Maine Retired Skipper's Race

08/12/2025

71st annual Maine Retired Skippers Race is set for Sunday August 17.
Skippers meeting at 1000 hours, first gun 1300. Contact [email protected] to register.

08/17/2023

The 2023 winning skipper, Pam Pollak, and crew of Wizard, a Fishers Island 31.

07/20/2023

Mark your calendar for August 12, 2023. The race WILL BE run off Castine harbor. Send an email to [email protected] to receive the NOR and registration instructions.

08/18/2022

There will be no race in 2022.

08/05/2021

MAINE RETIRED SKIPPERS RACE 2021 CANCELLED

Please take care of yourselves, your families, and your neighbors. We hope to see you in 2022.

04/12/2021

https://www.pressherald.com/2021/04/11/state-launches-ferry-built-in-east-boothbay-shipyard/

The new vessel, named after Capt. Richard G. Spear, a Maine Maritime Academy graduate, will transport passengers and motor vehicles between Rockland and Vinalhaven for the Maine State Ferry Service.

03/01/2021

07/10/2020

2020 Notice of Race Cancellation

12/10/2019

We are saddened to share that John Gardner has sailed over the bar.

John Prior Gardner of Castine died on November 21, 2019, at the age of 90.
Like his father, Captain Henry Gardner, John spent his life seeking adventures at sea. After serving on an LST in the Navy from 1946-1948, he attended the Art Students League under the GI bill. He was on board the Argosy in its attempt to sail around the world, worked on tugboats on the Hudson River, Erie Canal, and on the Brooklyn waterfront as a stevedore superintendent and terminal manager.
After returning to Castine in 1973 with his wife Elaine and daughter Julie, John scalloped in his dragger on the Penobscot Bay. He worked on oil rig supply boats out of Rhode Island and enjoyed racing his sailboat, winning many Retired Skipper races. John carved historic ship models that are in museums and private collections around the world. He is known for his wooden kitchen spooners and his realistic hand carved butterflies and leaves. He was an avid cyclist, riding his bike in Maine, and throughout France, well into his 80s.
His wife Elaine, son William, daughter-in-law Kathy, daughters Annie, Juliane, son-in-law Chris, grandchildren Tambre, West, Lauren, and great-granddaughter Ariella, are saddened by the loss of this dear man.
A service to celebrate John’s life will be next summer.