PAGE FORTY-FOUR - The Bar Harbor Times, Thursday, July 17, 1980 Still None For His Own Cranberry Island Model Maker Carves Boats For Many Mantels Herman Savage made his Scrap wood provides the first model boat several years material for the handsomely ago for the mantelpiece of his carved models. Herman starts own home on Cranberry Island, with a log. "cedar, because it's but it didn't stay there long. His the easiest to come by on any of employer, the late Boynton these islands," and hollows out Merche, wanted the model for a hull. Three were begun from his son and requested another a cedar mooring pole that a for himself. friend fished out of the water. Then a friend of the Merches Tiny cleats, antennae and ordered a third when he running lights are fashioned returned after a day of from the heads of copper .22 lobstering with Herman's bullet shells and a common brother Arvard. He wanted to straight pin is bent to form be able to tell friends back hooks and eyes on a block. "Half home in Cleveland that he went of the trouble with America lobstering "on a boat just like today is that too much scrap is that," Savage remembers. thrown away," Herman reflects, "but I think we're Other Savage models now starting to smarten up." adorn MDI mantels, including Jarvis Newman's in Manset "I like to make the boat as and Peter Grace's in Northeast authentic as possible." he Harbor, but Herman's own explains, showing how one can mantel is still boatless. haul in a lobster pot. The smoothly painted lobster boat is buff-decked with white sides A 28-inch lobster boat built and a red bottom to resemble this winter was recently most of the lobster boats in the purchased and is now displayed MDI area. at the bank in Northeast Harbor. The sales of chances on the model will benefit the Mt. The ingenious handyman Desert Nursery School. makes some of his own tools. Instead of using a lathe, he These lobster boat and yacht models began from cedar logs like this one resting on explains, "I check a piece of the anvil outside Herman Savage's workshed on Great Cranberry Island. Tickets for The 43-year old Ellsworth quarter-inch copper wire up in the lobster boat will be sold to benefit a day care center and the yacht is a small-scale native has been around boats the mouth of an electric drill replica of Maynard Merche's boat. Great all his Cranberry life. His family Island moved when to and turn it on." As it spins, he shapes details such as the Kimball Photo he was a youngster. A one-time running lights. lobsterman, he helped build two Beal and Bunker boats, and worked with his father George His knife, "which holds a fine to "fix-up old wrecked boats edge." was fashioned from a family. who still summers on He has been preparing finally, in a boat model that will that no one wanted." For four razor knife. "just as Mr. Great Cranberry. Savage also several logs now piled to one stay anchored to his own years after being stationed Wendell Gilley over in helps around the island with side of his yard for an extension mantel. But more likely it, too, with the Navy in Key West he Southwest Harbor explains in odd jobs like building steps for to the 12-ft. by 14-ft. workshed will find another mooring. worked in a Florida boatyard. his book on carving birds." the school. where he loses himself in his E.K. carving on cold winter days. "I His father fashions toy boats "Oh, I'm a blacksmith too. he He helped build his parents' come in here, kick a fire in the that children can float in water. says, explaining a forge and house, as well as his own stove and turn the radio on it's "I took the idea and went the anvil outside his workshed. family's in the mid-'60's when an enjoyable pastime. a kind of next step - to make something "My forge is handy if someone they moved back to Maine from a hobby." you could set on a mantel. needs a piece of metal bent.' Florida. "When you don't have Herman explains. Caretaker for the Merche much money, you have to do it Perhaps this winter Herman yourself," he says. Savage's "hobby" will result.