We have one of the most beautiful coastlines in the United States, but also one of the most challenging. We can guess just how it all looked when the first explorers arrived. The tall forests lining the shore with numerous types of wildlife held within. The waters teemed with all types of fish. For those early arrivals it must have been a wonderous sight. We talk about a Maine winter, and I am certain that those early visitors discovered an extremely cold place during the winter months and probably even in late fall and early spring. Remember, there was over a mile of glacier ice covering this area about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. A warming trend began and slowly this ice began to melt away filling the oceans with glacier water.
For those that have cruised the coast of Maine from north to south they certainly understand how easy it could be to get in trouble in certain places. There are some bold places where you can sail right up to a rocky cliff and still have over 50 feet of water under your keel. One of my favourite challenges is Casco Passage as one heads from Eggemoggin Reach, over the top of Swan’s Island and over to Mount Desert Island. If you do not pay attention to your charts or the chart-plotter, you could find yourself bouncing over a ledge. Most summers someone is photographed high and dry waiting for the tide to return to free them from a very embarrassing situation. With social media, the world will know in real time just where you are and what you have done.
I am not sure how many noticed a request from the U. S. Coast Guard asking for feedback on removing a large number of navigational aids along the coast of Maine a couple of months back. I am not sure they understand what removing any navigational aids could do. There are many people using boats that have limited knowledge of what they are doing. They do not know the coast and rely heavily on their electronics to get them from one point to another. The problem is what happens if or when those electronics fail? I am willing to bet that many do not carry paper charts. If there are no navigational aids to reference that could cause a significant issue even for those that have an exceptional understanding of the coast. There is no question that no navigational aid should be removed.
I have a strong feeling that boaters today are not as knowledgeable as those from decades ago. Reading the old magazines from the early 1900s you would realize that there were not very many conveniences on board most boats. Everything was simple because the simpler you keep it there is not much that can cause an issue. Today, many of the boats have all kinds of amenities making it just like a summer cottage on the water. The problem is that these items all need to be serviced in the off-season, but many times they are not and then the problems begin.
Back decades ago, most boaters did their own work and knew what needed attention. Now very few do their own work and some of that falls on the boat yards as they want to do most of the work. With the problem of finding enough help, many yards are letting people do more on their boats. Let something slide and you may have a much bigger problem the following year. If it needs attention do not put it off. In the end it will save you time and money.
I find it enjoyable working on the boat and knowing what everything needs to be ready in the spring. I still feel that I do not know as much as I should about the mechanical systems, but I am slowly learning. I need to take the time and have back up parts on board just in case something breaks and the tools to fix it. Putting more time into preparation means less chance that you will have a problem out on the water.
