Newport, RI to Portland, ME

[Midwaysailor]

Hi there,

We are planning to take our new to us 48 Oyster Lightwave from Newport to Portland. We are west coast sailors so New England is brand new to us. What cruising plan recommendations do you have? We are planning 3-4 days for the trip and will be keeping the boat at Handy's for the summer.

TIA!

[Kettlewell]

Newport to CC Canal to Provincetown, then offshore straight to Portland. About 4 days. Assuming the weather cooperates. That's a tight schedule with New England's changeable weather.

[Midwaysailor]

Thanks! I'll check that out. We have a week or so to make it work.

[dougweibel]

Time your departure from Provincetown to stay well offshore of Maine till you have enough light to see. You will find lobster trap lines and buoys in surprisingly deep water.

[Kettlewell]

If you do the PTown to Portland route you may very well see some whales on Stellwagon Bank.

[Jeffmg]

Day sailing or overnight straight through?
Marinas or just anchoring?

Flor a slow trip I’d do

Newport to Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk to Onset or Sandwich depending if you make the tide for the canal
Sandwich to p-town
P-town straight to Portland, or stop in Gloucester for a night

All depends on how long you want the legs to be, how many stops to make

[Midwaysailor]

Originally Posted by Jeffmg

Day sailing or overnight straight through?
Marinas or just anchoring?

Flor a slow trip I’d do

Newport to Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk to Onset or Sandwich depending if you make the tide for the canal
Sandwich to p-town
P-town straight to Portland, or stop in Gloucester for a night

All depends on how long you want the legs to be, how many stops to make

Thanks. Still undecided on the length and if we do any overnight sailing. We have one in our party that needs to depart on the 3rd...but we can kick him off anywhere. Mostly anchoring unless convinced we need to drop into a certain marina for some reason.

[Donahue]

Isle of shoals right off is Portsmouth is another good stop if you don't straight shot it from the canal. There isn't really anywhere to pull in between Portsmouth and Portland in a 48 footer.

[CarlF]

Done this trip at least 8 times. 50-60nm days are easy at this time of year in daylight for a 48ft boat (I do it in a 50’). If bad weather just stay put for a day, each stop is interesting enough to spend a day. Prevailing wind is from the South so no beating.

Newport to Onset - anchor at Active Captain “Onset Harbor” anchor marker. Pretty and peaceful harbor with town dinghy dock. Great pizza place ashore.

Onset to Gloucester - Hopefully canal current with you in morning. Plenty of room to anchor in outer harbor but rolly from fishing trawlers coming and going. More comfortable to get a mooring in the calm inner harbor. Launch service. Famous fishing town to explore. (“Perfect Storm”) Lots of restaurants. Very cheap, high quality diesel at Rose’s. Reserve mooring on Dockwa.

Gloucester to Bideford Pool Yacht Club mooring (Dockwa). Beautiful endless low tide sand banks to walk at low tide (or run a dog if one is lucky enough to be along). Great local take out fish place.

Biddeford Pool to Falmouth Foreside (Handy’s)

To do in three days do overnight from Onset or Gloucester. Also for crew member who wants to get off - frequent commuter rail service from Gloucester harbor to downtown Boston and Logan Airport.

[Kettlewell]

By the way, it's rather obvious, but catch a favorable current in the Cape Cod Canal to avoid fighting 4 knots of current. Then be prepared to be spit out into Cape Cod Bay where the water will be cold and there is often a fog bank in the morning. Very distinct temperature difference between Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay.

[Kettlewell]

Let us know how the trip goes!