Alex Reyes puts protective plastic over a boat that has just been brought into storage for the winter at Marblehead Trading Company. (Photo by Paula Muller)
By Leah Dearborn
MARBLEHEAD — A brisk chill on Columbus Day morning wasn’t enough to stall seasonal preparations by the sea.
The Marblehead Trading Co. on Front Street was bustling, as boats were hauled out of the water in preparation for upcoming cold weather.
“It’s full blast right now for this week and next week,” said Jake Pendlebury, rigger and crane operator.
Pendlebury said the company, which operates two other yacht yards in town on Cliff Street and Beacon Street, typically experiences an extra push of activity in October.
While boat owners want to squeeze in as much time in the water as possible, many insurance policies expire at the end of the month and become expensive to extend past Nov. 1.
Once out of the water, sailboats go through a process of having their masts removed before being hung in the spar loft and undergoing a wash, said Pendlebury.
Some boats are then stored at one of the company’s locations, while others are taken to private residences.
During this busy time of the year, two trucks are in use 10 hours per day, hauling boats to private storage, said Purchasing Manager Robert Leahy.
Leahy said that there’s plenty of work over the winter months, with preparations for next season beginning shortly after a brief holiday recess.
Norman Reid, a member of the Jubilee Yacht Club in Beverly, took advantage of the clear, sunny day to prepare his boat, Baccara, for the removal of its mast.
“It’s a very short season here. Almost too short, but it’s beautiful,” said the 67-year-old Reid, who has been yachting on the North Shore since he was 12 years old.
The company’s Beacon Street location was also active as workers moved large yachts into a storage shed and wrapped them in yards of protective plastic.
“I’m pretty busy all year,” said boat builder Ace Miller, who has been with the company for 30 years and was on lunch break from his work building a mast. “I could get a job building houses, but I wouldn’t enjoy it as much. The same challenge isn’t there.”