Georgetown business makes bronze marine hardware in Maine

WMTW NEWS 8'S STEVE MINICH HAS THIS WEEK'S MADE IN MAINE. --NATS OF MACHINES-- (11-16-36)(NEIL COLLINS/G.M. DERECKTOR ROBINHOOD MARINA) "I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER MARINE HARDWARE MANUFACTURER THAT DOES THINGS THE WAY WE DO HERE." --QUICK NATS- HERE,, AT SPARTAN MARINE, THEY DO THINGS IN THE MOST TRADITIONAL WAY -- RIGHT DOWN TO THESE VINTAGE MACHINES -- AND THE SPECIFIC METAL USED TO CAST ITS VERY WIDE ARRAY OF HARDWARE..... (11-11-37)(SKIP COLLINS/METAL WORKER) "IT'S ALMOST LIKE A THROWBACK TO THE PAST AGES IN A WAY," FOUNDED BACK IN 1963 BY A MASSACHUSETTS BOATBUILDER,,,,, SPARTAN MARINE NOW SITS WATERSIDE IN GEORGETOWN AS PART OF THE DERECKTOR ROBINHOOD MARINA COMPLEX.. (11-09-02)(SKIP) "SURPRISINGLY IT HASN'T CHANGED WORKING HERE IN THE 1980'S,,,, THE MAN BEHIND ALL THE METAL WORKS - -- EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF HARDWARE THAT LEAVES THIS SHOP HAS HIS FINGERPRINTS ON IT..... EVERY CLEAT,,,, VALVE,, EVERY PORT HOLE.. (10-53-41) "THEN THE GASKET COMES IN AND SEALS IT AGAINST THE GLASS AND YOU HAVE A REAL GOOD SEAL." EACH IS MILLED BY HAND ---- AND EACH,, JUST LIKE CENTURIES AGO -- IS MADE OF BRONZE.. (11-10-08) (SKIP) "BRONZE IS A TIME TESTED PRODUCT, IT DOESN'T CORRODE, IT TURNS GREEN, THE PATENA SEEMS TO STAY FOREVER LIKE THAT." WHILE THOSE BRONZE FITTINGS CAN BE EXCEPTIONALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN TODAY'S MORE MODERN ALUMINUM ALTERNATIVES --- GENERAL MANAGER NEIL COLLINS SAYS SPARTAN'S MARKET CONTINUES TO THRIVE --- DRIVEN BY THE MANY BOATERS WHO VALUE CLASSIC CRAFTSMANSHIP --- AND JUST THE RIGHT LOOK... (11-19-27)(NEIL) "THEY LOOK PROPER ON A BOAT OF A CERTAIN ESTHETIC (BUTT TO 11-19- 35) WHEN I ROW UP TO A BOAT THAT HAS BEAUTIFUL AGED BRONZE HARDWARE ON IT, IT CONVEYS QUALITY." (10-39-47)(SKIP) ---NATS OF MACHINE--- "THIS LATHE IS THE NEWEST ONE HERE AND I'M GUESSING IT'S 1950'S" IT'S NOT MANY COMPANIES THAT TOUT SUCH OLD FASHION METHODS.... BUT, THE WORK DONE HERE, THEY SAY, SPEAKS TO A WHOLE DIFFERENT ERA... (11-24-33) (NEIL) "IS THERE FASTER, MORE, YOU KNOW, MORE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO DO IT? PERHAPS BUT THE WAY WE HAVE THIN

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Georgetown business makes bronze marine hardware in Maine

Spartan Marine is Made in Maine

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A Georgetown business says it is proud to do things the old-fashioned way."I don't know of any other marine hardware manufacturer that does things the way we do here," said Skip Collins of Spartan Marine.Spartan Marine crafts bronze marine hardware using vintage machines and uses very specific metal used to cast its very wide array of products. "It's almost like a throwback to the past ages in a way," Collins said.Founded back in 1963 by a Massachusetts boatbuilder, Spartan Marine now sits waterside in Georgetown as part of the Derecktor Robinhood Marina complex. Collins first started working here in the 1980s. The man is behind all the metal works. Every single piece of hardware that leaves the shop has his fingerprints on it. That includes every cleat, valve and porthole. Each is milled by hand and, just like centuries ago, is made of bronze. "Bronze is a time tested product, it doesn't corrode, it turns green, the patina seems to stay forever like that," he said.While those bronze fittings can be exceptionally more expensive than today's more modern aluminum alternatives, marina general manager Neil Collins says Spartan's market continues to thrive. He says it is driven by the many boaters who value classic craftsmanship and just the right look. "They look proper on a boat of a certain esthetic." Neil Collins said. "When I row up to a boat that has beautiful aged bronze hardware on it, it conveys quality." It's not many companies that tout such old fashion methods, but, the work done here, they say, speaks to a whole different era. "Is there faster, more, you know, more effective ways to do it? Perhaps," said Neil Collins. "But the way we have things working down here, I know that things are getting done right and things are getting done to a high standard."

A Georgetown business says it is proud to do things the old-fashioned way.

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"I don't know of any other marine hardware manufacturer that does things the way we do here," said Skip Collins of Spartan Marine.

Spartan Marine crafts bronze marine hardware using vintage machines and uses very specific metal used to cast its very wide array of products.

"It's almost like a throwback to the past ages in a way," Collins said.

Founded back in 1963 by a Massachusetts boatbuilder, Spartan Marine now sits waterside in Georgetown as part of the Derecktor Robinhood Marina complex.

Collins first started working here in the 1980s. The man is behind all the metal works. Every single piece of hardware that leaves the shop has his fingerprints on it. That includes every cleat, valve and porthole. Each is milled by hand and, just like centuries ago, is made of bronze.

"Bronze is a time tested product, it doesn't corrode, it turns green, the patina seems to stay forever like that," he said.

While those bronze fittings can be exceptionally more expensive than today's more modern aluminum alternatives, marina general manager Neil Collins says Spartan's market continues to thrive. He says it is driven by the many boaters who value classic craftsmanship and just the right look.

"They look proper on a boat of a certain esthetic." Neil Collins said. "When I row up to a boat that has beautiful aged bronze hardware on it, it conveys quality."

It's not many companies that tout such old fashion methods, but, the work done here, they say, speaks to a whole different era.

"Is there faster, more, you know, more effective ways to do it? Perhaps," said Neil Collins. "But the way we have things working down here, I know that things are getting done right and things are getting done to a high standard."