • Sail Magazine
    • Soundings Online
    • Trade Only Today
    • Yachts International