In Maine, a Father-Daughter Team Wins a Lobster Boat Race
- 23 Ağu 2024
- 3 dakikada okunur
Jeremy Beal, a boat builder and lobsterman, had a simple plan: "Point it and punch it!" His
14-year-old daughter, Mariena, took over from there.
On Saturday, many boats raced across Casco Bay in the Maine Lobster Boat Races. One boat had a purple bottom. It was a 32-foot boat with a strong diesel engine, owned by Jeremy Beal,a 45-year-old man who builds boats and catches lobsters. He grew up in a family of boat builders and fishermen. Jeremy’s father, Wayne Beal, and his uncle, Calvin Beal, have been building boats for many years. After learning the family trade, Jeremy took over his dad’s business, Wayne Beal’s Boat Shop, in Jonesport, Maine. Jeremy bought his dad’s last power boat when he retired. He says he won't sell it unless he has to because it belonged to his dad.
To pay for the boat, Jeremy started lobster fishing again this summer, something he first did
when he was 6 years old. His daughter, Mariena, helps him. She will start ninth grade next
month. They put 250 traps into the Gulf of Maine to catch lobsters, which are famous for their
meat. They share the money they earn after paying for bait, fuel, and the boat’s monthly costs.
Jeremy wants Mariena to learn about money and the family’s life on the water. But Mariena
didn’t get her first choice for the boat’s color. She wanted pink, but they settled on purple.
Mariena got to name the boat "My Turn."
When they are not fishing, Jeremy and Mariena race their boat in the lobster boat racing
circuit, a summer event along the Maine coast. The fastest boat wins.On the day before the race, Jeremy cleaned his boat and prepared it for the race. He sailed for
five hours from Jonesport to Long Island in Casco Bay. His wife and daughters, including
Mariena, drove separately. Many people came to watch the races and enjoy a cookout. Some
of them had bought boats from Jeremy or his father.
Adam Kimball, another racer, joked that racing boats costs a lot and doesn’t pay much. Some
people spend thousands of dollars to make their engines faster. Jeremy also met Stevie
Johnson, a well-known boat builder who likes to build unusual boats, like one with a Corvette
car on it.
That evening, Jeremy sailed to Portland to dock his boat overnight. Mariena and her mom
missed the cookout because they were shopping. The next day, Mariena was ready to race.
She was wearing purple toenail polish and a purple nose ring, matching the boat.
Jeremy and Mariena raced in the G category, for boats that are 28 to 35 feet long with diesel
engines. Mariena drove the boat and won the race easily. She earned $200 in prize money.
When asked what she would do with her winnings, Mariena smiled and said, “Shop.”Multiple
Adapted from New York Times
Choice Questions
1. What color did Mariena originally want for the boat?
a) Blue
b) Pink
c) Red
d) Purple
2. What is the name of the boat owned by Jeremy and Mariena?
a) Sea Breeze
b) Wave Rider
c) My Turn
d) Fast Track
3. What is Jeremy Beal’s profession?
a) Fisherman and teacher
b) Boat builder and lobsterman
c) Doctor and fisherman
d) Mechanic and boat racer
4. How old is Mariena?
a) 10
b) 12
c) 14
d) 16
5. What did Mariena plan to do with her race winnings?
a) Save it
b) Buy new fishing gear
c) Go shopping
d) Donate to charity
True or False Questions
1. Jeremy Beal inherited his boat from his grandfather.
2. Mariena helped her father fish by putting 250 traps into the Gulf of Maine.
3. The Maine Lobster Boat Races are a type of sailboat race.
4. The Beal family settled on a purple color for their boat.
5. Mariena lost the G category race.
Download the document to see the answer key.
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