# Maine Coastal Boating Resource Guide Website



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hi All,

www.boatmaine.us

For those who love to cruise in Maine, I wanted to invite you to visit my new website called BoatMaine.us - tell me what you think. It's been a work in progress since August 
but it is finally starting to come together.

There's a free boating screensaver and boating desktop calendars using Maine photos for those who like these kinds of things.

I'd like to build the site out to include information about every Maine coastal 
boater's resource - sort of like the coast guide but using all the technology of the web (such as mapping) to make using it easier. (Although there's no substitute for a book!).

Would love to receive your comments, suggestions etc.. and would especially be appreciative of any photos, boating stories or information about specific harbors, marinas etc that we can post.

All the best,

Rick Dieffenbach
www.boatmaine.us


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## Charlie B (Sep 30, 2011)

Hi Rick,
If you're still here, I'm guessing this didn't fly? That's a shame, because it sounds like you had a nice idea. 
Are you still boating in Maine?


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## sep2x (Oct 26, 2011)

Hey Charlie,

I can't find the website he mentioned above, but I am starting a new one (more related to living aboard than pure cruising, but still may be of interest to you) at Maine Liveaboards. Check it out and let me know what you think! If you have some suggestions of what would be useful, the site is seriously in her infancy, but it's getting there (baby steps!).

Thanks for any feedback you may have!

Sophi


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## Charlie B (Sep 30, 2011)

Hi Sophi,
WOW! You and your husband must love your life aboard that beautiful boat! My wife Leslie and I dream of someday living aboard a larger boat. Something in a Hinckley would be nice! Our Morgan is the largest allowed on a Wells Harbor slip and she's a super boat. But someday.......?

So you live in Portland year round? And you heat with propane? I worry about leaks and won't even store our grill tanks below deck. How do you handle the dangers associated with propane? 

I do push my sailing season as long as our harbor master will allow. I was the last sailboat and one of the last boats to haul, just hours ago. I just can't get enough sailing time! 

We cruised Casco Bay last year and just loved it, especially Great Diamond Island.

As far as your new website goes, it sounds like a wonderful idea. I'd love to learn more about your lifestyle. Though I've never lived aboard for any length of time, I did lobster for many years and spent a few winters working on the water. It's intense! There's nothing that comes close to the sea at any time of year. In fact I'm a songwriter and have written songs about it. We just went to hear Stephen Stills at the State Theater in Portland and he certainly is an avid sailor as well. His Southern Cross song makes me think of a boat much like your own. Is your's a Southern Cross by any chance?


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## sep2x (Oct 26, 2011)

Hey Charlie,

That would be a squeeze, to live on a 24 footer! I'm sure it's been done, though. Our boat now is a Downeaster 32', not a Southern Cross, though I sailed one of those for years in high school (my dad's boat at the time) and loved her. We have friends who have just moved aboard their 27' Catalina to start out the living-aboard adventure, we hope they can get comfortable on such a small space (and know they are already dreaming of a larger boat, of course. so are we!). Hopefully you and your wife will find a great boat in the future.

As far as heat goes, we do use propane below decks.. the line is all run in a conduit so it won't chafe and we turn it off at the solenoid switch so it doesn't have much chance of leaking. That being said, it's a risky fuel but we live with it because of the nice warm, dry heat it provides -- and because the boat came with a propane heater that worked. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it). We would have *loved* to heat with diesel sine there's so much of it in our tanks, but it would be costly to replace the whole system so we're living with it for now. We also use electric heaters (more than the propane one, really) which are safe, affordable, and easily replaced. We love them!

Check out our site for more updates, we've just added a forum (yay!) but I don't think it's quite working yet, as I can't seem to log in. Hopefully we'll get the kinks ironed out soon. Thanks for stopping by!

Sophi


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## Charlie B (Sep 30, 2011)

Hi Sophi,
I hear you on the "keeping it because it's there and working" thing. I would most likely do the same. I was more interested in knowing how you deal with it, as someday I might be doing the same. The electric heaters sound like a great idea when you have the power available. 

Our boat is an inch shy of 25', but still, too small to live aboard for any length of time. My aim (when I'm able) would be to get the largest sailboat I could single hand. I do not want to ever have to depend on other people sailing with me. My wife does help with the tiller and all, but she is limited due to having a bad back. So I'm thinking anything over say 45' would most likely be too much boat. Luckily, the smaller sizes come with smaller prices! 

Where was your Downeaster built? The name suggests Maine. I love her traditional looks. That's one of the main things I like about our boat, but your's has so much more of that.

Do you stay in Portland through the winter? You wouldn't be close to Hamilton Marine and Portland Yacht, by any chance? That would sure be a handy thing to have in your "back yard".

Charlie


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## sep2x (Oct 26, 2011)

Downeasters are actually California boats, but inspired by Maine boating tradition. This one has come home, so to speak! We hope for a larger (45ish) boat in the future, as well, but are loving how affordable life is on this one! 

We are indeed in Portland, at Dimillo's (the floating restaurant has a marina next door). We are walking distance from hamilton's and portland yacht, though hamiltons is closed on Sundays all winter (boo) and we try to do most of our own repair work. It is great having these marine stores nearby, that's for sure! 

We are going to be shrink-wrapping soon, so, no more sailing til summer... already looking forward to it!

Sophi


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## Charlie B (Sep 30, 2011)

Sophi,
I know Dimillo's very well. We ate there one year and waited forever for the waitress to come back to our table. Finally, I asked another waitress if she'd seen her and it turned out she had gone home for the day! Needless to say, it was reflected in her tip! lol 

My parents are artists who sell prints of their painting at the cruise ship dock, not far from you. Maybe you've seen them? They do business as Maine Coast Gallery and both of them paint in oil. My dad and I both have been fishermen for years in the past and his paintings are mostly of a nautical nature.

It sure sounds like living aboard is a nice way to live. I'd love it! Did you buy your boat in California and sail it to Maine? There's got to be a story there, I'm guessing it involved the Panama Canal.

Charlie


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## sep2x (Oct 26, 2011)

Hey Charlie,

There must be a great story of how Seabird got to the east coast, but sadly, it isn't our story! The previous owner got her as a bank repo and knows very little about her history. We bought her in South Portland and delivered her to ... South Portland! Shortest delivery ever. It was perfect for us, of course.

I probably have seen your parents out selling paintings, there are always so many vendors when cruise ships are in town. Next time you come down to eat at Dimillo's let me know and we'll meet up -- at Andy's instead! There are so many better restaurants nearby, the the novelty of a floating restaurant draws a lot of people in.

Hope all is well,

Sophi


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## Charlie B (Sep 30, 2011)

Sophi,
Leslie and I seldom get up to Portland, but someday we'd love to see your wonderful boat and meet you and your husband. 

Both Leslie and I are songwriters. Her on piano and me on guitar, we play as a duo and sometimes I play solo. We haven't done anything with our music in some time now, mostly due to the rebuilding of two sailboats back to back. But, that will be changing soon and (thanks to you) one of the places we'll be trying to book will be Andy's. It sounds like a great place to gig. I played the Old Port back in the eighties in a rock band and would love to return acoustically.

I'm also planning on focusing more on my nautical songs. I don't do sea chanty's, but more like "James Taylor goes to sea" sort of thing. I've lobstered for many years in Kennebunkport, sailed for many more up and down the coast, lived on an island in Penobscot Bay and have lived in Maine all my life, so (at 56) I have a lot to draw on. I have songs about racing lobsterboats, Maine, island living and of course sailing. (haven't written one about living aboard yet) 

Leslie is a well published writer (pen name Nan Leslie), who is at present working on a fantastic novel and a musical to go with it! (she's has a lot of theater experience in her past) She'll be joining me more and more on stage as I get back into it and eventually we hope to get the duo up and running as our main act again.


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## sep2x (Oct 26, 2011)

Hey Charlie, oh that sounds great! Just so you're aware, we're planning a get-together for liveaboards or like-minded folk for Saturday, December 2nd at Andy's if you'd like to stop by. We're thinking somewheres around 6pm. I know it's a little out of your way but we'd love to have you and Leslie join us!

Sophi


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## Charlie B (Sep 30, 2011)

That's so nice of you to include us. 

I'm not sure what we will be doing that day, but I'll mention your invitation to Leslie. Are there a lot of liveaboards in this area? I'll bet they're a fun bunch.


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