Harbor Masters of Maine

There are two basic types of membership in the Harbor Masters, Inc.

FULL MEMBERS should live within a reasonable commuting distance of Portland, ME. Individuals interested in becoming full members should fill out an application, including the signatures of two sponsors who are full members and submit it to the Harbor Masters, Inc. for consideration at the next regularly scheduled monthly membership meeting. If the application is approved by a majority of members present at that meeting, the prospective member will become a pledge for a period of from three to six months. This period of pledgeship will give the pledge and the membership time to get to know each other before members vote on full membership for a pledge. Other responsibilities of pledgeship are contained in the bylaws of the Harbor Masters, Inc. Full members and pledges are expected to participate in club meetings, club nights at Blackstones, and in other official club functions.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS may live outside the Portland area, may hold full membership in another club, or have other limitations that prevent them for committing to full membership. An individual may apply for associate membership through the same process as that for a full member, but shall be exempt from any pledge period. Associate members have half the voting privileges of full members and a lower membership fee than full members. Associate members may request an upgrade to full membership status after a period of six months.

The Harbor Masters of Maine, Inc. were incorporated in the State of Maine in 1982.

Elections are held each year at the annual meeting in November. Regular monthly meetings are presided over by the Captain and are held at various members' homes and are followed by a "Club Night" at Blackstones (our home bar), 6 Pine Street, Portland. Club nights give our members an opportunity to interact with people who might be interested in joining the club, time to socialize with other club members, and have various themes each month which serve as fundraising events or just plain fun.

We maintain contact with various other clubs throughout North America in order to stay informed about upcoming events and other information which might be of interest to our members.

We operate under a Constitution and Bylaws and are lead by an Elected Board of Directors and the following officers:

The wearing of leather or other distinctive forms of apparel is an indication that the wearer has achieved a certain level of sensuality and/or awareness both in themselves and in their relationships with others. Worn with pride, it provides a quick and easily identifiable link with other like-minded people, locally, nationally, and internationally.

Leather men and women have a wide range of tastes, interests, needs, wants, and desires as diverse as any other segment of society. Some are fully "into" the leather lifestyle, while others simply enjoy the look, feel, and smell of leather and/or other materials.

Not everyone who wears leather is into S&M (Sadism&Masochism) or B&D (Bondage&Discipline). It should be recognized however, that these forms of sensual expression and fulfillment clearly fall into the realm of "safe sex" which is such a vital part of life in today's world.

The Harbor Masters were organized to promote a fellowship of gay men and women with an active interest in the leather/levi lifestyle. While the majority of our members are from southern and central Maine, we also have members from throughout the Eastern United States . Our members participate in numerous functions each year including fundraising events to benefit local charities and to support club activities.

The Hanky Code is a traditional form of signaling to others what your sexual preferences and interests are. Gay men used this code to communicate with each other in the noisy and distracting environment of gay bars. Although not as widely used these days, it is still a worthwhile resource and is, among those who know, a great conversation starter. Basically, years ago, you could not go into a gay bar and try to pick someone up or you'd be gay bashed, or worse. So, men began wearing a hanky in their back pocket to signify their interests, and the left or right would signify their interest as well.

PLEASE NOTE:

The Harbor Masters of Maine welcomes You to sign our guest book in order to comment on our site, to request information, or to contact us; but we respectfully request that you do not post personal e-mails or ads be placed in the guestbook.

Any information deemed as inappropriate will be immediately removed.

Thank You!

We are always interested in welcoming new and/or returning members. Have you attended one of our meetings as a guest, been to one of our Club Nights at Blackstones, or met some of our members? Think you are interested in joining the Harbor Masters of Maine? Well, our membership application is now available online.

In order to join the Harbor Masters of Maine, you will need to complete an application form, and find two full members as sponsors. To access the membership application click on the following link to open the application form, print it, fill out all requested information, find yourself two sponsors, and bring it with you to one of our meetings which are always open to guests.

If you have any questions pertaining to the Harbor Masters of Maine or need any assistance completing the application, please contact our Master at Arms or one of our officers by e-mail as listed above.