Harbormaster Boat Naming Celebration in Honor of Hazel Sinclair (Update) - Trolley Transportation Available From Town Hall - Thursday, April 25, 2024

Update - April 23, 2024

Need help getting to the celebration?  The York Trolley Company will be offering free trolley transportation to and from the event on Thursday, April 25, 2024.  The trolley will depart from the Kittery Town Hall parking lot, located at 200 Rogers Road in Kittery at 3:55 PM.  The trolley will remain on-site for the duration of the Boat Naming Celebration and return riders back to Town Hall once it has concluded.  

The trolley is available on a first come, first serve basis to anyone wishing to attend the event and will leave promptly at the pick-up time listed above.  We hope to see you there!

The Town of Kittery invites you to join us as we celebrate the naming and launch of the Harbormaster vessel, in honor of Hazel Sinclair. 

About the event 

The event will take place on April 25, 2024 at 4:15 PM at the Safe Harbor Marina, located at 48 Bowen Road in Kittery Point, ME.  The event will include a short speaking program, followed by the official naming of the vessel and its launch into the water.  

Limited parking for the event will be available on-site, in addition to street parking. 

About Hazel Sinclair 

Hazel Sinclair, along with her husband Clayton opened their home as a guest house called “Rock Rest” in 1946.  Rock Rest offered a rare place of comfort where Black travelers could feel welcome while traveling through Maine during the late 1940’s through the 1970’s.  Rock Rest operated in an era when it was common practice to prohibit Black travelers from staying in hotels, being served in restaurants, or otherwise accessing public accommodations in the Seacoast area. 

With the naming of the Harbormaster vessel, Hazel’s legacy of providing steadfast protection and comfort on land will now continue into Kittery’s waterways. 

To learn more about Hazel Sinclair, please click here. 

About the Harbormaster vessel 

The Harbormaster provides marine law enforcement, rescue, and education services to boaters within the tidal waters of Kittery.  With an extensive working waterfront that includes not only boat and ship traffic, but also a vibrant mix of commercial operations and recreational destinations on the wharves and piers, the Harbormaster frequently responds to emergency situations.  

Some of the Harbormaster vessel’s safety features include:  

• 360 degree rotating high intensity searchlight.
• 100-watt siren/public announcement speaker. 
• Multi-functional emergency lights (solid blue, solid ultra-high intensity white and flashing yellow). 
• Heated patient compartment capable of seating 4 adults to warm up out of the elements after rescue. 
• A recovery door that allows personnel to safely and effectively pull someone from the water into the boat, deploy buoys or untangle gear. 
• Redundant navigation system for charting, radar and ocean bottom searching. 
• VHF radios with all marine channels and a high-powered radio with marine and public safety channels for all municipalities from Hampton NH to Old Orchard ME, including marine and land-based state agencies for NH and ME.  
• (2) 200 HP outboard motors for redundancy, safety, and quick response times to emergencies.  
• Ability to tow with 200 ft of tow line. 

To learn more about the Harbormaster, please visit our website at www.kitteryme.gov/harbormaster. 

We hope you’ll join us for this historic celebration!