Maine Mooring Suggestions

[preserved_killick]

Hi everyone,

My name is Jeff and as a new owner of a '65 Alberg 30, and will be looking for a mooring somewhere mid-coast Maine next season. I've been sailing on Sebago lake and decided it's time to move to bigger waters.

Can anyone suggest good seasonal mooring rentals anywhere from Biddeford Pool to Rockland? Portland area is closest to us. Inexpensive is key at this time.

Having just recently found this forum, I bet I have put 15 hours this past week just reading all the posts. What a wealth on information here.

Thanks for any suggestions.

-Jeff

[Rachel]

Hi Jeff, and welcome to The Forum!

Also congrats on your new Alberg 30 (just a guess... Osprey?)

I can't help you with your Maine questions, but I just wanted to pop in and say Hi.

Rachel

[preserved_killick]

Rachel,

Yes, Osprey. How did you know. Is the boat world that small??

-jeff

Hi Jeff, and welcome to The Forum!

Also congrats on your new Alberg 30 (just a guess... Osprey?)

I can't help you with your Maine questions, but I just wanted to pop in and say Hi.

Rachel

[bcooke]

No, but Rachel's knowledge of boats for sale is encyclopedic.

BTW Rachel, the A30 in Newburyport just sold.

-Britton

[Tim]

Jeff,

Long-term (i.e. seasonal) mooring rentals aren't very common on the coast, but they do exist in some areas.

Rockland features a number of mooring rental options, including seasonals. Check out the Rockland Harbormaster's website for links to the area boatyards and marinas. Because I was awaiting a permanent mooring elsewhere, I chose a rental mooring in Rockland this past season, partly because they were available, unlike most other places.

Other than Rockland, I don't know offhand of other places offering long-term mooring rentals; most transient moorings are the usual daily-rate type for cruisers. Maybe Boothbay, but I don't know and never looked into it.

The other option is to arrange for a private rental of someone else's mooring, which you might obtain through word of mouth and the like. But there's nothing necessarily easy or guaranteed about this approach. You never know what you might find in Uncle Henry's, Points East, or local bulletin boards.

A lot of towns are still accepting new moorings (i.e. ones owned by you); availability varies from place to place, of course. You apply to the town of choice for a permit and are responsible for purchasing, installing, and maintaining your own mooring according to the town ordinances. You'll find this process varies widely from place to place.

[catamount]

Other than Rockland, I don't know offhand of other places offering long-term mooring rentals; most transient moorings are the usual daily-rate type for cruisers. Maybe Boothbay, but I don't know and never looked into it.

Tim, my sense is that most of the boatyards up and down the coast offer seasonal mooring rentals. The real question is whether they have any available...

In Boothbay, I would start with Blake's Boatyard (207-633-5040).

A couple others in the general area: Boothbay Region Boatyard on Southport Island: http://www.brby.com/

Robinhood Marine Center on Georgetown Island: http://www.robinhoodmarinecenter.com/

And here's a good directory site: http://www.maineharbors.com/

[preserved_killick]

Thanks Tim.

I've found that there may be possibilities in Casco bay, but as you say..I'd need to purchase my own equipment. My concern is that I'm not sure where I want to be permanently. I'd like to spend a season around Casco, then perhaps a season in Rockland etc. I suppose you can just move the mooring equipment but it sure adds to the costs & hassles.

We may end up in Rockland. I've heard it's relatively easy to get long term moorings.

-jeff

[Tom Young]

First keeping our boat (then 28') in Casco bay for a season, then Robinhood for a season, then 2 seasons in Boothbay. Driving from Vermont, these locations are not much different in car time.

Boothbay was perhaps the easiest and most affordable. There were plentiful seasonal moorings available. We stayed two years at what was then Samples Shipyard. No frills, easy parking, good dinghy access.

Casco Bay is not to be missed but Boothbay is a good destination was well if you plan to have some long weekends to branch out into Muscongus Bay or southward to many interesting areas. There's always good sailing right in the Boothbay area as well. We liked keeping the boat there alot.

When our boat took us to Penobscot Bay, we ended up moving there a few years later (be careful) to first Camden and now Rockport village. We've sailed out of most of the east coast from Canada to the Bahamas.


The sailing from this side and area of Penobscot Bay is the best I've found so far. You'll watch the wind forecast and realize, you have great sailng destinations and oppurtunities in almost any forecast, that's unusual.

Looking at the up coming forecast of strong westerlies tomorrow and slowly clocking northwest, I could sail mostly beam and broad reaching through the Fox Islands and through Merchants Row, spend the night, head north or south from there, and return the next day on mostly a close reach home sailing at near hull speeds for 40 or so miles. The options are many, motoring minimal if at all.

In fact, as I'm still in the water, already have a reef rolled in, firewood onboard, I'm considering it.

You may want to get on the mooring waiting list in Rockport, it's still not too long (many got moorings in one season just a year ago). It only costs 10 bucks a year to be on the waiting list(resident or non resident). Mooring rates are still about 100 dollars a season, you supply the tackle. Camdens waiting list is far longer. You may get a space even faster in Rockland, but look into waiting lists now.

[preserved_killick]

Thanks Tom,

That's good information. Would you remember where you had a spot in Casco? Casco bay, especially the southern side is closest for us.

We've got some time off the next couple of weeks and plan on driving around checking things out, possibly getting on waiting lists.

I've also heard "TwoToots" up in Rockland has rentals available.

-Jeff

[Tom Young]

As I recall, we rented (borrowed technically) a town mooring from someone. That was back in the early 90's. Sorry that's not much help.

[dasein668]

As I recall, we rented (borrowed technically) a town mooring from someone. That was back in the early 90's. Sorry that's not much help.

That doesn't fly in Falmouth any more. At least, not easily. The harbormaster doesn't allow any boat on any mooring except the boat that is on the permit application in his office. And he's been checking.

It's always been, technically, illegal to sub-let (rent) your mooring, but in the past it was common practice and the standard line was "Oh, I'm just using it; it's a friend's mooring."

[Tom Young]

I don't think we had to pay anything and it was had through a friend that connected us both.

When we moved to Camden, someone scalped us 900. for the season to use their mooring. It was just beginning to be a problem then (1999). Illegal but many were doing it. Then another "nice guy" hit us for 100.00 per week to use an inner float for the summer. That was about the end and the next year the pressure started to halt this practice as well as policing the moorings and docks to be sure they are being used.

And so it goes now. The waiting list for Camden has grown very long. There's alot of pressure now to get a mooring.

The major problem we had in Falmouth back in the 90's was finding parking. It was tough and there was alot of slepping involved.

I'm so happy now. I walked to my boat this am and had the stick out on horses, boat hauled, put on my jack stands on the public landing, I winterized the systems, and walked home, before lunch.

We used to drive alot of miles to sail. I'm now remembering how tough that was for haul and launch time. A much less complicated boat then took me alot more time and effort than our larger more complicated boat now, that is these days.....just down the hill.

[dasein668]

The major problem we had in Falmouth back in the 90's was finding parking. It was tough and there was alot of slepping involved.

That's about 90% of the reason we moved to PYC. Also, there are now limited dinghy permits at the town landing. This was really a necessity, given how ridiculous the dinghy situation had become, but it's just another limitation on access.