Down East

Last weekend I attended the Maine Boatbuilders show held every March in Portland. While another snow storm made travel from Massachusetts to Maine initially tricky, road conditions gradually improved during the journey north. The show, held, as usual, in a long sprawling “historical” building on the waterfront, was as eclectic as ever. Exhibitors displayed a wide variety of craft and accessories from rowing dories and sailboats to marine paints and propellers. I enjoyed talking with some custom boat builders; a boat museum director; and boat donation program representative, among others. If you enjoy connecting with a cross section of the recreational boating world, in a genuine down-east setting, put the Boatbuilders show on your calendar for next year.