LOCATIONS: Mount Desert Island to Boothbay Harbor with multiple stops in between.

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

NARRATIVE: We have been doing bareboat charters for over 30 years in multiple countries. We also own and operate a 60-foot vessel, among other boats. We have chartered on the Maine Coast several times. We met Darin, an Ellis employee, last summer at Southwest Harbor, and he told us that Ellis had an operation nearby. I was familiar with their boats but did not know they had anything available for charter. After talking to Shane Ellis and seeing the inventory, we settled on the Wilbur 38 “Ariel’s Song”. She did exactly what we wanted as we cruised gracefully up and down the coast. Fast when we needed and slipped through the water quietly at other times. Darin gave me one of the best checkouts I have had in many years and was always available to answer questions. The boat performed flawlessly. We had zero issues.

PHOTO: “Ariel’s Song” as provided by Ellis Charters. 

INSIGHTS: Ellis’s facility is easy to find, and plenty of provisioning is nearby. We found it easy to rent a car and drive up from Portland (where we flew in). A cooler would have been helpful for those who fly in. It was not a point of contention, though. We walked across the parking lot to West Marine and picked one up for $35.