Maine Maritime Museum Announces Award

Maine Maritime Museum Announces 2008 Mariners' Award Recipient

Maine Maritime Museum will honor world-renowned yacht designer Bruce King with its 2008 Mariners’ Award on August 23. The public is invited. King, joining previous winners, historian Roger Duncan and author and sea captain Linda Greenlaw, was chosen because his beautiful and innovative boat designs have reinforced and furthered Maine’s reputation for excellence in boat building in a growing worldwide audience.

Throughout the day on August 23 (9:30 am – 5:00 pm), the Museum will host a celebration of boatbuilding and design open to the public.   The ticketed Mariners’ Award event will begin at 5:30 pm with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the award ceremony. Tickets for the event are available in advance by calling Maine Maritime Museum at (207)443-1316.

Bruce King, a California native and Maine resident since 1981, is best known for designing Ericson sailboats, the Hinckley 36’ Picnic Boat, and one-of-a-kind luxury yachts. In the early 1970s, Bruce combined traditional appearance, a fast underbody, and wood epoxy construction in his first large custom sailboat design, Whitehawk.  Whitefin, Saskianna, Signe, and Sophie, all built in Maine, followed.  

In the 1990s, Hetairos, a 125' ketch was built in Germany and Alejandra, a 135' ketch, was built in Spain.  Liberty, an 80' commuter-style power yacht, and Antonisa, a 124' sloop, followed at Hodgdon Yachts in Boothbay. Maria Cattiva, built by the Royal Huisman Shipyard, was launched in 2003. Also during the1970s, the twin, retractable bilge board racing yachts, Terrorist, Aggressive II, and Hawkeye, were designed and built, creating a stir in the racing world.

Sponsoring this year’s Maine Maritime Museum Mariner’s Award are Bath Savings Institution, Bath Iron Works, A General Dynamics Company, Hinckley Yachts, and Hodgdon Yachts.

Maine Maritime Museum is an independent, nonprofit institution dedicated to promoting an understanding and appreciation of Maine’s maritime heritage through gallery exhibits, an historic shipyard, educational programs, a research Library, and narrated excursions along area waterways.  Founded in 1962, the Museum is nestled along the Kennebec River in Bath, “The City of Ships” and provides a unique experience to visitors of all ages from around the world.  The Museum is located at 243 Washington Street, and is open daily (except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Days) from 9:30 – 5.  Admission is free for Members with general admission charged for all others.  Call (207) 443-1316 or visit www.mainemaritimemuseum.org for more information.

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