Winners of the “Real Boats, Real Boaters” Photo Contest

Our “Real Boats, Real Boaters Photo Contest” drew images that captured the beauty, atmosphere and human moments found on the water. From foggy New England mornings to tropical shores, the judges selected five winning images from 135 entries — each reflecting a distinct point of view and a memorable boating moment.

Timing and intent mattered. The strongest submissions paired careful planning with the right conditions, and a few relied on happy accidents. The winning images include quiet historical scenes, lively charters framed by coastal rock formations, intimate family outings and evocative weather-driven moods.

Grand Prize: “Whaling Ship at Night” — Robert Olesen

Robert Olesen planned his shot. He sailed with his family from Huntington, N.Y., aboard their 1973 Pearson 30, Talesman, to Cape Cod with a stop at Mystic Seaport, Conn., specifically to photograph the Charles W. Morgan. Olesen wanted a moody, historical image that felt of another era. He returned to the museum grounds in the early hours and, under night light and atmosphere, made several 30-second exposures. He applied only a sepia filter in-camera and avoided post-processing edits.

The result, a haunting portrait of the world’s last wooden whaleship, earned the Grand Prize for its composition, mood and historical resonance. Olesen, an electrical engineer who later moved to a 2001 Beneteau 331 named Nightingale, notes the challenge of balancing seamanship and photography — often having to choose the safe helm over the perfect frame.

First Place: “Schooner Olad” — Bruce Hopkins

Bruce Hopkins of Camden, Maine, an accountant at Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding, captured a classic coastal portrait for first place. The photograph shows the 1927-built charter schooner Olad perfectly framed by rocky foreground and rolling hills, demonstrating how landscape and subject can harmonize. Hopkins says photography and sailing share an unpredictability — no two sails or photographs are ever the same — and this frame reflects that spirit.

Second Place: “No Better Way to Spend the Day” — Chris Hyfield

Chris Hyfield captured a serendipitous summer moment while rowing his 14-foot Peapod named Thistle near Point Judith, R.I. On a day that began rainy, Hyfield found a sunny pocket — a local quirk sometimes called the “Point Judith Miracle” — and photographed a peaceful scene of boating camaraderie and sunlight on the pond.

Cover Finalists

Magazine cover images require vertical composition and leave space for text, so five entries were singled out as cover finalists. Readers helped choose a favorite in a social media poll. The cover finalists included Robert Fitzgibbon’s “Breaking Light” at Napatree Point, R.I.; Bruce Hopkins’ “WoodenBoat School Sunset” featuring Victory Chimes near Brooklin, Maine; John O’Dair’s fog image from Lake Mohonk, N.Y.; and Thomas Rogers’ “Seagull in Spring Morning Sunrise” from Vineyard Haven, Mass. Notably, Bruce Hopkins’ first-place entry was also a cover finalist.

Third Place: “Fog” — Brian Barer

Brian Barer’s atmospheric photograph, taken in Cuttyhunk Harbor, Mass., used fog to strip the scene to its essentials and highlight the quiet, ephemeral qualities of coastal boating. The image was captured with an Intova IC600 digital camera and impressed judges with its mood and simplicity.

Fan Favorite: “Herreshoff S Class Danae” — Howard McMichael

Howard McMichael’s 2005 photo of a skipper steering to the weather mark off Larchmont Yacht Club in Long Island Sound earned the Fan Favorite award on Soundings’ Flickr page. The image balances the skipper’s relaxed posture with the energetic motion of the boat, creating a compelling contrast that appealed to both online voters and the judges.

These five winners and the many strong runners-up highlight the variety of what “real boats” and “real boaters” can mean: family outings, classic vessels, dramatic weather and everyday pleasures. They remind us that great boating photography often combines patience, local knowledge and the willingness to be in the right place at the right time.

See related article: “Aha moments shared by readers.”

This article originally appeared in the January 2010 issue.