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Hinckley Yachts are legendary. Hinckley Yacht Services brings legendary support for all makes and models. For expert paint, refit, repower, storage, mobile service or transient slips from Maine through Florida, Hinckley Yacht Services is always on call for you.

Hinckley Service Yards - East Coast

SW Harbor & NE Harbor, Maine

SW Harbor & NE Harbor, Maine

14 Harbor Dr, Northeast Harbor, ME 04662

Tel: 207-300-2010

[email protected]

Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Portsmouth, Rhode Island

1 Little Harbor Landing Portsmouth, RI 02871

Tel: 401-683-7100

[email protected]

Stamford Ct

Stamford, Connecticut

2 Selleck Street, Stamford, CT 06902

Tel: 203-274-8340

[email protected]

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Annapolis, Maryland

1656 Homewood Landing Road, Annapolis, MD 21409

Tel: 443-951-4380

[email protected]

Easton, Maryland

Easton, Maryland

8600 Brooks Drive, Easton, MD 21601

Tel: 410-226-5113

[email protected]

Savannah Georgia Banner

Savannah, Georgia

2400 Mechanics Avenue, Savannah, GA 31404

Tel: 912-629-2400

[email protected]

Stuart Florida Banner

Stuart, Florida

4550 SE Boatyard Drive, Stuart, FL 34997

Tel: 772-287-0923

[email protected]

Gulf Coast Feature

Hinckley Sweetwater in Fort Meyers, Florida

16991 State Road 31, Fort Myers, FL 33905

Tel: 239-261-2870

[email protected]

Authorized Service Locations: West Coast

Seaview boatyard: seattle, wa.

6701 Seaview Ave, Seattle, WA

Tel: 206-783-6550

[email protected]

Kkmi Sausalito: Sausalito, CA

420 Harbor Dr, Sausalito, CA

Tel: 415-332-5564

[email protected]

Driscoll Boat Works: San Diego, CA

2500 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA

Tel: 619-226-2500

[email protected]

Basin Marine: Newport Beach, CA

829 Harbor Island Drive, Newport Beach, CA

Tel: 949-673-0360

[email protected]

Kkmi Point Richmond: Richmond, CA

530 West Cutting Blvd, Pt. Richmond, CA

Tel: 510-235-5564

[email protected]

Obexer’s Boat Company: Lake Tahoe, CA

5300 W. Lake Boulevard, Homewood, CA

Tel: 530-525-7962

[email protected]

Authorized Service Locations: Great Lakes

Irish boat shop: harbor springs, mi.

400 East Bay St, Harbor Springs, MI

Tel: 231 526-6225

[email protected]

Irish Boat Shop: Charlevoix, MI

1300 Stover Rd, Charlevoix, MI

Tel: 231-547-9967

[email protected]

Yacht Basin Marina: Holland, MI

1866 Ottawa Beach Rd, Holland, MI 49424

Tel: 616-786-2205

[email protected]

Gage Marine: Williams Bay, WI

Lake Geneva, 4 Liechty Dr, Williams Bay, WI

Tel: 262-245-5501

[email protected]

Authorized Service Locations: International

Vortec marine: portsmouth, uk.

16, The Slipway, Port Solent, Portsmouth PO6 4TR, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1489 854 792

[email protected]

Emv Marine: Barcelona, Spain

Port de Badalona, Moll de la ribera, 13-14, 08912 Badalona, Barcelona, Spain

Tel: +34 93 320 75 31

[email protected]

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hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Ellis Boat Charters

Maine bareboat charters & boat rentals – midcoast & downeast maine, the wilbur 42 heads to lunt harbor, frenchboro.

LOCATION: Lunt Harbor, Frenchburo, Maine

VESSEL:  “NENA” – Wilbur 42 Flybridge Cruiser

NARRATIVE: After an excellent briefing on the twin-engined Nena, we ran up Somes Sound for an overnight stay on a mooring provided by Abel’s Lobster Yard. The next morning we made our way in heavy fog to Frenchboro. After hopping onto a ball in the tight Lunt Harbor, we hung out on the dock as the Lunt family processed their lobster catch. The Lunt family couldn’t have been nicer – they described their business, their history, and their newest sugar kelp venture. We ate at the Lunt Deli and ordered lobster dinner which we took back to the Nena to enjoy the spectacular sunset dinner. After 3 days of hanging out in Lunt Harbor, we made our way back to Dysarts Marina (just in the nick of time as the fog rolled back in). We were content to stay in our slip, read a good book aboard the Nena, and cook wonderful meals with local produce and delicious Maine blueberries. Shane Ellis and his crew were wonderful hosts. Their hospitality is genuine and we enjoyed every moment.

Day trip to Stonington & Isle au Haut

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

VESSEL:  “Ariel’s Song” – Wilbur 38 Flybridge Cruiser

NARRATIVE: It was the perfect day! Our group of 12 thoroughly enjoyed the boat, the excursion, and our captain! Hands down, it was the favorite activity for everyone! We can’t wait to book it again soon!

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Atlantic Nationals and Lobster Rolls

LOCATION : Blue Hill for the Atlantic Nationals 2023

VESSEL:  “Hathor” – Ellis 36 

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

PHOTO: Atlantic Nationals in Blue Hill 2023 – Christine Guinness Photo

INSIGHTS: The only chafe was forgetting to ask about the night setting for the plotter – User error. And I w ish I had woken up earlier to get around to Brooklyn and Swan’s Island.

Heading Downeast in an Ellis 36 Express

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

NARRATIVE: After over 30 years of chartering sailboats this was the first time chartering a power boat. It was a very happy experience. We were checked out by Troy and Brian who prepared us extremely well on all aspects of the boat. The boat itself was in perfect shape and fully supplied with fresh sheets etc. We strongly recommend Ellis Boat Charters.

PHOTO: Hathor at its pickup location – Dysart’s Marina – with a rather ominous shipwreck in the background. 

To Roque Island and back with a Hinckley Picnic Boat

LOCATION : Roque Island, Maine

VESSEL:  “Lab Adore” – Hinckley 36 Picnic Boat

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

PHOTO: Roque Island – roughly 40 nautical miles from Southwest Harbor (up the coast – or “Downeast” if you wish). 

INSIGHTS: For the trip to Roque Island, I recommend hiring a captain even if one is moderately experienced. One might want to give greater emphasis when training a renter on the need to regularly clean it out of seaweed from Hinckley’s jet drive.

Three Days with a Wilbur 38 Flybridge Cruiser

LOCATION : Various Locations around Southwest Harbor departing from the Claremont Hotel

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

NARRATIVE: We had three great days aboard Ariel’s Song, doing day trips with two wonderful skippers, Mike and Christian. We had one passenger with mobility issues, and Mike and Christian, along with the great dock crew at the Claremont Hotel, were incredibly sweet and helpful with her. There are many great spots in that area to cruise, go ashore for lobster lunch, and anchor or moor for a swim. The water up in Somes Harbor was 65 degrees warm, which was considerably better than out in the open water, and we borrowed a mooring and had a glorious swim in that tranquil spot, surrounded by pretty boats, in clean clear water.

PHOTO: Wilbur 38 “Ariel’s Song” at the dock in Southwest Habor

Ellis Boat Charters – a top notch organization

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

VESSEL:  “No Altitude” – Ellis 28 Express

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Finding a Maine Gem on our Ellis Charter

LOCATIONS : Eggemoggin Reach, Buck’s Harbor, Castine, Camden, Stonington, Billing’s Yard, & Bass Harbor 

VESSEL:  “Hathor” – An Ellis 36 Express Cruiser

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Afternoon Cruise from The Claremont Hotel

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

VESSEL:  “Downeaster” – An Ellis 36 Express Cruiser

NARRATIVE: Shane at Ellis is super responsive and he set up a great day for us. The boat was spacious and had a nice swim platform off the back. We toured around the Southwest harbor and other harbor areas for the afternoon – very pretty.

PHOTO: The Claremont Hotel   – located at the entrance to Somes Sound in Southwest Harbor. Their Moorings, Dock, and launch services make this the ideal place to land when not out on your Ellis Charter vessel. The Claremont Hotel offers wonderful dining experiences at the Little Fern restaurant and Batson River Fish Camp (at the boathouse on the dock). 

Day Trips with a Hinckley Picnic Boat

LOCATION :  Southwest Harbor

VESSEL:  “Lab Adore” – A Hinckley 36 Picnic Boat

NARRATIVE: The Hinckley 36-foot boat was just a perfect boat. Though it was 20 years old it seemed brand new and functioned like it. Shane and everyone at Ellis were super gracious and my orientation on the boat which has jet propulsion with a jet stick that I’ve never used before was an hour and a half well spent. By the second day, I was totally comfortable doing anything with the boat. Initially, we just tooled around as everyone had just recovered from Covid and we were tired. Late-day sunset cruises were a must but dawn breaking was fabulous. We spent whole days visiting the outer islands which are not touristy at all. One thing we do every trip is motor over to Little Cranberry Island and have dinner at the Islesboro restaurant. Service, food, and docking are all excellent and we recommend it.

PHOTOS: Some family photos from our day trips with “Lab Adore” and photos from our ocean-side rental (with a private dock) in Southwest Harbor.

Maine Trip July 2022

Poet Louise Bogan wrote Maine is: Where shell and weed wait upon the salt wash of the sea, And the clear nights of stars swing their lights westward to set behind the land.

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Our Ellis charter out of Southwest Harbor on Ariel’s Song left us wanting to return again. All furnishings listed were provided, as well as an outdoor grill. The sleeping bags were lightweight so for more warmth will bring our own next time. Big thank you to Darin for his expertise and at ease manner.

Professor Andrew and the Hinckley T40

LOCATIONS : Somes Sound, Northeast Harbor, and Penobscot Bay (Hurricane Island, Castine, and Dark Harbor)

VESSEL:  Hinckley Talaria T40 “Timbuktu”

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

PHOTOS: Capt. Andrew and Timbuktu in Southwest Harbor

A New Experience in Maine Waters with an Ellis 36

LOCATIONS : Southwest Harbor, Rockland, Duck Harbor

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 “Liberty”

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

INSIGHTS: Chartering from Ellis Charters was a great experience as well. Any questions that we had on the boat were promptly addressed. It was also nice to have the first-night dockage at the Marina to get familiar with the boat.

An Incredible Experience with the Wilbur 38 Flybridge Cruiser

LOCATIONS : Isle Au Haut, Stonington, Schoodic Penninsula, Winter Harbor, Frenchmans’s Bay, Somes Sound, Northeast Harbor, Suttons Island.

VESSEL: The Wilbur 38 Flybridge Cruiser “Ariel’s Song”

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

INSIGHTS: If you are not a very experienced boater, I highly recommend getting a captain. The waters around Mt Desert Island have unexpected shallow areas and other things you need to watch out for (like lobster trap buoys). Also, you might want to plan ahead where you want to spend your nights. We hadn’t done that planning, and we ended up spending all 4 nights at the marina in Southwest Harbor. It made it much easier in terms of going out for dinner each night. (Just walk out on the deck and into town or to our car). But if you want to experience sleeping on the boat in other harbors, you should probably plan it out beforehand, or at least have an idea of which harbors you want to visit and do a little calling ahead for mooring availability (call the harbormasters or a local boatyard for each harbor).

Erwin and I on the Ellis 28 “No Altitude”

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

VESSEL: Ellis 28 “No Altitude”

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Family Vacation with a Hinckley T40 in Frenchman Bay

LOCATIONS : Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay – Private Dock at a rental home

VESSEL: Hinckley Talaria T40 “Timbuktu”

NARRATIVE: Beyond happy with the vessel. She was a joy to drive utilizing the Jet drives. Quiet, stable in all seas, shallow draft, easy to dock/steer and navigate. Very much like a Volvo EPS Pod drive would be. We went all over Frenchman Bay and utilized tender for getting to remote island stops for lunch or moorings. Felt very safe in this boat – an excellent design from Hinckley. Shane at Ellis was awesome to work with and very accommodating for our limited experience. We worked with an excellent captain for 1.5 days and were cleared to operate the boat on our own and now we feel very comfortable after spending a full week with it. We have decided to do this again in 2022. Well worth it and a treasure trove of memories with our family!

LOGISTICS: Be patient with the jet drives–once you learn them though they are a joy to drive.

PHOTOS: A few photos from our time with “Timbuktu” in Frenchman Bay

The Trip of a Lifetime on an Ellis 36 called Liberty

LOCATIONS : From Southwest Harbor, Stonington, North Haven, Camden, Castine Harbor, Bucksport, Hunts Harbor, and Burnt Cove Harbor to Camden with many beautiful harbors

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 Express Cruiser “Liberty”

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

PHOTO: Curtis Island Lighthouse

Local Cruising near Southwest Harbor

LOCATIONS : We had a wonderful week based on a remote island with trips to Blue Hill, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Bass Harbor, Little Cranberry. We also spent one day exploring the Eggemoggin Reach.

VESSEL: An Ellis 36 Express Cruiser

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Morning coffee (and some remote work) on our Ellis 36 Express Cruiser

NARRATIVE: We have found a perfect solution for our desire to get out and explore the beauty of Acadia and the Islands of Mid-coast Maine. Ellis is a trustworthy reliable company that has a fantastic fleet and great employees.

LOGISTICS: Follow your charts and be prepared to use radar in the event of fog. 

PHOTOS: A beautiful day on a Maine Island.

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

A Maine Coast Boating Guide

We would like to recommend “A Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast” for dreaming, scheming, and general Maine Coast vacation planning – it is truly a great resource. This is the kind of book you will want to purchase IN ADVANCE of your soon-to-be Ellis Charter. UPDATE: As of Early 2023 these are OUT OF PRINT. 

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

IF OUT OF PRINT: Check out the New England Cruising Guide (see below)

Every Ellis Charter Boat includes MAPTECH charts and a copy of MAPTECH’s New England Cruising Guide , which is a very useful guide for finding specific information on each Maine AND New England harbor. If you would like to view a copy of the New England Cruising Guide in advance, you can purchase their ebook version HERE .

A Four-Day Maine Cruise Aboard The Ellis 36 “Hathor”

We, three septuagenarian veterans of sailboat cruising in Maine, were curious what a power-boat charter would be like. So, when we saw a four-day window in Ellis Charter’s schedule, we thought that would be a perfect opportunity to sample the experience. We are accustomed to sailing at speeds between four and six knots while steering clear of lobster pot buoys, so the prospect of cruising at 15 knots without needing to be wary of pot buoys was very appealing. It would allow us to get between destinations expeditiously and enjoy exploring the many shores and hiking trails of outlying Maine islands.

Our cruise aboard “Hathor”, an Ellis 36 Express Cruiser, brought us much sunny weather to enjoy our shore excursions, punctuated with periods of rain, fog, strong winds, and choppy seas as we moved between stops. We welcomed the sense of shelter and robustness that Hathor provides, compared to the exposure to the elements aboard a sailboat. In our 96 hours with the boat, we made stops in the following places, as described further:

• Lunt Harbor, Frenchboro/Long Island (mooring) – pictured below • Burnt Coat Harbor, Swans Island (mooring) • Southern Harbor, North Haven Island (anchor) • Duck Harbor, Isle au Haut (anchor) • Seal Bay, Vinalhaven (anchor) • Merchant Harbor, Merchant and Harbor Islands (anchor) • Islesford, Little Cranberry Island (mooring) • Northeast Harbor, MDI (dock) • Southwest Harbor, MDI (dock)

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

Looking back at Mount Desert Island from Lunts Harbor – Stop #1

Day 1: After a boat-handling check-out from an Ellis technician that covered docking and picking up moorings, we left Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island for Frenchboro, Long Island in the early afternoon. Continue reading →

A few great Maine Boating Destinations

As I sat down with my tax accountant a couple of weeks back (that time of year). I did not necessarily expect a conversation to ensue beyond the invariable discussion of tax codes, liabilities, and write-off potentials. However, as it turns out, my tax accountant is an avid boater with some valuable boating opinions. He discussed many “friendly need-to-see harbors”. Continue reading →

Fox Island Thoroughfare

Thanks for the charter of “Queen of the Cove”, We had a great time and will book again sometime in the future. The boat was comfortable, easy and fun to operate and with the electronics, easy to navigate. Maine is beautiful and the weather the week of our charter was perfect. We particularly liked Fox Island Thoroughfare. That’s the location of the photo with my “Queen” the bow pulpit of “Queen of the Cove”.

Queen-on-the-bow

Historical Port Tours

LOCATIONS : Primarily exploring old historic marina’s and ports: Castine, Camden, Rockport, Searsport, Belfast, Boothbay Harbor

VESSEL:  The Ellis 36 Express Cruiser  “Liberty”.

The Ellis 36 “Liberty” on Charter in 2019

NARRATIVE: From Camden, you can take ‘day trips’ (to and back) to Rockport and Searsport. Camden’s inner harbor ‘floating docks’ are unique (to me). It is less expensive and easy to take your own tender or you can use the ‘launch service’ back & forth. Make sure you visit the many fantastic Maritime Museums such as Bath’s Maine Maritime Museum and Searsport’s Penobscot Marine Museum (20 min walk from pier). Also, Castine has a great city tour on a golf cart – “Scarlett” [email protected]

A Successful Trip in the Maine Fog

Our week with family visiting was much more memorable with the addition of Ellis’s Too Priceless to enjoy. It comfortably held 10 of us for many day trips to show our South Carolina cousins where the real beauty is – the rocky Maine coast! We are currently in-between boats and this 36’, while a bit larger than we were used to, was a great size and very easy to maneuver.

Our most memorable trip was, well, a memory for many reasons. It was a perfect day and we set off from Western Bay, destination Little Cranberry Island, otherwise known as Islesford. The intention was to visit the museum, artisan shops, the quaint churches on the island and of course, lunch at the Islesford Dock Restaurant where the food is delicious! We did manage to accomplish all that but not before dealing with a typical Maine “suddenly-from-out-of-nowhere” fog bank on the way over. It just came rolling right at us as we came around the bend just before Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. AND hung with us for the rest of the trip over, clearing out only just as we approached the island dock. While some rental operations might be skimping on bare-bones equipment, this Ellis was fully equipped with sophisticated computers that really did save us that day.

Photo of Bass Harbor Lighthouse courtesy of acadiamagic.com

While waiting for our table for 10, we did all the stops we had wanted to see. After leaving the church which allowed time for reflection, we had a good laugh over what each of us secretly pondered while reflecting in that quiet chapel. Let’s just say all the thoughts tied to “thanks for a safe trip over here” to “please let us have a safe trip back” or “please let the sun burn this fog off while we eat”. Prayers were answered and the trip home was crystal clear so our company could really enjoy the beauty of the islands and Park mountains from the south side of the area.

P.S. The team at Ellis is great as well. I would know. I recently published a customer service satire, critical of the lack of high service standards in many establishments these days. Ellis will never make it into book II unless I change my tactic and pen a book about how it should be done!

A Maine Charter with “Too Priceless”

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I would highly recommend Ellis Charters to others and no doubt we will be a repeat customer – everything so so professional.

Here are a few photos from our Trip.

Local Boating Destination Ideas near Acadia National Park

Here are some “destination ideas” as you put together your plans for chartering with Ellis Boat Charters.

LOBSTER BAKE ON MERCHANT’S ROW The perfect Maine day. Merchant’s Row is a collection of islands right off the coast of Mount Desert Island that includes some of the most beautiful islands on the East Coast. Treat your group to a day on the water by setting off from Southwest Harbor or Northeast Harbor in your Ellis Boat charter, motoring by the famous Bass Harbor lighthouse, and casting anchor close to one of the islands.

Boating Map of the Area

DINNER OR LUNCH AT ISLESFORD DOCK Dock your Ellis Charter boat at the storied Islesford Dock Restaurant, where you can enjoy classic Maine fare, as well as the works of local artists at the Islesford Artist’s Gallery.

SOMES SOUND Explore what is arguably the only Fjord on the East Coast. It is a body of water running deep into Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. Its deepest point is approximately 175 feet (50 m), and it is over 100 feet (30 m) deep in several places. The sound almost splits the island in two. Somes Sound was named for Abraham Somes, who was one of the first settlers on the island. Ask your captain to bring you here to view beautiful ocean-front houses and Acadia’s mountains.

MARSHAL ISLAND Great Island hiking and a wonderful less-known sand beach, with a picturesque cove (Sand Cove) for anchoring. Take the tender ashore for a short picnic on the beach. If you want a bigger adventure, book the boat for two days with a Captain and camp out on the island overnight. Your captain can pick you up the next day to continue your adventure. Details about booking campsites on the island are here: https://mcht.org/preserves/marshall-island

BAR HARBOR TOUR Want to check out Bar Harbor but take the scenic route? Tour along the Eastern part of Mount Desert Island and up to Bar Harbor, where she can dock while you explore Bar Harbor. If you have plenty of time, you could even stop by Schoodic Point or Winter Harbor.

WILDLIFE VIEWING The waters around Mount Desert Island are filled with spectacular wildlife viewing. If you’d like to search for whales, porpoises, or various birds, look no further!

Maine Harbors, Islands, Docks, and Passages…

LOCATIONS : Schoodic Peninsula, Ocean Drive, Eggemoggin Reach, Bucks Harbor, Frenchman’s Bay, Mount Desert Island Area…

VESSEL:  The  Ellis 36 Express Cruiser “Salty Furlough”.

NARRATIVE: I. For the nature lover head northeast to the Schoodic peninsula. Take the inside route passing Mark Island to starboard. Enjoy the scenery along Grindstone Neck and this less frequented region of Acadia National Park. Continue on to Petit Manan for bird watching. If you’re lucky you’ll see the elusive Puffin. II. From SW/NE Harbor head north along the eastern shore of MDI. Enjoy seeing the magnificent turn of the century mansions. Continue north along Ocean Drive and consider how lucky you are to be on an Ellis as you observe the hoards of crowds and vehicles attempting to catch a glimpse of the Maine coast. III. Cruise north and west to cross Eggemoggin Reach of your list of “must-sees” on the Maine coast. Sail into Bucks Harbor for fuel or an overnight assisted by the friendly dock and convenience store staff. IV. Don’t forget Frenchman Bay for excellent deep water cruising and great views of the MDI mountains. While there check out Bald Rock for eagles and seals. Travel north to view the former terminal site for the Mount Desert Ferry where the trains met the steamers for the final leg of the rusticator’s journey to Bar Harbor and points beyond. V. Short trips : a. We visited Islesford and their Dock Restaurant for lunch and dinner. b. We dropped the hook off Eagle Island for a nice lunch spot. c. We stopped into Bar Harbor a couple of times for lunch and dinner. d. We cruised around Baker Island for a different view of the MDI mountains. e. We cruised to the end of Somes Sound for spectacular “inner-island” views.

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

LOGISTICS: Bar Harbor – Check in with the harbormaster for the possibility to tie up for a few hours. We were able to accomplish this at no charge. Islesford Dock Restaurant – call ahead for reservations. Stock up on snacks and water for the week or longer to minimize provisioning trips.

Share your own Maine Boating Experience:   HERE

Maine Boating Destination: To Rockland and Back

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

LOCATIONS : Nancy and I started in Southwest Harbor and, over a period of a week, visited Camden, Rockland, Castine, Little Cranberry Island, and Somes Sound. During our passages, we covered the Casco Passage, the Deer Island Passage, the Fox Island Thoroughfare and the Eggomoggin Reach (photo).

VESSEL: Queen of the Cove – A beautiful and very well equipped Ellis 36. The boat was easy to handle, very comfortable in all the sea conditions we experienced. In addition, the boat received several nice comments along the way from others at the docks.

NARRATIVE: We were given a nice reception in Southwest Harbor by Shane and the crew at Ellis Boats. Zach gave us a thorough briefing on the boat including a great tutorial on docking. It turns out the Ellis 36 handles very nicely at docking speeds – I was a bit nervous at first about docking the boat – but was comfortable after two approaches. We choose to use the services of a captain for the first day just to familiarize ourselves with the region. I have wide boat experiences but Nancy does not – and she felt very secure after the first day. The captain sat down with us and helped to work out a great itinerary for the week ahead. The trip started with a passage to Rockland Harbor in windy, bright sun conditions. We decided to stay at harbor docks when possible – and did so in Rockland, Camden, and Castine. The towns are very unique and we got in a lot of walking – exploring each area. The people we met, including the dockmasters, could not have been nicer – we just had a ball. We found the boat to be very comfortable and used either the generator or shore power most nights. The boat was fully equipped with bedding, paper products, galley equipment, etc.. In addition, the boat had a full complement of operational safety gear – very professional. We will do this again next year. Both Nancy and I are happily surprised that Ellis has developed this unique service – we had a great time.

LOGISTICS: Watch the water levels in the boat – fill up at the docks when you have a chance. The shower in the boat is so good you will use it often.

PHOTOS: Queen of the Cove Yacht Interior Photos

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Maine Boating Destination: To Penobscot Bay and Back

LOCATIONS : Penobscot Bay, Bucks Harbor, Belfast, Castine, Northeast Harbor, Somes Sound.

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 Liberty (formerly Eggemoggin Express)

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

PHOTOS: Here are a few photos from our trip.

Maine Boating Destination: A Journey to Castine

LOCATIONS : Somes Sound, Little Cranberry Island, Northeast Harbor, Eggemoggin Reach, and Castine at 44°23’14.6″N 68°47’43.4″W

VESSEL: The  Ellis 36 Express Cruiser “Too Priceless”.

NARRATIVE: Two summers ago, we chartered an Ellis 36 called “Too Priceless”. We had two full days of cruising in beautiful weather. The first day we had a large crowd of 12-13 and stayed local, going toward Bar Harbor and visiting Little Cranberry Island, Northeast Harbor and exploring Somes Sound and the Western Way. The boat had plenty of room for the large group. The next day three of us made the trip by Bass Harbor up Eggemoggin Reach into Penobscot Bay and docked at Castine for lunch and exploring the town. About a month before our trip, I had read an article about Castine and really wanted to visit. We probably should have taken some extra time and visited Belfast, Stonington, or maybe Camden, but we had plans for an early evening. The boat was a nice ride and easy to handle. We generally cruised at 14-15 knots. We did not overnite on the boat, but I think it would be comfortable for a small group.

PHOTO: From https://castine.me.us

hinckley yacht charters southwest harbor me

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