We live and sail on the coast of Maine.

[Tom Young]

To anyone new to this board headed to Maine this season, we live in Rockport on Penobscot Bay and know this area of the coast very well. There are other members on other areas of this 5000+ mile coast with a wealth of knowledge about anchorages, conditions, provisioning, marinas etc in their areas.

If you have questions about the coast of Maine or other areas around the world, this board is a good start to get local sailing information.

[Braden]

We're starting to talk like it's a done deal - the whole month of September in ME. Our plan would be to get up to P'town and wait for our favorite weather window and then 36-40(?) hours to Schoodic/Frenchman's Bay vicin. and then tack our way back up.

Just today, as the remnants of Cindy have SOAKED us in New York, I was thinking, "Gee, I sure better have Tom's cell phone number so I can call him and ask - quick, where's the best hurricane hole from here?"

Sure hope I don't get work I can't turn down.

b
t

[Tom Young]

Many of us think September is the best month for weather. Warm days, cool nights, few boats. The first few weeks of October may be just as good for us.

If you get a good window with a southwesterly(odds are still in your favor but diminishing in September) you should be getting to Frenchmans Bay area in that time frame. September is a good month for heading west on the coast of Maine, you're more likely to see some favorable W, NW winds, but don't count on it! Leave time to stay put and go when the going is good.

If you get that far, see if you can find time to spend a night in Correa the small harbor fishing village notched in the coast. It's in another timezone. There are usually a few moorings available way in, no room to anchor, the open area(in the fleet of fishing boats) that looks inviting dries out completely at LW. One of our favorite spots.

I'll be looking for you Braden.

[Tim]

Some Day... sigh.

We were all set to come two yrs ago and four yrs ago... neither trip happened, unfortunately. And the way these last two yrs have gone, it may never happen.

But, here's hoping.

[jaypoe]

WONDERFULL! My first time sailing coastal waters. Was a beautiful and wonderful learning experience. I look forward to learning about and exploring the Maine coast. I am slightly limited with a smaller boat and limited experience but both are very likely to change.

[Todd_Dunn]

Tom,

I need to know a few things about sailing in western Maine.

First, I own the smallest boat in our mooring field. Will my light weight coastal cruiser be up to the trip, or should I wait until I can afford a bigger boat? I am worried about the nasty seas and weather you have there in western Maine.

Second, what about on-board electronics? I don't have satellite weather radio or a cell phone to continuously monitor weather on the internet. Do you think my radar, chartplotter, paper charts and 35 years of sailing experience will be enough? Also, will the other boaters look down on me for not having on-board TV,DVD player and high speed internet on a laptop computer?

Third, what about lobster trap floats? I don't have a cage, spurs or any kind of line cutter on my prop shaft. Can I safely sail in western Maine without those things?

Forth, how should I deal with the crowding I expect? I don't think I can deal with a bunch of New York Times reading, latte' drinking westerners. Is there a place in western Maine where I will feel at home with my percolated coffee?

Finally, I am really paranoid about docking my boat. Will I be able to find places to either drop anchor, or, if all else fails, pick up a mooring? On the topic of anchoring , will the local sailors look down on me for my all chain rode and manual windlass? I am pretty shy about the windlass since I know real sailors haul their ground tackle by hand.

Thanks for any halp you can give me.

[Tom Young]

it'll do a better job till you feel confident to hold the wheel, just borrow the AP from a B40 next to you.

You'd be better off borrowing a laptop that has satellite internet access too. Join 2 "threaded style" sailing bulletin boards, that will keep you completely busy on your way over. BTW, when you get to be in the top 5 posters, you'll only need one and that will be your life.

Don't forget to set the GPS to follow that nasty dog leg in the Fox Island Thoroughfare and if you want me to come onboard you'll have fresh roasted coffee beans and grind it while I watch. I don't care about radar but I feel naked without "good" coffee.

[Todd_Dunn]

Autopilot? I wouldn't know what to do with one of those new fangled gizmos. Besides there aren't any B-40s around me now. I would have to pinch an AP from a Souwester 51. I am sure it would totally flat my batteries in about half an hour..

OK, I fudged it a bit about the coffee. We don't have a percolator. You would have to settle for either melitta drip brewed or espresso. By the time I get over to Penobscot bay the coffee will be about 3-4 days from the roaster (Rooster Brothers in Ellsworth). Is that fresh roasted enough, or do I have to stop in Camden and hunt up a frou-frou coffee shop to find coffee beans that are still warm from the roaster. Is French Roast OK. We also generally carry Kona if you want something lighter.

TD

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

I was thinking of taking a month in the Spring to sail up and visit various places in Maine... but your post above about September got me thinking... when is a good time to cruise Maine?

I was thinking Spring, as when I'm done with the month, if I'm having fun, I'm just going to keep on cruising ;-) If Spring is a good time, when, during Spring, do you recommend?

I'd probably work my way up to Nantucket and then head North from there... only definite stop in mind is Monhegan Is, care to give out any "must visit" spots?

[Tom Young]

Spring is the most difficult season for sailing on the coast of Maine. You can get just about everything for weather. It requires being prepared for wet, raw cold conditons, just in case. With alittle luck, dressing properly and choosing routes to take advantage of weather conditions, you could luck out.

But we all play the odds with weather, and they are simply more favorable in the fall. We have sailed right into November in Penobscot Bay and had warm days and very cool nights but that's pushing the limit. October has always been good for us. September is usually the best month of the year for weather and sailing conditions. June can be as raw as November.

There are so many wonderful harbors, islands and sailing areas on this 5000 +mile coast, I'll just give you a few reccomendations for Penobscot Bay. Others who live and sail on our coast may reccomend a few of their favorites as well.

I think the most intersting area of Penobscot Bay is the middle! Circumnavgate the Fox Islands. Go through them as well. These islands are so large, they are different regions. This will take several days of good sailing and choosing between dozens of secluded anchorages. Sail around smaller Islesboro, the size of Manhattan but with just a few hundred residents, and through the harbors and tickles of water between the nearby islands.

When you head downeast through the bay, you must sail through Merchants Row. I dare you not to slow down and spend time sailing through these islands with names like Grog, Devils, Bold. But then you will have to double back and explore Swans Island, Isle Au Haut, Deer Isle and near countless smaller islands. Hurricane, Brimstone, the names alone draw you, and we haven't even touched the mainland!

You'll have to go deep into the Bay and sail the Eggemoggin Reach but you'll also want to sail on the ocean side as well, open to the North Atlantic. There simply are too many ways to sail through this area, you'll just want to spend some time sailing here.

[Todd_Dunn]

Michael, I agree with Tom that September is the best month. We always launch in early to mid May. The big advantage to May is that there are almost no lobster traps inthe water yet. There are also almost no boats out sailing so you have most anchorages to yourself. The disadvantages are: 1) The weather may be warm, but the water is cold (high 30's to around 40), so whenever the wind is off the water the air temps drop to about 40. 2) Almost none of the marine business are running. For example there are no dinghy docks in SOuthwest Harbor until May 15 at the earliest. There are few if any restaurants open in the tourist oriented coastal towns. The boat yards are also pretty much swamped with work getting boats ready to launch and won't have much time to help you if you need it. 3) You can pretty much count on at least one real noreaster with gale to storm force winds. In May these storms can last up to a week.

In September most businesses are still going strong, but lots of boats from away have gone back home so the anchorages are less crowded. The weather is still in the summer pattern and the chances of any real weather are pretty small unless the remnants of a hurricane drop by. Visits by hurricans are short lived up her though because they are generally moving very quickly. There is also a lot less fog than in July and August.

October is also pretty good, but you will want your boat heater. Also if you stay past October 10, you are pretty much guaranteed to experience the first noreaster of the fall. Last year we had 3 days of 50+ knots from the east and north in mid-October.