Monday, February 14, 2011

Jim Jones

When it comes to a true Mainer, Jim Jones comes to mind. Jim was a boat builder's son who grew up in East Boothbay and now works for Boothbay Harbor Shipyard. His shipbuilding days started as an apprentice at his father's shipyard, where they built small pleasure and lobster boats. Many children in Maine wait for that treasured "snow day" in order to get a day off of school, but Jim waited for the "steam bent frame day". Occasionally, that perfect day would come around when Jim's father would need help with the frame timbers, which came out of the steam box and Jim got the day off to help him.

Jim got his boat building skills by apprenticing with his father and later taking over his father's shipyard. Boothbay Harbor Shipyard was lucky to employ Jim three years ago with his calm demenor and knowledgable boatbuilding skills.

When Jim is not in the shipyard, he enjoys fly fishing at his camp near the Forks in northern Maine. He often catches salmon but brook trout are his favorites. He also enjoys spending time gardening and making maple syrup.

So what would he like to do that he hasn't? Top on his wish list is traveling to Alaska or the arctic. What could be a better location for a fly fisherman?