A day at ‘the’ races
Stonington Lobster Boat races celebrate 43rd year on ‘perfect summer day’
Look out! Here comes Shawn Alley’s Little Girl, turning 54 miles per hour on her way to taking the title of "fastest boat afloat." Photo by Stephen Rappaport.
July 15, 2026
By Stephen Rappaport and Jessi Hardy
STONINGTON—At 43, most people would concede that they’ve reached middle age. But last Sunday, Maine’s most important lobster fishing harbor celebrated the 43rd annual Stonington Lobster Boat Races with youthful zest as dozens of fishing boats took their turns blasting along the Deer Island Thorofare under the blue skies and light breezes of a perfect summer day.
Thirty-one races were on the schedule for the nearly 100 boats whose owners signed up on the Stonington Fish Pier to compete for cash prizes, bragging rights and just for the hell of it. The racing fleet was divided into classes based on boat size, engine power and, among the small, outboard-powered boats, the skipper’s age.
Andrew Taylor’s Blue Eyed Girl won two races, the Diesel Free for All and the Jimmy Stevens Cup race for the fastest working lobster boat of the day. Photo by Stephen Rappaport.
The festivities, at least on the racecourse, got under way shortly after 11 a.m. with a swarm of skiffs no more than 16 feet long powered by outboards up to 30 horsepower and driven by skippers between seven and 11 years of age each wearing a personal floatation device and accompanied by a similarly clad adult, or at least an older teenager. Honors went to Makoa Woolsey of Penobscot who skippered her skiff down the course at a winning speed of 24.5 miles per hour.
Some four hours later, in the day’s final race—a couple were cancelled for lack of entries—Downeaster Shawn Alley’s Ford-powered Calvin Beal 28-footer Little Girl crossed the finish line off Green Head turning a blazing 54 miles per hour on the radar gun to win the Jimmy Stevens Cup as the day’s “fastest boat afloat.” Close astern was Andrew Taylor in his Southport-based, diesel-powered Northern Bay 38 Blue Eyed Girl.
Let the festivities begin! The skiff race—for children ages 7-11 and their adult supervisors—kicked off the day’s events. Photo by Jessi Hardy.
Alley’s victory, though reasonably close, was no surprise. Earlier in the day, winning the race for wooden boats shorter than 36 feet, and there are still quite a few wooden boats in the lobster fishing fleet, he pushed Little Girl to a blistering 68.7 miles per hour.
Racing fans had hoped the Stevens Cup would see a battle between Little Girl and lobster boat speed record holder Foolish Pleasure. With the late Galen Alley at the helm several years ago, the 32-foot speedster set the “official” record of 72.8 miles per hour running a 2,000-horsepower alcohol-fueled engine. Now owned by Mark Freeman, the boat has a smaller, gasoline-powered engine which unfortunately ran too poorly on Sunday for Foolish Pleasure to make it to the starting line. The boat idled down the course as the only boat in the gas-powered Class D race so it could qualify for the Stevens Cup effort.
Races were neck and neck throughout the day as boats vied for top spots (left); the Fastest Boat Afloat race was the last race of the day, and those boats were flyin’! (right). Photos by Jessi Hardy.
Immediately before the Jimmy Stevens Cup race, Taylor and Blue Eyed Girl won the Andrew Gove Memorial Cup, awarded to the fastest working lobster boat.
The Gove Memorial Cup honors the late Stonington lobsterman Andrew “Uncle Andy” Gove who fished the waters around Deer Isle for 82 years. Gove dominated Maine lobster boat racing in his Uncle’s U.F.O for some 20 years and retired from racing, and fishing, in 2019. He died six years ago.
While the Stevens and Gove cups are the biggest prizes for bragging rights, this year the Stonington Lobster Boat Race Committee amassed a wide array of prizes that all racers could compete for in a post-race drawing. Two $5,000 grand prizes were drawn, one taken home by Kathy Lymburner of Brooksville, the other by Bates College student and lobsterman Jett Lindelof of Belfast.
From left: The Jimmy Stevens Cup was awarded to Sean Alley (right) of F/V Little Girl, a gasoline boat. Jeff Eaton (left) presented the award; The Andrew Gove Trophy was awarded to Andrew Taylor (right) of F/V Blue Eyed Girl. The award was presented by Jeff Eaton (left) and Myrna Clifford, Gove’s daughter (middle). Photos by Jessi Hardy.
The Stonington Lobster Boat Races attract a large spectator fleet of working boats and pleasure craft on moorings or anchored along both sides of the racecourse. About a mile long, the course runs in a westerly direction from just off the Stonington Lobster Co-op east of the town center to a finish line set between Green Head and a moored barge provided by Billings Marine & Diesel Service.
That barge isn’t just a course marker. It also serves as the working platform for the half-dozen or so volunteer race judges who risk occasional ire from racers who disagree with their determination of which boat won in a close finish. Also on board are a race announcer, who views the proceedings from an elevated pilothouse, and the operator of the official speed-determining radar gun.
Young spectators hop aboard Tom Clemons’ Harpswell-based 4 Ladies for a chance to race aboard the 1,000-horsepower Wesmac SW46. Photo by Stephen Rappaport.
The barge also hosts a random collection of judges’ family members, miscellaneous invited guests, photographers and journalists. Sheltered by a sun blocking canopy, it is a great vantage point to watch the boats speed up the course and cross the finish line. It’s also a great place to share snacks generously provided by the race committee which, this year as often in the past, included generously stuffed lobster rolls and, for those who prefer them, crab rolls.
For many years, the barge has also served as a mooring platform for three or boats owned by the same group of Stonington lobstermen. The boats are packed with folks of all ages enjoying the races, sharing one another’s company, good food and the chance to party. Like the teenage partiers from past years who are now on board with young children of their own, all of the fishermen have aged. And, health and good fortune providing, they will all be back at the Stonington Lobster Boat Races in 2027.
2026 Stonington Lobster Boat Races
RESULTS
Race 1 A: Class A- Skiffs 16 ft and under with Outboard- up to 30hp, age 7-11,
1st- Makoa Woolsey
2nd- Miss Alexsa, Lincoln Torrey
3rd- Gray Ghost- C.J. Gray
Race 1 B: Class A- Skiff 16ft and under With Outboard- up 30 hp, age 12- 15yrs
1st- Essie Grace, Haven Ciomei
2nd- Red Neck Racer, Lucas Jones
3rd- Shay Billings
Race 2: Class B- Inboard, outboard or outdrives-31-90hp, 16 and over
1st- Screen Time, Mason Vintinner
2nd- Quick Tide, Aiden Rittenhouse
3rd- Dale Haley, Jr.
Race 3: Class C- Inboards, outboard or outdrives – 90hp and up
1st- Bottoms Up, Tyler Childers
2nd- Daddy Didn’t Buy It, Nathaniel Robinson
3rd- Casco Miss, Dave Johnston
Race 4: John’s Bay Boat Company Exhibition Race
1st- Khristy Michelle, John R. Williams
Race 5: Gasoline Class A-4& 6 Cylinder 24 ft and over
No Entries
Race 6: Gasoline Class B- V-8 up to 383 cid, 24ft and up
1st- Ripsnotter, Brooklin Boat Yard
Race 7: Gasoline Class C- V-8, 384 to 525 cid, 24 to 29 ft
No Entries
Race 8 : Gasoline Class D – V-9, 376 and over, 28 feet and over
1st- Foolish Pleasure, Mark Freeman
Race 9: Gasoline Class E – V-8, over 525 cid, 28 ft and over, supercharge/turbos
1st- Little Girl, Sean Alley
2nd- Black Diamond, Josh Linscott
Race 10: Wooden Boat Race- any hp, up to 35 ft, 11 inches
1st- Little Girl, Sean Alley
2nd- Emma G, Kathy Lymburner
3rd- Snapper, Tom Morris
Race 11: Wooden Boat Race- any hp, 36 and over
1st- Khisty Michelle, John R. Williams
Race 12: Diesel Class A- up to 235 hp, 24 to 31 ft
1st- Capt. EM, Richard Hildings
2nd- Bittersweet, Andrew Reed
3rd- Black Magic, Ed Upham
Race 13: Diesel Class B- Up to 235 hp, 32 ft to 39ft, 11 in
1st- Relentless, Brantley Ciomei
2nd- Shockwave, Jeff Gove
3rd- Sammy Sue, Max Gove
Race 14: Diesel Class C- 236 to 335 hp, 24 to 33 ft
1st- Last Design, Roy Fagonde
2nd- Saving Grace, Michael Dassett
Race 15: Diesel Class D -236-335hp, 34 ft to 39 ft, 11 in
1st- Outnumbered, Dan Carter
2nd- Samantha Erin, Robin Dunham
Race 16: Diesel Class E – 336-435hp, 24 to 33 ft
1st- Destiny, Danny Eaton
2nd- Audrey May, Randy Durkee
3rd- Guilty Pleasure, Jake Dugas
Race 17: Diesel Class F: 336-435hp, 34 ft to 39 ft, 11in
1st- Faith Melle, Winfred Alley
2nd- Calypso, Royce Fifield
3rd Baya Buoy,
Race 18: Diesel Class G- 436-550hp, 28ft to 35 ft
1st- Rijo, Tucker Johnson
2nd- Melle, Desmond Ashman
3rd- Miss Joanne, Jamie Hardy
Race 19: Diesel Class H- 436 to 550 hp, 36 ft to 39 ft, 11 inch
1st- Papa’s Pride, Oscar Beal
2nd- Off the Hook, Heath Eaton
3rd- First Team, Travis Otis
Race 20: Diesel Class I- 551 to 700hp, 28ft to 35 ft
1st- Lil’ Lisa Marie, Gary Genthner
2nd- Misty, Chris Smith
3rd- Aspiration, Jackson Lemieux
Race 21: Diesel Class J – 551 to 700 hp, 36 ft to 39 ft, 11in
1st- Mean Kathleen, Sean Clemons
2nd- Kohen Miles, Kyle Grant
3rd- Dear Abbie, Scott Keenan
Race 22: Diesel Class K- 701 to 900hp, 28 ft to 39ft, 11in
1st- Blue Eyed Girl, Andrew Taylor
2nd- La Bella Vita, Jeff Eaton
3rd- Scootin’ Star, Steven Osgood
Race 23 Diesel Class L – 901 hp and over, 28ft to 39 ft, 11in
1st- Less Than Knot, James Nelson
Race 24: Diesel Class M- 40 ft and over, up to 500hp
1st- Sarah Cristina, Devon Bray
2nd- Khristy Michelle, John R. Williams
3rd- Priorities, Sean Haskell
Race 25: Diesel Class N- 40 ft and over, 501 to 750 hp
1st-Miss Madelyn, Jason Chipman
2nd- Hooligan, Deven Haskell
3rd Master Mason, David Vintinner
Race 26: Diesel Class O- 40 ft and over, 751 hp to 1,000
1st- Obsession, Ryan Lemieux
2nd- Natalie E., Dana Beal
3rd- Brynn Marie, Josh Gove
Race 27: Diesel Class P - 40ft and over, 1,001 hp and over
1st Alexas Rose, Matt Shepard
2nd- 4 Ladies, Tom Clemons
3rd- Emma & Andrew, Ben Weed
Race 28: Gasoline Free for All
1st- Little Girl, Sean Alley
Race 29: Diesel Free for All
1st- Blue Eyed Girl, Andrew Taylor
2nd Rijo, Tucker Johnson
3rd- La Bella Vita, Jeff Eaton
Race 30: Andrew Gove Memorial Cup- Fastest Working Lobster Boat
1st- Blue Eyed Girl, Andrew Taylor
2nd- La Bella Vita, Jeff Eaton
3rd- Janice Elaine, David Myrick
Race 31: Jimmy Stevens Cup- Fastest Boat Afloat
1st- Little Girl, Sean Alley
2nd- Blue Eyed Girl, Andrew Taylor
3rd- Janice Elaine, David Myrick
$5,000 Grand Prizes
Organizing committee co-chairs Jeff and Karen Eaton secured two $5,000 grand prizes for this year’s races. To be considered for the cash prizes, each boat had to cross the finish line.
The 2026 Stonington Lobster Boat Races Grand Prize winners were:
Emma G, Kathy Lymburner, of Brooksville
Jett Set, Jett Lindelof, of Belfast.
In addition to the grand prize, each participant was entered into the drawing and everyone won a prize. “We make sure everyone gets a prize,” Karen Eaton said.
This year’s prizes included fishing gear, gift certificates, swag and more.
This year—and for the first time—the Stonington Lobster Boat Race was televised on Fox22/ABC7. All races were broadcast.