MATTAPOISETT — High winds and choppy waters couldn’t stop over 120 vessels from sailing the Mattapoisett harbor in a parade supporting the Mattapoisett Boatyard after a devastating fire destroyed the 60-year-old family business. 

The parade, organized by Tina Clark, a member of the Mattapoisett Yacht Club’s advisory board, was not a fundraising event for the Mattapoisett Boatyard, which already raised over $70,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. 

Instead, the goal was to show support for a Mattapoisett mainstay. 

Cathy and Ed Martens, who have been customers of the Mattapoisett Boatyard for over 30 years, said that their decision to move to town was a result of seeing the harbor — and the active boating community.

“We had never heard of Mattapoisett,” said Cathy. “We stopped right at the end of North Street. I took one look [at the harbor] and said, ‘this is it.’”

Many others felt similarly, walking to the launch on Barstow Wharf with handmade signs reading “MBY Strong” and flags decorated in support of the boatyard. 

The parade was led by Fran Grenon, former commodore of the Mattapoisett Yacht Club and captain of the Goodspeed. Coordinating with the Mattapoisett Harbormaster, Grenon led the line of vessels to the starting position and counted down. 

“This is Goodspeed,” said Grenon on the radio. “Three, two, one, start!”

With air horns, boat horns, and sirens blaring from emergency vehicles, the parade was underway. 

The route took sailors around the harbor and up a central corridor toward the Mattapoisett Boatyard. The boatyard’s owners, the Kaiser family, stood on the dock.

“We’re looking forward to bigger and better things to come,” radioed Dave Kaiser, boatyard co-owner, during the parade. “Thank you from the Mattapoisett Boatyard crew.”

Grenon and his squad of fellow Mattapoisett Yacht Club members navigated moored ships and buoys to bring the line of boats through the route. 

Flanked by the Mattapoisett Harbormaster’s vessel and a massive tugboat named Jaguar, Goodspeed finished the route around 5:30 p.m.

Thirty minutes later, an hour after the event began, boats were still moving past the Mattapoisett Boatyard dock. 

The parade ended as the Mattapoisett Fire and Rescue boat and the Marion Harbormaster passed by.

“Thank you everybody, that was absolutely moving,” radioed Kaiser. 

“Anything for you, Dave,” responded a voice over the radio.