Conference vicki::boats

I see small, open boats out that far on nice days (flat seas and good 
visibility).  You could certainly get to Monhegan and back relatively safely 
IF the weather and conditions were right;  however, only one day in 10 is 
like this (maybe 1 in 14).  When it's clear, there's too much wind and the 
seas are bulding up.  Or if the seas are flat, it's hazy in the morning 
with the chance of fog developing early in the afternoon.  And this is not 
easily predictable, so you couldn't rely on Friday night's forecast to say 
you were going to go or not on Saturday.

Monhegan doesn't have the best facilities for handling visiting boaters (in 
fact, it's almost like they'd rather we stayed away).  There is a wharf, 
but you have to leave it clear for the ferry.  I believe there are a few guest 
moorings that the harbormaster might direct you to.  The Taft book, 
"Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast" gives details---check with your library 
or friends for the Monhegan page.

    Actually I did sneak a peek at the Taft book which agreed with your
    assessment (they prefer to have visitors come on the ferry), but the
    book is sailboat oriented where you have to tie to a mooring (and bring
    a tender OR call the local "yacht" club for a ride).  I was hoping to
    avoid all this.  But your statement on the weather is well taken and
    this trip is starting to come under the "dumb idea" category.
    

    I dont know the merits or the etiquite of this approach, but
    I've seem quite a few small boats closely follow the nantuckett and mv
    ferrys in poor conditions.  Assuming the ferry's destination and your's
    are similar, you have at least one known path.  I wouldnt base the trip 
    decision on the possiblities of this sort of escort/guide, but in sloppy 
    weather I mignt well fall in behind.  
    
    I wonder what the ferry captains think of this sort of piggy backing.  

    
    Jim,
    
    I 've to Monhegan several times in my 21 ' boat. I come out of John's
    Bay and head towards the Island. On a clear day you can see the Island
    from John's Bay or Pemaquid Point. It's a about a 10 mile run, if you
    were to put in at Thomaston (sp) or Rockland, then the run is shorter.
    To the south of Monhegan is a small Island called Eastern Egg Rock,
    this is were you can see the Puffin Birds. If the weather and seas are
    good, then it can be a great day. You should have a chart of the area,
    I agree with the earlier notes that only in flat seas should you try
    this venture.
    
    	Good Boating
    
    	Mike

    If the ferry captain was the pilot who grounded that cruise ship in
    Buzzard's Bay he would probably be saying...
    
    "Let's just stay in front of that small boat behind us since he must
    know where he's going"
    
    :-)

    The news reported the other day that the "pilot" of the 
    Bermuca Star is the same pilot who crashed the Jamestown R.I.
    piers 2 months ago. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. but he was cleared...
    
    j.

    I am surprised no one mentioned installing a compass (you didn't
    mention it when you send you had only...., unless you consider a
    compass to be matter of fact). A VHF and depth sounder are good, but if
    the fog really rolls in it doesn't matter if it is 12 miles or � mile
    because you will lose your bearings.
    
    john

    I consider a compass a matter of fact.  I was just referring to electronics
    I had on board.
    
    But with weird tidal currents et al, about the only use a compass is in
    fog is to assure that you crash somewhere on the coast of Maine,
    instead of on the coast of Ireland.

    A major value of a compass in the fog is to make sure you are heading
    in the general direction of a depth contour, which you may be able to 
    follow to your destination. Practice using a compass / depthsounder /
    chart to find your way home when it isn't foggy. Just be careful what
    depth contour you decide to follow, and don't forget to factor in the
    tide.
    
    Bill
    

    Swisty,
    
    I've been up to 13 miles to sea in my Grady White sprite / 70hp. Of
    course the weather fogged in and the sea got rough but with a compass
    and chart I got back safely, and with more respect, to the Cape.
    
    Determine:
    
    		A. How seaworthy is your boat (try to test close to
    			shore- joke)
    		B. The weather
    		C. Your experience
    
    Getting caught in rough weather is never much fun but does present a
    challenge for a cool head and skill. It always pays to know what your
    platform is capable of and I think you've had your boat long enough
    to know.
    
    Use respect for the sea and have a blast.
    
    Joe D.
    
    PS: You wouldn't have this problem if you bought my boat...!!;^)
    

re .0:

With good luck, you could do this trip safely, with bad luck, well, the 
trip might be your last. I've been past Monhegan many a time, and have 
seen it maybe half the times, the other times it was lost in the fog. 
The fog can descend quickly (in minutes) and the seas get rough quickly 
and unexpectedly. The anchorage has poor holding (rock bottom), is 
deep (60' or so), and offers little protection. The night we spent there 
was one of the more anxious of my life. The coast near Monhegan is not 
one I'd choose to approach in bad weather -- many a danger. I would take 
the ferry (which is a fairly small boat, actually), but then I have a 
large distrust of small boats (esp small powerboats) more than a mile or 
two from shore. The prevailing wind in good weather is SW, so that if
your engine fails you'll drift towards Nova Scotia. With a NE or NW wind
you shouldn't even think about going (these are likely to be brisk to 
gale force winds with big seas). 

If you do decide to go, try to find another boat to go with. I really 
think that 17' is fairly risky.

signed, 

ever the cautious sailor

    RE .9 
    
    You can forget about using the depth sounder to follow depth contours
    on most of the coast of Maine.  The bottom is too uneven, with pinacles
    and deep holes and ledges, and very few smooth contours.
    
    The "alarm" feature of depth sounders is also of little value.  Because
    there are so many places where the water depth shallows rapidly (120'
    to 2' in about 10 yds), the alarm is most frequently used to inform the
    skipper that it's time to call the Coast Guard to get him off some
    ledge.

    Having made this trip myself in my 15' Lyman, I can strongly urge you
    NOT to try it.  I followed the Laura B to get back through the rough
    seas and vowed NEVER to try it again.
    
    You might try the run from Pemaquid Point to the Georges Islands (about 8
    miles) across the mouth of Muscongus Bay and check out the sheep on
    Allen Island (or is it Burnt Island?) - quite a surprise to see sheep
    at the water's edge!  From there it's an easy cruise to Port Clyde,
    Friendship, and Round Pond.  But watch the weather since getting back
    around Pemaquid Point can be quite exciting (at least for my boat) if
    the SW mind is 10-15 or above.
    
    Ben (who's leaving South Bristol for Mussel Ridge Channel later this
    afternoon)

    I've found that, on small fast boats, the depthsounder is less than
    useless at more than 12 knots, anyway. Typically, boaters have to stop
    and get the sounding. Not good when you only have the compass to rely
    on in the fog/mist, but OK as long as you decide to go slowly!
    
    Ray

    My depth sounder (a new LCD recorder) seems to work at 28 knots.
    
    Should I not trust the readings at that speed?
    

    Take care in interpreting the depth readings at that speed. They are
    notoriously unreliable unless you are lucky enough to have positioned
    the transducer in a spot completely unaffected by turbulence (extremely
    rare!!!).
    
    Ray

    Humminbird guarantees its depth finder to some ridiculous speed, 60 to
    70 MPH. I forget the exact number, since it was far in excess of what 
    my boat can do anyway. It may not work any better than the one you are
    using at a high speed, but at least you could get your money back.
    
    john

    It's ridiculous to guarantee a depthfinder at any speed. It depends PURELY
    on the position of the transducer. ANY air or turbulence will throw off
    the reading.
    
    Ray

    
      I think the speed rating of a depthfinder is a *theoretical* 
    rating based on the power ouput of the unit, sensitivity, etc. and
    based on NO air getting under the transducer. (this may be possible
    if the transducer were mounted 1' below the hull on a pylon, but
    isn't very practical - of course) 
    
      My Eagle reads ok up to about 35mph. If I dropped the transducer
    a little more, it would probably work up to a slightly higher speed.
    (I'm going to try it)
    It really depends on how much air/turbulence gets *under* the
    transducer. My boat just happens to have *no* lifting strakes on
    the hull - so I suppose I have less turbulence than a boat which
    does have the strakes (*most* boats do have lifting strakes). Also,
    my boat has no bottom-mounted fittings of any kind.

    
    					Kenny