MATTAPOISETT — As soon as he heard the first explosion at the Mattapoisett Boatyard, local sailor David Horne filmed the blaze from his boat, called 911, then called boatyard co-owner Ned Kaiser. But Horne’s involvement didn’t stop there. 

Once the fire was subdued, Horne continued doing what he could to help. He started a GoFundMe campaign for the boatyard that raised $82,830 from 252 donors as of Tuesday, Sept. 6. 

And Horne isn’t done yet. 

“They lost everything,” said Horne. “The gap between what they need to rebuild and what they're likely to get from insurance is substantial. So we decided to step in and do fundraisers to try and close that gap.”

Horne has two fundraisers planned to support the boatyard: an online silent auction and an in-person fundraiser at the Bay Club in Mattapoisett. 

The silent auction opens on Wednesday, Sept. 7 and includes items like a bamboo paddle board, a sunset cocktail cruise, and a foursome at Kittansett Golf Club. The online auction closes on Oct. 20.

“There's some very, very exclusive things on there,” said Horne. “Things you probably could not buy.”

Then, rounding out Horne’s fundraising plans will be an in-person fundraiser and auction at the Bay Club on Oct. 20, which will feature live music, a cash bar and hors d'oeuvres.

“The biggest items that we have — we'll probably hold back the last handful — we'll do a live auction on those things,” said Horne, who emphasized that people can enter proxy bids if they cannot attend the live event. 

Horne said he has no ultimate fundraising goal, only that he hopes to raise as much as possible for the Mattapoisett Boatyard.  

As a resident of Mattapoisett, Horne has a soft spot for boating on Buzzards Bay.

“I grew up here,” said Horne, who has been sailing since he was six. “I know all the nuances of Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Cape Cod and the Islands.”

“[The Mattapoisett Boatyard was] the warranty service center for our boat,” said Horne, recalling the purchase of his first substantial boat. “And so they've been taking care of our boats ever since — we’ve gotten to know there's really no place else like them.”

To donate to the auctions, email David Horne at davidjameshorne@gmail.com. To attend the in-person fundraiser, contact Susan Horne at hornesusan@aol.com