Across the street from a stream of traffic on busy Route 1 in Damariscotta sits a giant blue warehouse. Taped on the windows are two big signs that read: “Boatbuilders Wanted”

On March 19 Hodgdon Yachts celebrated a major milestone — the grand opening of a new shipbuilding facility.

The ribbon was cut at noon, as shipbuilders, boat enthusiasts and Damariscotta town officials congregated around owner Tim Hodgdon as he commemorated the world class yacht company’s 21,500-square-foot acquisition.

“Five years ago we recognized a new direction for our company to build high end custom and and semi-custom tenders, including unique limousine tenders to service the global mega-yacht industry,” Hodgdon said. “We intend to expand this business and make skillful jobs at this location.”

Hodgdon said the new facility will be used specifically for the construction of tenders. Tenders are small boats between 8.5-12 meters long. They are carried aboard large yachts and are used primarily to motor safely into ports. Additionally, Hodgdon's international sales team has opened a new office in the Western Europe city-state of Monaco to handle the increased sales of tenders.

While the new Damariscotta shop is expected to add 10 new jobs to the workforce, Hodgdon said he wanted “to be very clear” about what he is doing.

“I will not be moving operations out of East Boothbay,” Hodgdon said. “Operations here are an expansion and growth opportunity for our already existing company.”

Shipbuilding has been a staple industry of the East Boothbay waterfront for nearly 200 years, and according to Hodgdon, he intends to keep it there, while continuing to grow the business as “aggressively as possible.”

Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus also spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“A hundred years ago about this time, we had a thriving harbor and boatyard in both Great Salt Bay and the Damariscotta Harbor. There were about two dozen shipbuilders there at the time,” Lutkus said. “I see this as another era following that same theme.”

Visitors were invited to tour the facilities after the ceremony, and the shipbuilders returned to work, building the cutting edge vessels that have established Hodgdon Yachts amongst the world's finest.