Best cruising guides for Maine

[DMF Sailing]

Ahoy, Forum

I'm planning a cruise Downeast this fall in a 41-foot monohull that draws 7'.

Who can recommend me a current, reliable cruising guide for Maine?

[Caleb_Grey]

https://www.mainecoastguide.com/about2

http://www.eldridgetide.com/

[Act Three]

My wife and I are just heading back to the Chesapeake after two months down east. The “Bible” for theses waters is A CRUISING GUIDE TO THE MAINE COAST.
Written by Hank and Jan Taft and Curtis Rindlaub. Currently in sixth edition.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Act Three

My wife and I are just heading back to the Chesapeake after two months down east. The “Bible” for theses waters is A CRUISING GUIDE TO THE MAINE COAST.
Written by Hank and Jan Taft and Curtis Rindlaub. Currently in sixth edition.

Thanks Act and Caleb. Man, if a cruising guide isn't telling me to do it, I'm not sure I'm finding that spot to anchor on the cover.

[Caleb_Grey]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

Thanks Act and Caleb. Man, if a cruising guide isn't telling me to do it, I'm not sure I'm finding that spot to anchor on the cover.

Its Maine man, it all looks like that lol, you would harder pressed to find a spot that doesnt belong on a cover!

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Caleb_Grey

Its Maine man, it all looks like that lol, you would harder pressed to find a spot that doesnt belong on a cover!

Oh, I've been to Maine. I just ain't never wandered into a spot like that without a lot of good local intel. I've ordered the book. Thanks!

[George DuBose]

I always found The Cruising Guide to New England the best guide for all anchorages from Cape May to Canada. It is an enjoyable read as well.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by George DuBose

I always found The Cruising Guide to New England the best guide for all anchorages from Cape May to Canada. It is an enjoyable read as well.

Thanks, George. Do you mean this chestnut?

https://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Guid...dp/0393048586?

[jen1722terry]

Yup, we agree with Act Three on the cruising guide. The best one out there.

We have lived aboard our boat in Northeast Harbor, ME (on Mt. Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park) for the last 6 summers. If you need any local knowledge, contact us via this forum and we'll be glad to assist.

Maine's lovely. We think you'll agree.

Jenn and Terry McAdams

[rondelais]

The Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast by Taft and Rindlaub is the gold standard. It covers every harbor and many gunkholes, with instructions on how to get in and out, and what to look out for. It has many small drawings of harbor entrances and anchorages. There are “star” ratings (4 stars are “must go”) as well as rankings for weather protection. It also includes names and phone numbers of key businesses and people, and some interesting historical and cultural blurbs. It also has a section at the end covering the Canadian coast to Saint John and up the Saint John River. We have at least the last four editions, and a copy of the first. My only complaint is that it is a paperback book. I would prefer it bound with a spiral binding or something similar so it could lie flat open.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

.....I'm not sure I'm finding that spot to anchor on the cover.

That brought back a great memory. When my son and I were bringing our boat up from SF to BC in 2016, we stopped and anchored in Port Orchard, a "harbor" "port" with nothing but a very high dock with a crane that lifted the fishing boats out of the water. There was a small roadstead in the guide book that we were using for harbors (Charlies Chart), whereas Douglass' book was more for routes outside harbors.


Before we dropped the hook, I wandered around, trying to "find a good place" not too close to the big dock and not too far east towards a HUGE rock that jutted out from the shore. The rock was almost two stories high, and the south end of it that was in the water looked like real dragon, especially in the photos we took and viewed later.


Finally found "a reasonable place" with no other boats around anchoring, all used the crane.


Had an uneventful and pleasant night.


Looking at the photos on our computer a few night later in a marina further north, I thought the photos we took looked somewhat familiar.


Then I looked at Charlies Chart's anchorage photo.


It showed a sailboat right in the danged spot we had

dropped our hook!



So much for MY "thorough research!"

[CarlF]

Have just completed my 18th Maine summer cruise (the first was in 1977 before GPS!) I use all three of these:

1. ActiveCaptain. Since this is "crowd sourced" you have to use it with care - but it will do a better job of keeping you off the rocks and finding good holding for your anchor than any of the others.

2. Taft - As others have said it does a great job rating the harbors. I also very much like the occasional page devoted to Maine history, ecology, and local sights.

3. Duncan and Ware - Cruising Guide to the New England Coast. For over 40 years this was "the Bible" maintained by Roger Duncan in his Friendship sloop. Roger died in his 90's about 15 years ago so don't expect to find some of the stores or restaurants mentioned. But the location of rocks, tides, beautiful anchorages, and that special feel of cruising Maine doesn't change. The book is a joy to read. If E.B. White had written a cruising guide this would be it. Buy it used off Amazon. Any year. Here is a page from it. I may have "Headed East by Schoodic bell..." inscribed on my tomb stone.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by CarlF

Have just completed my 18th Maine summer cruise (the first was in 1977 before GPS!) I use all three of these:

1. ActiveCaptain. Since this is "crowd sourced" you have to use it with care - but it will do a better job of keeping you off the rocks and finding good holding for your anchor than any of the others.

2. Taft - As others have said it does a great job rating the harbors. I also very much like the occasional page devoted to Maine history, ecology, and local sights.

3. Duncan and Ware - Cruising Guide to the New England Coast. For over 40 years this was "the Bible" maintained by Roger Duncan in his Friendship sloop. Roger died in his 90's about 15 years ago so don't expect to find some of the stores or restaurants mentioned. But the location of rocks, tides, beautiful anchorages, and that special feel of cruising Maine doesn't change. The book is a joy to read. If E.B. White had written a cruising guide this would be it. Buy it used off Amazon. Any year. Here is a page from it. I may have "Headed East by Schoodic bell..." inscribed on my tomb stone.

Or, perhaps

He was happier east of Schoodic

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

That brought back a great memory. When my son and I were bringing our boat up from SF to BC in 2016, we stopped and anchored in Port Orchard, a "harbor" "port" with nothing but a very high dock with a crane that lifted the fishing boats out of the water. There was a small roadstead in the guide book that we were using for harbors (Charlies Chart), whereas Douglass' book was more for routes outside harbors.


Before we dropped the hook, I wandered around, trying to "find a good place" not too close to the big dock and not too far east towards a HUGE rock that jutted out from the shore. The rock was almost two stories high, and the south end of it that was in the water looked like real dragon, especially in the photos we took and viewed later.


Finally found "a reasonable place" with no other boats around anchoring, all used the crane.


Had an uneventful and pleasant night.


Looking at the photos on our computer a few night later in a marina further north, I thought the photos we took looked somewhat familiar.


Then I looked at Charlies Chart's anchorage photo.


It showed a sailboat right in the danged spot we had

dropped our hook!



So much for MY "thorough research!"

If you live long enough not according to precedent, you become the precedent