CRUISNG in Maine requires a greater degree of self-sufficiency than cruising in more forgiving waters to the south. Maine's rocky coast, frequent fog, chilly water, and relative scarcity of marinas can be daunting, particularly if you are a newcomer to Maine waters. Consider the following checklist: THIS WORK IS COPYRIGHTED. DO NOT COPY! Equipment.Anchors.All the familiar types of anchors are in use along the coast of Maine, but the most prevalent are the plows and Danforths. The Tafts used a 45-pound CQR plow fitted with 18 feet of 3/8-inch chain and 250 feet of 5/8-inch nylon rode to hold their heavy displacement, 43-foot ketch. With our somewhat lighter displacement, we feel very secure on an 33-pound Bruce anchor on 30 feet of 5/16-inch chain and 5/8-inch rode. Both types are heavy enough to penetrate weeds and kelp and will hold well in sand and rock as well as mud. Although smaller boats need less heft, your ground tackle should be as heavy as you can reasonably handle. You should have the ability to rig a tripline when you suspect a rocky or foul bottom.
You can cruise most places in Maine without one, but sometimes a yachtsman or a fisherman anchor is the only type that will work, for example in a cobblestone bottom. We carry a second anchor and rode, a large Danforth, sized to easily hold the boat alone, which we use as a stern anchor or as a second anchor in a blow. A third anchor, a little lunch hook, saves the work of raising the primary anchor at temporary stops.
Fenders and Fenderboards.If you are going way Down East, be prepared for the boat to take a beating. Sometimes you will be coming alongside pilings instead of floats and often tying up to draggers and lobsterboats. Oversized fenders or commercial poly balls work well alone or rigged with a fenderboard made from a two-by-six. INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW. PLEASE RESPECT Knife, Face Mask, Snorkel, Wetsuit.Lobster buoys are a fact of life on the Maine coast and their connecting lines—the potwarp—pose a constant threat to the keels, rudders, and propellers of cruising boats. THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO BRINGING YOU Your first line of defense is to stay alert and steer to avoid directly running over the buoys. If your prop is about to pass over a buoy, put your engine in neutral. If you do snag a trap, you may need to go over the side to clear it. THIS INFORMATION. BUY THE GUIDE! Maine's cold water makes a wetsuit for this purpose standard onboard equipment, along with a well-fitting mask and snorkel. Single-handed sailors should have plans on how they will accomplish this procedure alone. Ubiquitous buoys inshore will render an autopilot nearly useless.
Spurs or other cutting devices can be installed on your shaft, and we have heard that they really work. The downside of this option is the expense of installing them and their indiscriminate cutting.
Perhaps the ultimate way to prevent wrapping a lobster buoy around your prop is to install a prop cage fitted around the propeller. The prop cages on lobster boats are what enables them to tear through the buoys without concern. This solution, however, doesn’t keep the warp from snagging your rudder if it hangs free of the keel, and it will cost you some speed as well as some dollars.
Warm Clothing and Heater. Nights are cool in Maine, even in midsummer, and the weather is frequently damp and chilly. Bring plenty of warm clothes, especially wool hats, socks, and sweaters. A large oil lamp in the cabin will help keep things dry, and a stove or cabin heater will help stretch the sailing season.
Screens.Don’t leave home without them. Some say that the mosquito is the Maine state bird. Other pests include black flies and no-see-ums. Your screens should have a fine mesh, and they should be in place well before dusk and past dawn. In certain marshy spots there are stories of yachtsmen being carried away....
Lobster Cooking Pot. The day will surely come when nothing will do but lobsters steamed over an open fire on some remote and rocky beach, and your big, black 19-quart lobster pot will be invaluable. We also carry two grates for cookouts, one a standard rectangle, the other a two-sided, fine-mesh arrangement that holds fish and small vegetables. Please review fire regulations and cautions.
Water Container.In some Maine ports and many Canadian ones, drinking water is not piped to the docks, and it’s useful to have a five-gallon container to lug it aboard.
Entering Canada.If you plan to enter Canada, you will want to have a Canadian courtesy flag and long mooring lines (two lines of 100 feet or more). Both Canadian and U.S. customs will ask for certain documents including crew identification, boat papers, and rabies certificates for dogs. For more details, see “Entering the United States and Canada” in Region 7, Passamaquoddy Bay.
Float Plan.The Coast Guard urges cruising sailors to file a detailed float plan with a friend or relative. This plan should include the intended route of the vessel, the anticipated ports of call, the number, ages, and relevant medical histories of the entire crew, and a complete description of the vessel, including all navigation and lifesaving equipment onboard.
