By delivering treats to Casco Bay boaters and islanders, Sea Snacks owner Ashley Rutherford says she’s filling a retail niche.

With a marine chest packed with dry ice and ice cream treats, Ashley Rutherford of South Portland is patrolling the waters of Portland Harbor and Casco Bay this summer, seeking mariners looking for a cold summer treat.

Almost on a lark, Rutherford decided to put her small motorboat, named Salt Therapy, to work selling 13 different ice cream novelties, from Klondike bars to Popsicles, during weekend afternoons and early evenings.

The business is named Sea Snacks, and Rutherford said she’s shocked at how popular her ice cream boat has become in just the few months it’s been in operation.

“People really love it,” she said from the deck of her boat recently.

As testament to that are several comments on the Sea Snacks Facebook page like this one from Shannon Grauer: “Yay! We will be on the lookout all summer.” Another supporter, Jackie Sawyer, added her good wishes, as well. Her Facebook post reads, “Good luck this summer. This is such a fun idea! Love the logo, too.”

Jeff Liick, the harbormaster in Portland Harbor, said he thought “there may be a market for it, but I know it’s been tried in the past, with varying degrees of success.”

However, he also said that this year, “boating season is going great. It’s turned into a really great summer and people are out enjoying themselves, relaxing and spending time with friends and family.”

Rutherford began taking her ice cream boat out on Memorial Day weekend and said that the response has been overwhelmingly positive. She now has many regulars, and kids jumping off the docks on the islands shout for joy when they see her coming.

Rutherford, who grew up in Yarmouth and has also lived in Scarborough, said being on the water is in her blood, which is why she wanted something to do with her boat that would be unique or different.

She came up with the idea for an ice cream boat because it was a service that was not offered in the harbor.

“I did an informal survey of my friends and they all thought it was a great idea,” Rutherford said.

So, she decided to take the leap.

Rutherford is not in it for the money. She charges between $1 and $4 per snack, and has a full-time job as the practice manager at Casco Bay Medical.

She’s in it for the joy she receives being out on the water and bringing a smile to people’s faces.

Her boat can be distinguished by the bright blue flag with purple lettering flying from the stern.

“So far I’m having a great time,” Rutherford said.

In addition to selling ice cream from her boat, Rutherford also has five lobster traps of her own.

And even though she’s now essentially working seven days a week, weather permitting, Rutherford said, “it’s really fun,” even though some days she wishes she were simply pleasure-boating like her customers.

Mariners looking for the Sea Snacks boat can follow Rutherford on Facebook. She generally updates where she is once leaving the dock and said her best customers are at the mooring fields near Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Peaks, Long and Cow islands.

Rutherford was required to get a mobile vending license, but other than that her business is not regulated. She buys the ice cream treats in bulk from Sam’s Club or BJ’s Wholesale Club.

She said her biggest sellers seem to be Klondike bars and ice cream sandwiches. In addition to ice cream treats, Rutherford also sells Sea Snacks apparel, like T-shirts.

With the success of her ice cream boat, she will “definitely” be out again next summer.

Rutherford may be the only ice cream boat operating locally, but regular visitors to Cotuit Bay, near Cape Cod in Massachusetts, have been enjoying a similar summer operation for generations.

Other ice cream boats also operate in Florida and Michigan, as well, according to a story that aired on National Public Radio last summer.

Even so, ice cream boats aren’t likely to explode like the food truck trend, the public radio story said. That’s because of the limited profit and the fact that they fill “a quirky niche within their (local) community.”

Ashley Rutherford, of Sourh Portland, owner of Sea Snacks, has delivered a variety of frozen treats to boaters and islanders around Casco Bay this summer. She expects to operate through Labor Day and beyond depending on the weather.Photo by Rich ObreyAshley Rutherford has created T-shirts for her ice-cream-treat delivery business, Sea Snacks.Photo by Rich ObreyAshley Rutherford, owner of Sea Snacks, waves to a passing Casco Bay Lines ferry as she heads to her next delivery. Photo by Rich Obrey