Cruising the Maine Coast

[Roger Long]

In response to a question in a thread below, I found myself writing most of this during the horrible winter storm a few days ago just to do some winter dreaming.

http://www.pointseast.com/forum/index.php?topic=154.0

 

[Bob J.]

Nice article Roger!

 

[Tim R.]

Very nice write-up Roger.

We typically make the run from Portland to NE Harbor in one shot. We do the NE Harbor race which is a great experience late in the summer when winds are more plentiful and consistent. It usualy takes us about 25 hours under sail alone. The 100nm race is timed with a full or nearly full moon.

You should think about joining us this year. It is great fun. We will be racing our home in the cruising class as we did last year. You can bring crew that can be shuttled back from NE harbor or continue on with you.

http://www.truenorthmarineservices.com/nehrhome.html

 

[shemandr]

Dang. Now I have to download a chart of the Maine Coast and re read this while studying the chart. Nice article Roger.

 

[Roger Long]

I have to download a chart of the Maine Coast and re read this while studying the chart.

You might enjoy looking at my GPS tracks in Google Earth

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/StriderCruises.htm

 

[shemandr]

You might enjoy looking at my GPS tracks in Google Earth

I've have too. I would have to download a ton of charts.

 

[Rick486]

Great article Roger. We plan a trip this summer and this helps whet the appetite. The only thing is any newbies should be prepared for the lobster pot issue, both psychologically and equipment wise with Spurs or Shaft Shark, and a wet suit.

 

[Roger Long]

The only thing is any newbies should be prepared for the lobster pot issue, both psychologically and equipment wise with Spurs or Shaft Shark, and a wet suit.

Even though my boat is about as bad a pot warp catcher as anything without a winged keel could be, I have never had to go overboard.

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/Pots.htm

I am very negative about anyone going into the water. Almost every pot I have ever fouled has been tangled with another so you have lines in the water. Add current, a sharp knife in your hands, etc. and you have a potentially life threatening situation.

I don't have a cutter on my prop shaft either. I'm giving it some thought since the prop is off but haven't needed it yet and I'll be spending most of my time in Canada now where there are no pots.

 

[kloudie1]

Nice article, Roger .. Had to "Geogarage" to see the places you mention..
an excellent read on a cold day !

 

[gettinthere]

I am very negative about anyone going into the water. Almost every pot I have ever fouled has been tangled with another so you have lines in the water. Add current, a sharp knife in your hands, etc. and you have a potentially life threatening situation.

Then what do you do?

 

[gettinthere]

ooops, didn't read the link. That is for untangling when sailing. I take it that when motoring, all bets are off, as the line will wrap quite quickly and can't be removed without going in the water?

 

[Roger Long]

I take it that when motoring, all bets are off, as the line will wrap quite quickly and can't be removed without going in the water?

All the calls to SeaTow from powerboats that have been disabled by pot fouling are kind of a mystery to me. Every time I have hit a pot under power, there has been a big thunk and pieces of pot and rope have popped up in my wake. Once I thought one was just fouled on the rudder while sailing. I was tired and not in condition to exercise good judgment so I started the engine. There was a clunk, a buoy popped up next to me and I was free. I'm not sure I'll make that SOP though.

I have picked up some huge snarls of rope on the wheel that had me down to 3-4 knots under power and a couple of them may have been pots I cut off. I was able to continue though until I could anchor where the hook knife does a great job of clearing the wheel from the dinghy.

The real key is avoidance. You get better at it as you come to understand the pattern and learn to read the buoys. Ones that bobble are toggles or singles. Ones that lie quietly on the surface are buoys with toggles and there will be a loop of line between them and the next one up current. There are also patterns to how the gear is laid out that become clearer with experience. I didn't foul a pot all last year although I did have a huge snarl which I'm pretty sure was just cut off line drifting around underwater.

 

[Tim R.]

The only time I have ever caught a pot while motoring, it was submerged. The current in the shipping channel can get pretty strong and pull the buoys under. I had no choice but to get in the water to cut loose. The wind had already died and the current would have carried us onto a shoal in minutes if I cut the line before freeing the prop. We were ready to drop the anchor but in 50+ ft. of water and 150ft of rode there was no guarantee the anchor would catch and if it did, it would probably catch on the thousands of miles of abandoned pot warp at hte bottome of the harbor.

I donned the wetsuit, tied a line around my waist that I could quickly release if needed and got in and freed the prop.

 

[Roger Long]

We were ready to drop the anchor but in 50+ ft. of water and 150ft of rode there was no guarantee the anchor would catch ...

That's why I carry 240 feet and have another 250 in the cockpit locker that can be quickly tied on. That's just the full size rode. I also have a stern anchor rode and lots of extra dockline as well as the 180 feet of chain in the bilge.

When setting up for the hurricane:

http://issuu.com/pointseast/docs/december-issuu

I figured out that I could anchor in about 600 feet of water in a pinch as long as there wasn't too much wind.

It's one thing with a competent crew but I'm usually singlehanded or with guests I wouldn't trust to manage the boat while I'm in the water. No way I'm going in until I'm securely anchored. After that, I can deal with the foul some other way.

That said, I recognize that a pot foul is the most likely scenario for me losing my boat. Why do you think I'm going to do most of my cruising in Canada from now on?

 

[Tim R.]

This was on one of our previous boats. A Pearson 28. Not a lot of extra stuff on that boat!

I would never get in the water when single handing.