Francis "Flyer" Santos- oil on canvas

Stephen Borkowski holding a portrait of
Francis "Flyer" Santos, oil on canvas

Provincetown Art Commission Chairman, Stephen Borkowski is shown holding a recently conserved portrait of Francis "Flyer" Santos, oil on canvas, painted in 1980 by Gladys Maynard which is on display in the Town Hall central corridor display cases during Regatta Week as a special nod to Provincetown’s maritime heritage.  

Mr. Santos, who will be 98 years old this year, was the builder of the model of the Rose Dorothea in what is now the second floor of the Provincetown Public Library.  The display cases which were funded by a Community Preservation Grant approved by the voters, allow a continuous rotating display of art and artifacts from the holdings of the Town to intrigue and delight visitors and residents alike.

“We are delighted to show this portrait of which due to its size is rarely shown.  A larger portrait of Mr. Santos by Salvatore Del Deo is hung in the library near the model that Mr. Santos and his team lovingly created,” said Borkowski. 

The Art Commission is charged with the care of the artwork owned by the Town of Provincetown.

The Provincetown Schooner Race: September 1-7

Great Provincetown Schooner Regatta, ProvincetownSchoonerRace.com, September 1-7

The Great Provincetown Schooner Regatta is an eight day educational and sailing event that honors our maritime history and the great natural resources of our region. We promote public awareness of the important role that Schooners and other historic vessels played in our economic and cultural history. The Regatta takes place each year starting on the first Saturday of Labor Day weekend and ending on the following weekend.

Click here to access schedule.

Mission

ProvincetownSchoonerRace.com

The Mission of the Great Provincetown Schooner Regatta is to celebrate the role of the Great Atlantic fishing bank schooner in Provincetown’s maritime history while providing educational opportunities for residents and visitors to experience these historic vessels both in port and at sea. Additionally, we educate the public about the schooner races held off the New England coast from 1886 to 1938, and commemorate Provincetown’s 1907 Lipton Cup victory. The Regatta shares the story of Provincetown’s place in the traditional fishing industry as well as educates the younger generations about the days of Cape Cod’s past, when commerce and transportation truly ‘ran with the wind’. We work in tandem with cultural and research institutions in Provincetown and Cape Cod to enhance and reinforce the links between our local maritime history, fishing schooners, sailing, the great resources of our region, our culture and our economy.

History

ProvincetownSchoonerRace.com

Located at the outermost tip of Cape Cod and well-noted for being the first landing place of the Pilgrims in 1620, Provincetown was the first great fishing port on the eastern seaboard dating back to the time of the Norsemen. Many of the leading fishing vessels that plied the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans throughout America’s early maritime history called Provincetown home. Her skippers were well known for their skill and seamanship. At the height of the commercial fishing in the 19th century, Provincetown harbored as many as 100, 90-ton Schooners and 700 vessels. The port of Provincetown was also responsible for three times the catch of any other fishing port in New England.

The first Great Provincetown Schooner Race was held in 2002. Provincetown resident Captain John Bennett had been racing his Schooner Hindu in the Gloucester Schooner Festival and was inspired to organize a schooner gathering in his homeport. Although Captain Bennett did not live to see his dream come to fruition, supported by the Provincetown community, the committee that he had formed hosted the inaugural regatta that September in his honor. All who participated in this effort were inspired by Captain Bennett’s passion for sailing, his love of historic Schooners and his philosophy that good fellowship and good times are an important part of everyone’s life.

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