Boothbay & small boats

[Jeff Benagh]

I'll be in Boothbay, ME in a couple weeks. My kids want us to bring my Shellback dinghy. Is the harbor (between Squirrel Is. and inner harbor) appropriate for small craft?

We have a lot of lake experience in all kinds of weather -- high winds and big chop (for a lake) -- but not much with currents and larger swell. It appears that the harbor is relatively mild most of the time of the summer; steady winds and less than 18in waves.

[FSS172]

In most summer conditions you shouldn't have any problems at all, at least from the weather. You can check out the goings-on in the harbor yourself with the user-controllable webcam at Brown's Wharf. Here's a recent thread about it...

http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=67930

[rbgarr]

Normal conditions are reasonable for a boat the size of a Shellback but sailing to Squirrel Island from town is a bit of a stretch. But if you are able to launch from Gray's Campground on Southport (a moderately rough beach) you'd have a quick reach across the normal swell to the Squirrel Island Association dock where you could tie up and walk the island counter-clockwise. It's a bit like stepping back into the 1920s: no cars, a concrete walkway around much of the island's perimeter (constructed by the Stanley brothers of Stanley Steamer fame) that ends up at a spring fed public water pump and ice cream shoppe.

Or you could take the NOVELTY ferry from town for the visit if you run into bad weather.

Another interesting little voyage would be to go to Burnt Island and see the lighthouse and walk the trails there. To do that, you might want to launch from the Department of Marine Resources on the harbor side of the Aquarium. There's a good steep ramp there but you can't leave a car with trailer overnight. The only place where the current runs real strong is in Townsend Gut and between Mouse and Burnt Islands along the Southport shore. Otherwise it's a pretty mild current and protected sailing. Crossing powerboat wakes can make it 'bobbly' however.

Most normal summer days the southwest wind is reliable between noon and five, but pretty light before and after. You may catch a couple of days of northwest wind however, and that is usually stronger and lasts all day and often in to the evening.

[FSS172]

Being relatively new to the forum, one of the lessons I've not yet learned adequately is to sit on my hands when I think I know something about a question that's been posted until the people who REALLY know have had a chance to weigh in. The only advice I'd add to rbgarr's detailed and much more useful reply, and not knowing your degree of experience/familiarity with this coast, is to be prepared for changes in conditions. As you work out of the inner harbor a fine warm summery day can turn cloudy and chilly. And fog can develop or move in quickly. In addition to the usual safety gear, appropriately layered clothing, compass, a loud noisemaker, and a hand-held VHF along with familiarity about monitoring and making 'security' calls, should all be aboard imho.

[Jeff Benagh]

Thanks for the tips. We sailed to Squirrel Island, complete with ice cream, and rowed around Burnt Is. Gray's campground was a good launch spot although with the trailer I was glad for 4WD although I could have manhandled the trailer. Another adult would have made simple carrying a better option.

The first Squirrel Islander to see us (rowing a beautiful peapod to his larger sailboat) said "that boat is a beauty". He said we would be welcome to tie up at the association dock. You're right about a step back in time -- remarkably quiet. In the southerly, the trip over was about an hour (three tacks) and back was under 20min (a single reach).

We had very light winds both days and almost no swell but it was chilly. Amazing how far we could travel (visually) in a small amount of time.

I could have easily spent longer -- perhaps next summer.

[rbgarr]

That sounds great. A fine voyage and I'm so glad it worked out for you and that you'd want to return.

I was sailing on the big Pride of Baltimore schooner the other day with my mother-in-law. As we sailed around the offshore side of Squirrel she casually mentioned that she had a postcard photo taken 'from about right here' of the "North Atlantic Fleet anchored in 1915".

"Whaaaat???" I said, choking on my beer. :eek::eek:

"Oh, you've seen that a hundred times! It was on the wall over the kitchen table when we were little. Remember?"
This happens from time to time. I remind her of one of her older brothers, but I consider it a compliment. He was a stand-up guy.

Fortunately she found the postcard for me and exactly what she said is printed on the back:

http://i12.tinypic.com/62rmetc.jpg

[Bruce Hooke]

In addition to the usual safety gear, appropriately layered clothing, compass, a loud noisemaker, and a hand-held VHF along with familiarity about monitoring and making 'security' calls, should all be aboard imho.

For future reference for other folks...I just want to say that I've been sailing on the coast of Maine off and on for going on 40 years and I have never yet felt the need to make a security call on a VHF and in the times when I've been aboard a boat that had a VHF on, I have only very rarely heard such calls and don't ever remember actually gaining any useful information from such calls. Around a major commercial seaport such as Portland (or places further south on the east coast) it would be another matter, but I really don't think a handheld VHF should be consider essential safety gear on a small boat in most places on the coast of Maine or other similar locations.

[rbgarr]

There was a call placed by a boat needing a tow here just the other day. The local launch driver and gas dock attendant notified TowBoat US who snapped them up and got them to their berth. Could have used a cellphone perhaps, but coverage up here can be iffy.

[Hwyl]

I agree that VHF's are useful and I insist on them for our J22's. Securitee calls are rare and rarely useful.

[esingleman]

I just got back from Booth Bay with my Pooduck Skiff (big sister to your boat). We sailed out of Ocean Point. You go past East Booth Bay a couple of miles. They have a public launch an parking on the road there. And it is very very picturesque. However be careful of the tides. We went out at low tide and were fine. Also, it is less protected waters there. We had 10 knot winds and were fine in that respect also. We didn't venture too far from shore either. We made it about 3/4 of the way out to the lighthouse before I thought shore was getting a bit too far away. Then the wind began to pick up and it got a little choppy, so we took it on in.

East Booth Bay also has a public launch that is more in the river and a little more protected. The man at the East Booth Bay Marina was also very helpful.

Hope this helps.

Erick

[FSS172]

I agree that VHF's are useful and I insist on them for our J22's. Securitee calls are rare and rarely useful.
Can't argue with that and I can imagine a lot of reasons why that would be so. I've only made a half dozen or so myself in the last thirty years. On at least one of those occasions making the call prevented an unpleasantly close encounter. An experience like that, however rare, tends to make one a believer. Other times it was just reassuring to know the other vessels had me on radar. Couple of times I've been thanked. And I've also been on the other side of the situation - having boats, some not so small, appear out of the murk ahead with no word having been spoken despite my own position call-outs. So I think of it as a good tool to have in your pocket even if you seldom need it and even if your call doesn't start with 'securite'.

But I'd be interested to hear more about why you insist on them on your J's if not for things like this...