Looking for Advise on Maine

I am a current owner of a 37 Foot Nordic tug and we are considering cruising up to Maine next year. I have cruised Chesapeake bay, Long island sound, Lake Champlain, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay and Block island sound. I have experienced some fog but most was in open waters. I do considered myself a pretty good, safe captain but I am not a Yachtsman with thousands of hours. So my question is dealing with fog. What do most do? Maine looks absolutely beautiful but if you can't see it most of the time that does not sound like fun but does sound stressful. Is the fog only in the morning? Do most stay put and wait it out? My plan is to go from marina to marina with some moorings, docks are easier with two dogs. Any and all comments would be helpful
Thank you in advance

I have cruised in Maine for several seasons over the last twenty years, two of which were with radar and one without. Let me tell you- lack of radar is very limiting. Once we had to wait out two days of socked in conditions in Frenchboro- a charming but dead little fishing island. If we had radar I would have been able to go up to Mt Desert Island and enjoy Northeast Harbor and surrounds. With only a hand held GPS in those days I didn't want to chance it.

I have also used radar to time thunderstorm approaches, both in Maine and elsewhere. You can almost always see a thunderstorm approaching, but you often can't tell when it is going to arrive. Once I was able to watch a bad cell approaching on radar and duck in to a cove and drop the anchor just as the winds and rain hit.

Maine weather like almost everywhere we cruise is changeable. I think you will find less fog in July-August and more before or after. I would say in those months you might experience a day or so of socked in conditions, a few rainy days and lots of nice days at other times.

David

The fog is the worst in July and August. Why do I say that in contradiction to the previous post? Well I have lived on Mount Desert Island for the last 19 years and see the weather here every day. Fog can be an issue if you are not familiar with it and radar is nice to have. However, once you get east of Penobscot Bay there is much less traffic (virtually no commercial ship traffic), particularly on foggy days. A piece of advice if you do run in the fog - Do NOT put your marks on top of buoys. Many people do that and it results in lots of traffic right around buoys. Put your marks a couple of hundred yards from buoys and you will be much happier and will encounter fewer other boats. Judge how far off you set your marks based on the actual visibility.



We are in a foggy stretch right now, but the fog generally lifts by noon and you will have 4-5 hours before it comes in again. Also, the fog generally dries up in the lee of islands and places like Eggemoggin Reach are much less foggy than further out.


As far as getting "stuck" someplace like Frenchboro is concerned, the lobster gear is much more of a hazard than the fog. Look at your charts and choose waypoints well clear of the hazards and you will be fine. For reference I have run from Frenchboro to Mount Desert Island in the fog quite a few times.


As far as when to cruise Maine. I like June the best because the lobster gear is mostly out in deep water until after June 20 or so - i.e., you won't see as much gear inshore where you will be running. There is also less fog. On the negative side, not everything will be open and it will be colder (lots of 50 degree days out on the water). I also like September because most of the visiting boats have gone home. There is less fog, the days are not as hot and muggy and the nights are cool. Some businesses will be closed for the season after about the 5th of September, but there will be a lot more room for visiting boats. As far as staying at docks is concerned, there are not a lot of marinas east of Portland (Robinhood, Boothbay, Rockland, Belfast, Stonington, Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor are pretty much it). Everywhere else you will be either on a mooring or anchored. There are few services east of Mount Desert Island.

TDunn gave you a really good information on Maine.

We traveled twice to Maine, fog was standard issue in most travel days and tons of lobster buoys. Slow and steady wins the race up there and its so worth the additional effort and before long you won't even think too hard when you see fog. For me the only real down side is swimming is not happening given water temp, had shorty wet suit and even that was shock to the system.

Get AIS and learn to use radar. When I was there, a sharp lookout was also necessary, as most lobster boats didn't have AIS and many don't show up on a small radar set.

But your biggest hazard will be lobster buoys. For that I recommend a line cutter on the shaft and also this.

I am a little puzzled by the recommendation to use AIS. Do lobster boats use AIS? If they don't then it is almost worthless for us recreational boaters, particularly anywhere outside of the big ports.

David

djmarchand said:

I am a little puzzled by the recommendation to use AIS. Do lobster boats use AIS? If they don't then it is almost worthless for us recreational boaters, particularly anywhere outside of the big ports.

David

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I have AIS and I think its yet another valuable tool for some circumstances. In my experience very few lobster boats (and pleasure boats) use AIS. While there are a few AIS equipped buoys (and phantom ones as well) I don't think AIS is very helpful with the type of use the OP is talking about.


That said, I firmly believe having radar in Maine is very helpful. While radar isn't perfect, experience with what it can and can't do and how to interpret the display is very important and helps a lot. On reduced visibility days, it can easily mean the difference between staying put or being able to travel to your next destination a lot more safely.


Ken

I don't think fog is any different in Maine than in Southern New England, just more common. High humidity and air temps that approach close (<2.5F) to the dew point.

I don't mind fog, it's other boaters that make me nervous in fog. That...... and running inlets and narrow channels in the fog gets my hair standing on end.

TDunn said:

The fog is the worst in July and August. Why do I say that in contradiction to the previous post? Well I have lived on Mount Desert Island for the last 19 years and see the weather here every day. Fog can be an issue if you are not familiar with it and radar is nice to have. However, once you get east of Penobscot Bay there is much less traffic (virtually no commercial ship traffic), particularly on foggy days. A piece of advice if you do run in the fog - Do NOT put your marks on top of buoys. Many people do that and it results in lots of traffic right around buoys. Put your marks a couple of hundred yards from buoys and you will be much happier and will encounter fewer other boats. Judge how far off you set your marks based on the actual visibility.



We are in a foggy stretch right now, but the fog generally lifts by noon and you will have 4-5 hours before it comes in again. Also, the fog generally dries up in the lee of islands and places like Eggemoggin Reach are much less foggy than further out.


As far as getting "stuck" someplace like Frenchboro is concerned, the lobster gear is much more of a hazard than the fog. Look at your charts and choose waypoints well clear of the hazards and you will be fine. For reference I have run from Frenchboro to Mount Desert Island in the fog quite a few times.


As far as when to cruise Maine. I like June the best because the lobster gear is mostly out in deep water until after June 20 or so - i.e., you won't see as much gear inshore where you will be running. There is also less fog. On the negative side, not everything will be open and it will be colder (lots of 50 degree days out on the water). I also like September because most of the visiting boats have gone home. There is less fog, the days are not as hot and muggy and the nights are cool. Some businesses will be closed for the season after about the 5th of September, but there will be a lot more room for visiting boats. As far as staying at docks is concerned, there are not a lot of marinas east of Portland (Robinhood, Boothbay, Rockland, Belfast, Stonington, Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor are pretty much it). Everywhere else you will be either on a mooring or anchored. There are few services east of Mount Desert Island.

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Second what he said.

Shrew said:

I don't think fog is any different in Maine than in Southern New England, just more common. High humidity and air temps that approach close (<2.5F) to the dew point.

I don't mind fog, it's other boaters that make me nervous in fog. That...... and running inlets and narrow channels in the fog gets my hair standing on end.

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However, the grounding that you might experience if off course in the fog in Maine may be a bit more traumatic than in southern NE like Long Island Sound. I like to say that our waters are usually quite deep....until, suddenly, they aren't.

One of the biggest problems in cruising Maine is the incredible number of lobster pots that seem to be literally carpeted everywhere. Many are even several miles out at sea (bigger lobsters). You need to be alert to their presence continuously. Unless you know an area really well, best not to travel at night or in fog. Also, a good idea to get spurs (or similar) line cutters fitted.

AIS is becoming far more common on recreational boats in the last couple of years. Maybe a third of them I run across in the PNW have it now. It's been a few years since I was in Maine, so I don't know the adoption rates there. Larger boats are required to have it, and the worst problem I had (actually off of Nova Scotia) was being nearly run down by two large (150+') steel fishing boats. I had to alter course to prevent collision in each case, and in each case the bridge was empty - nobody there at all. They were visible on AIS and radar though.

Navigation with modern equipment is quite easy, if you run aground you can only blame yourself. Other boats and lobster pots are the problem. On a run from near the border down the coast to Bar Harbor in thick fog, I encountered possibly 20 lobster boats, only about half of them were visible on radar, even when within our 200 ft visibility circle. If I were going up there today I would invest in either the broadband or Chirp radar domes, these are reputedly much better at small target discrimination at short ranges.

Chrisjs said:

One of the biggest problems in cruising Maine is the incredible number of lobster pots that seem to be literally carpeted everywhere. Many are even several miles out at sea (bigger lobsters). You need to be alert to their presence continuously. Unless you know an area really well, best not to travel at night or in fog. Also, a good idea to get spurs (or similar) line cutters fitted.

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Two words: Prop Cage.

Oh I'd love to have a prop cage

Chrisjs said:

One of the biggest problems in cruising Maine is the incredible number of lobster pots that seem to be literally carpeted everywhere. Many are even several miles out at sea (bigger lobsters). You need to be alert to their presence continuously. Unless you know an area really well, best not to travel at night or in fog. Also, a good idea to get spurs (or similar) line cutters fitted.

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Fog does make it harder to traverse the lobster pot buoy infested waters of Maine, but even in dense fog I find that at 8-10 knots its doable. One must be VERY attentive. I have shaft cutters but I consider them a very last line of defense. I do not run over pot buoys.

Ken

kchace said:

Fog does make it harder to traverse the lobster pot buoy infested waters of Maine, but even in dense fog I find that at 8-10 knots its doable. One must be VERY attentive. I have shaft cutters but I consider them a very last line of defense. I do not run over pot buoys.

Ken

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With the prop cage, I hold a straight course through the mine fields now. My wife still tries to steer around the buoys. If I had the boat in a less pot infested area I might consider removing the cage.

dwhatty said:

With the prop cage, I hold a straight course through the mine fields now. My wife still tries to steer around the buoys. If I had the boat in a less pot infested area I might consider removing the cage.

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yup. I only wish I had a cage (actually would need 2).

There is some good info here. I ran approx. 8 mph and made every attempt to steer clear of the pots. After being on the commercial side of boating in the past, I try not to cut gear that cost money. But sometimes you cannot avoid them.

If you get up a river you can see eagle nests. I drove the boat for a couple "bird women" (Ornithologists) to see nests they were tracking. Took binoculars and got a tour that couldn't be bought. Getting paid to be entertained and educated is the best.


There were more floats for eel traps in the river.

Avoid boating in the fog. If it cannot be avoided, radar and GPS are handy. Keep the pilothouse door open so you can hear horns. Having a very loud horn with an automatic timer is also a help. Don't go fast.

I do have a radar and AIS. I know Maine is one of the most beautiful states but I might get frustrated if I can't see it I know you can get socked in for days at a time but does it normally come in the morning and give way in afternoon. Thank you all for posting your comments

Maine is one of the most beautiful cruising grounds on the entire east coast of the US (Chesapeake Bay comes in second). We have both an AIS transceiver and radar - both handy in Maine; AIS is helpful, but not as helpful as radar, IMHO. Lobster buoys don't have either! Lobster fishing boats don't have AIS but some have radar. Many days cruising there over three different trips (one into the Bay of Fundy) would have proved difficult without radar.

FWIW, you'll encounter fog frequently along the NJ coast and in Long Island and in Massachusetts Bay, Cape Cod Bay, Buzzards Bay, as well as all the other great bodies of water getting up to Maine. Cold water and warm air all over the place in the summer!

96: You'll be passing by my marina (Marina Bay, Quincy) on the way up north...unless you run straight across from P-town.

If you do pass by Boston, then drop me a line. You can fuel up, pump out and grab a bite at my spot. Always lots of transients available.

First Time to Maine

We are on our first trip to Maine and having a wonderful time. We purchased the Taft Guide to Maine and have enjoyed reading about the places to visit and then planning our route and visits. We primarily anchor and have found some wonderful places to relax and enjoy. Meeting the people and experiencing the food has been a highlight.

The lobster gear can be a bit of a challenge if you are not used to it. You do have to be aware of it 100% of the time. However, there are some things you can do to minimize problems.


1. Turn the autopilot OFF. You can't run straight line courses without running over gear.


2. Don't get into the trap of only looking at the close in gear. If you look ahead you will be able to see patches of clear water and steer accordingly. Lobster traps tend to be set in what are called strings - i.e., lines of traps. Once you identify the orientations of strings you can run parallel to them relatively easily.


3. Look at your charts before making a run. Gear tends to be concentrated at shoals and relatively shallow spots. By shoal I mean a bottom feature shallower than the surroundings like a 100' spot in otherwise 125' deep bottom.


4. Be aware of toggles. What are toggles? A toggle is a trap with two floats. The first float supports the line down to the trap and is normally an unmarked, relatively small, white float. In deeper water or areas of strong currents these small "toggle" floats may be below the surface by a foot or two but they do pop up periodically. THe second float is attached to the line below the first float by a second line anywhere from 15 to 40 feet long. The attachment point is from 3 to 6 feet below the "toggle" float. The second float is always larger and colored. You can tell a toggled float from a normal single float because the toggled float lies flat on the water all the time while a normal single float will pop up from flat on the water to vertical when waves hit it. The second colored float will be down wind (or down current) from the toggle float. The line between the two floats is "supposed" to be sinking line so it will normally form a loop under the water. Even so, do NOT run between a toggle and its attached colored float. The safest thing to do is run on the down wind/current side of the colored floats. Also toggles floats tend to be in deeper water (100+ feet) and areas of strong current. The idea of the toggle is that the lobster fisher can gaff the colored float without having to deal with the weight of a couple hundred feet of line since there is no load on the colored float. If you see one toggled float it is best to assume that all the floats are toggled and steer accordingly. Finally, always consider windage and current when going through lobster floats. Choose the down wind/current side of floats if you can so the current or wind doesn't put you on top of gear.


5. Running into the sun. This is mostly an issue if you are heading east in the morning or west in the afternoon. When you run into the sun ALWAYS wear polarized sun glasses. Even then the lobster trap floats will be hard to see so keep a very sharp lookout. It is also a good idea to look astern now and then so you can see how much gear there really is. You will be surprised (if not terrified) at how much you don't see when looking into the sun. If you must head into the sun adjust course by 15-20 degrees away from the sun.


6. Lobster gear is everywhere. In Maine there are no restrictions on where traps can be set. They are where ever lobster fishers think there are lobsters. I have even seen traps set in the fairways between docks in my marina (someone was making a point). Only the owner of a trap or a marine law enforcement officer can legally touch a trap (or float). The marine LEOs are harbor masters and the Maine Marine Patrol (there are not a lot of marine patrol boats).


7. If you get hung up on a trap line and have to cut it, tie it back together if you can when you get free. There will be anywhere from one to three traps on that line. Traps cost about $100 each so if you cut a line and don't retie it you cost the fisher real money.

TDunn said:

The lobster gear can be a bit of a challenge if you are not used to it. You do have to be aware of it 100% of the time. However, there are some things you can do to minimize problems.


1. Turn the autopilot OFF. You can't run straight line courses without running over gear.


2. Don't get into the trap of only looking at the close in gear. If you look ahead you will be able to see patches of clear water and steer accordingly. Lobster traps tend to be set in what are called strings - i.e., lines of traps. Once you identify the orientations of strings you can run parallel to them relatively easily.


3. Look at your charts before making a run. Gear tends to be concentrated at shoals and relatively shallow spots. By shoal I mean a bottom feature shallower than the surroundings like a 100' spot in otherwise 125' deep bottom.


4. Be aware of toggles. What are toggles? A toggle is a trap with two floats. The first float supports the line down to the trap and is normally an unmarked, relatively small, white float. In deeper water or areas of strong currents these small "toggle" floats may be below the surface by a foot or two but they do pop up periodically. THe second float is attached to the line below the first float by a second line anywhere from 15 to 40 feet long. The attachment point is from 3 to 6 feet below the "toggle" float. The second float is always larger and colored. You can tell a toggled float from a normal single float because the toggled float lies flat on the water all the time while a normal single float will pop up from flat on the water to vertical when waves hit it. The second colored float will be down wind (or down current) from the toggle float. The line between the two floats is "supposed" to be sinking line so it will normally form a loop under the water. Even so, do NOT run between a toggle and its attached colored float. The safest thing to do is run on the down wind/current side of the colored floats. Also toggles floats tend to be in deeper water (100+ feet) and areas of strong current. The idea of the toggle is that the lobster fisher can gaff the colored float without having to deal with the weight of a couple hundred feet of line since there is no load on the colored float. If you see one toggled float it is best to assume that all the floats are toggled and steer accordingly. Finally, always consider windage and current when going through lobster floats. Choose the down wind/current side of floats if you can so the current or wind doesn't put you on top of gear.

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In my experience cruising Maine this advice is spot on. It took me a while to understand these things but it makes it a LOT easier once you do.



Ken

Now dealing with lobster boats. Almost all lobster boats haul on the starboard side. Yes there are a very few boats set up for port hauling, but they are few indeed. When a lobster boat hauls a trap the fisher approaches, gaffs the float and puts the line over the hauler winch. While they are hauling the boat will be in neutral. Once the trap is hauled, cleaned out and rebaited it will be pushed over the side. When a lobster boat hauling on starboard drops a trap it will ALWAYS make a fairly sharp turn to starboard to swing the stern away from the gear. Once the trap is dropped the boat will proceed to the next trap to be hauled. That next trap may be close or it may not. Lobster boats are supposed to display a float with their float colors. If you can see their display float it will allow you to see where the traps that boat is hauling are located so you can stay away from them. Unfortunately not all boats display their "colors" in a way that can be easily seen. The display float may be years old and very faded or lying flat on the cabin top behind stuff. Other than the turn to starboard after dropping a trap, lobster boats are very unpredictable. They MAY head toward the easily visible next trap or they may head off in pretty much any direction, normally at high speed if they have decided to move to distant traps. So give them plenty of room.

Thank you all for great advice!!!

This is my first post on this site. Despite driving a Nord47 for 11 years I have somehow missed this nice resource.
We have cruised Maine for many years and would like to make a couple of points.
Under no circumstances should you let any of these comments keep you from cruising this most amazing place. Yes there are some issues but nothing you can’t overcome with a little patience.
First of all we are not going to contradict the locals who have weighed in here but the whole fog thing is overrated. In our 10 years of cruising the NE we’ve spent more time sitting out the fog in Buzzards bay, Cuttyhunk etc than anywhere in Maine. Altogether we reckon we have had to cancel or delay a trip maybe 10times in 10years. Radar is helpful but won’t really let you make a trip when the fog is at its thickest due to the lobster bouys. If you don’t have radar still go! Just allow a little more time for the trip. You are cruising after all. Not on a schedule we hope. Wherever you get to to spend an extra day will still be a great day.
We have arrived SW Harbor as early as May 1 and left as late as Nov 1. We prefer the cruising after Labor Day as most of the fast boaters are gone back to NY by then. Yes, many restaurants close but they are not the ones you want to go to anyway. It is a little strange to be run out of a mooring field so they can pick them up for winter. And sweeping snow off the decks is a fun thing for Texans.
Just a few hints to add to all the great things already mentioned.
If you have stabilizer fins pin them in the neutral position as you weave through the lobster pots. You don’t want the lines to get between the fin and the hull.
This will require a swim in 50 degree water to cut them away. You will collect a pot now and again. It’s unavoidable and just a part of doing business. Stop the boat, back down slowly, wait a minute and most pennants will drop off.
The best cruising is east of SW Harbor all the way to Eastport if you are fairly self sufficient.
Lastly, just go. It’s the best.
G and K
Former N47-33 Imagine