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What is your favorite state to go sailing?

  • Alaska

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Florida

    Votes: 7 11.5%
  • California

    Votes: 4 6.6%
  • Hawaii

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Louisiana

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Texas

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • North Carolina

    Votes: 3 4.9%
  • Oregon

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Maine

    Votes: 14 23.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 30 49.2%

What is your favorite U.S. state to go sailing / cruising?

5K views 34 replies 27 participants last post by  cruisingdream 
#1 ·
What is your favorite U.S. state to go sailing / cruising / boating?
 
#10 · (Edited)
I lived in Portland, ME for two years. Moved to the Boston area last year but still keep my boat in Maine. It's a beautiful area with a magnificent coastline. The good cruising is mainly north of Portland from Casco Bay up to Penobscot Bay (and further on to Canada if you so desire). There are endless islands, rivers and coves to explore, you can cruise from Portland to Acadia National Park without having to sail overnight, there are lots of harbors and secluded anchorages. My sailing so far has all been in Casco Bay but I'm planning to sail up to Penobscot Bay next summer (my parents live up there).

Here's an old article from the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/18/travel/sailing-the-coast-of-maine.html?pagewanted=1

If you are thinking of cruising the Maine coast, this is an indispensable resource: A Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast - 5th Ed.: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41pe28RbDeL.@@AMEPARAM@@41pe28RbDeL
 
#17 · (Edited)
Well, since I (and many of us) can sail in CT, NY and RI in a single afternoon, I guess I'm just lucky.

I'd begin to list all the small towns, cities, ports, anchorages, sounds, bays, salt ponds and rivers I could reach in a day sail but I'd just bore you all to tears.

And then there is that whole "draft is not much of an issue" thing. But hey, I'm boring you again.

Sailing off my mooring in the mouth of the Mystic River into Fisher's Island Sound is my gateway to paradise.
 
#22 ·
I voted for Maine,...

but I think to get the best of Maine, is to combine it with sailing Southern New England(another favorite of ours), and beyond to the south, if you're coming from those areas.

The trick is to sail along with the absolute best season that swells up the east coast from spring through fall. Timing is everything for a journey on this coast.
 
#28 ·
There is an old adage that we Mainahs go by; "If you don't like Maine weather, wait a minute."

Southerlies in the mornings, N-NE in the afternoon, dead calm by 7:00 for a tranquil night with the Mrs. and a glass of cool Merlot. Morning brings a light breeze with a playful mist dancing over the bay. The slow rumble-thump of the lobsterman returning from his rounds builds as he approaches and passes, a halo of gulls above the stern, sparing for the next scrap. From below, the smell of Foldger's wafts up, along with sausage and eggs. Your mate, joins you in the brisk dawn, a Bean's blanket wrapped tight and her hair looking tussled and unbrushed, but never more beautiful than at this moment. A seal, glides to the surface 5 yards astern and snorts lightly. After a few seconds of silent admiration, he lifts his chin and glides back into the inky water without a ripple, without a sound.

The weatherman predicts a S-SE wind at 14 knots so you, tidy up and get ready to make way. Next destination already set, you weigh anchor at 8:30, and motor out with red on the left. At 5:30, you're motoring into the harbor, a man calls from the dock "Take 317, red over white. I'm not using it tonight." so you find the mooring and hook up just as the wind dies, and the water becomes tranquil. The fish begin to jump so the ospreys spring from their perches and begin their ballet, pirouette and dive, swing and strike. One finds victory in an unlucky pollack and struggles to gain altitude, clearing the cockpit, and you, by a meager five feet. Supper, done, you rinse the Penne and add the chicken Alfredo. Upon request you give a hand and open the offending bottle of Savignon-Blanc. Fine food, a beautiful mate and snowy egrets fishing in the reeds.

Is there any other place to be?
 
#29 ·
There is an old adage that we Mainahs go by; "If you don't like Maine weather, wait a minute."

Southerlies in the mornings, N-NE in the afternoon, dead calm by 7:00 for a tranquil night with the Mrs. and a glass of cool Merlot. Morning brings a light breeze with a playful mist dancing over the bay. The slow rumble-thump of the lobsterman returning from his rounds builds as he approaches and passes, a halo of gulls above the stern, sparing for the next scrap. From below, the smell of Foldger's wafts up, along with sausage and eggs. Your mate, joins you in the brisk dawn, a Bean's blanket wrapped tight and her hair looking tussled and unbrushed, but never more beautiful than at this moment. A seal, glides to the surface 5 yards astern and snorts lightly. After a few seconds of silent admiration, he lifts his chin and glides back into the inky water without a ripple, without a sound.

The weatherman predicts a S-SE wind at 14 knots so you, tidy up and get ready to make way. Next destination already set, you weigh anchor at 8:30, and motor out with red on the left. At 5:30, you're motoring into the harbor, a man calls from the dock "Take 317, red over white. I'm not using it tonight." so you find the mooring and hook up just as the wind dies, and the water becomes tranquil. The fish begin to jump so the ospreys spring from their perches and begin their ballet, pirouette and dive, swing and strike. One finds victory in an unlucky pollack and struggles to gain altitude, clearing the cockpit, and you, by a meager five feet. Supper, done, you rinse the Penne and add the chicken Alfredo. Upon request you give a hand and open the offending bottle of Savignon-Blanc. Fine food, a beautiful mate and snowy egrets fishing in the reeds.

Is there any other place to be?
Very well said. Thanks.
 
#30 ·
I put off my cruise to the Bahamas for a year so I could save up a larger cruising kitty, take a whole year off, winter in the Bahamas and then work my way up to Maine during the spring and stay out the summer.

The whole new England area quickly made it to my short list the more I looked into it.
 
#33 ·
No mention about and states on our "inland oceans", the Great Lakes?

Benjamin Islands in the North Channel (just north of Lake Huron)


Apostle Islands in western Lake Superior


Grand Traverse Bay (Lake Michigan)


Little Traverse Bay (Lake Michigan)


Mackinac Island (Lake Huron-Michigan-Superior intersect)









Can't forget Chicago!
 
#34 ·
This is a poorly designed poll IMHO.

To relegate Washington State, South Carolina, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, Virginia, Maryland, and the States bordering the Great Lakes (just to name a few) to "Other" status perplexes me.

Mobnets
1973 Paceship Chance 32/28 "Westwind"
 
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