LOCATIONS: Swan’s Island, Isle Au Haut, and Frenchboro

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 Flybridge Cruiser “Elsie”

NARRATIVE: We loved our time aboard the Elsie. She’s an Ellis 36 Flybridge, perfect for our family with two kids (or would be spacious for a couple). We headed to Swan’s Island, Isle Au Haut, and Frenchboro. We had a lovely day at the beautiful Sandy Beach on Marshall Island, a new one for us! So many great memories were made – cocoa on the back deck, driving the boat from the flybridge with excellent visibility, teaching our daughter how to use the anchor windlass, and hiking in Acadia on Isle Au Haut. I can’t wait to come back! Check out the photo slideshow of our adventure (below). 

INSIGHTS: “Elsie” has a very comfortable configuration: galley up (which means you can do dishes and look at the view simultaneously), two bunks for kids, and a big V berth up front. The windless anchor works well, and the boat has a lengthy anchor chain – we had no problem anchoring when we chose to stay in places without moorings (although most stops have moorings available). We loved the electric motor on the dinghy, lightweight and quiet. And the brand new GPS with a giant screen made for easy navigation.

LOCATIONS: Blue Hill, Center Harbor, Deer Island, Buck’s Harbor, Seal Harbor, Belfast, and Stonington

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 “Liberty”

NARRATIVE: As Dr. Seuss said, “Oh, the place you will go.” How true it has been on our third year chartering with Ellis. This year was just as unique as the first year. We started in a bit of fog on Sunday to Blue Hill. What a treat Blue Hill is. Blue Hill was so lovely. We spent two nights, then went off to Eggemoggin Reach to Buck’s Harbor. On our way, we stopped at Center Harbor, home to Brooklin Boat Yard and Wooden Boat. I was pleasantly surprised by this stop and secretly wished we didn’t have plans for Bucks Harbor as we had been to Bucks before—one night in Bucks Harbor on a mooring. Then, we were off to Belfast via the long way around Isleboro and spent the afternoon in Seal Harbor, another spot to go to next year. Once in Belfast, we were happy to tie up for a few nights as we were due for some lumpy seas and rain. Then, off to Stonington, which is always our favorite. We tied up at Billings Marine for the night. We kept company with two lobster boats that were entering the lobster boat races. Billings is first come, first serve for tie-up and moorings. Alas, all good things eventually end, as it did for this year’s charter. We returned to Southwest Harbor by picking our way through the fog and the shoals. Garmin plotter and cross-checking with a paper chart were a must! We were pretty happy to see the Cranberry Islands and a bit of a sunset. Below are a few pictures of our 2024 Ellis Charter adventure; enjoy!

INSIGHTS: In Blue Hill, you can pick up a mooring from the Kollegewidgwok Yacht Club ($55 per night, including launch service). The entrance to Blue Hill harbor is tricky—DO NOT ignore the navigation marks.

LOCATIONS: Somes Sound, the Great Harbor area and its islands, and Blue Hill Bay

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 Express Cruiser “Liberty”

NARRATIVE: Ellis 36 “Liberty” was delivered to us at the Claremont Hotel dock – we moored her there. We were a crew of six adults and two children. The boat is gorgeous and was impeccable when delivered. Captain Eric gave us an efficient, thorough, professional walkthrough and instructions on her operation, carefully covering all the essentials. Over the time of the charter, we cruised Somes Sound, the Great Harbor area and its islands, and Blue Hill Bay. It was just a magnificent experience.

INSIGHTS: Ellis Boat has to be one of the tremendous bareboat chartering opportunities for boaters looking to visit Maine the way it should be seen, from the water. It’s hard to improve on such a wonderful experience!

MEDIA: Photos of our charter experience and a video of our Ellis Charter Vessel. 

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.

LOCATION: Various Anchorages in the vicinity of Stonington, Deer Isle.

VESSEL: “Nena” – Wilbur 42 

NARRATIVE: We had a wonderful 2 weeks on Nena from June 8 to June 20. We are experienced cruisers, having spent more than 5 years as full-time liveaboards – a Krogen Express 53 and then a Nordhavn 55 – and 20 more as part-time cruisers, with more than a dozen charters in Maine, the Pacific Northwest, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Eastern Caribbean, France, and Croatia. Of all the charter locations, Maine, in particular, continues to pull at our heartstrings. Over the past four years, we have done three charters with Ellis Boat Charters. 

Due to many factors, Maine offers few charter options for proper, capable, and comfortable cruising vessels in the 36-42’ range. Ellis Boat Charters stands out for us as THE go-to Maine charter group. Shane and his team provide superior client service and communication. When there is the occasional “hiccup” (these are “BOATS,” after all), Shane pulls out all the stops to get things fixed. He sent a team to address helm control and battery problems on our recent charter. They fixed everything in one morning at the Billings boat yard in Stonington, Deer Isle. As a couple of long-time cruisers, we enjoyed the process, chatting with the team and participating in some of the troubleshooting.

PHOTO: Ellis Charter Vessel in Merchant Row near the Island McGlathery.

INSIGHTS: We use TZ iBoat (Ex. Navionics) on iPads for planning (and as backup chart plotters). Also, the Taft (5th Edition) Maine cruising guide onboard Ellis charter boats is extremely useful (in conjunction with TZ iBoat) for route planning. We avoid marinas and prefer anchoring or tying up to a mooring ball. Read on for a few of our favorites:

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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.

LOCATION: Stonington and Isle au Haut

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!

PHOTOS: Photos from our adventure on Ariel’s Song – the perfect large-party boat!

LOCATION: Blue Hill for the Atlantic Nationals 2023

VESSEL: “Hathor” – Ellis 36 

NARRATIVE: Excellent boat, some great weather early in the charter. We were able to get the whole family out (6 grandkids, four parents, and two grandparents) in great comfort. Each grandkid got to enjoy their first overnight on the boat and some epic stargazing. We enjoyed perfect conditions for watching the Atlantic Nationals in Blue Hill. The only analogy I could make to a golfer on the boat was the day was equivalent to playing Augusta, the conditions for sailing were that good. We then wandered from harbor to harbor for lobster rolls. Hathor’s condition, preparation, and maintenance were superb. I was in constant admiration of the boat.

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 wish I had woken up earlier to get around to Brooklyn and Swan’s Island.

LOCATION: Winter Harbor and Roque Island, Maine

VESSEL: “Hathor” – Ellis 36 

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. 

LOCATION: Roque Island, Maine

VESSEL: “Lab Adore” – Hinckley 36 Picnic Boat

NARRATIVE: Roque Island was a fantastic trip to get a true taste of Maine’s beautiful and rugged coastline and enjoy a spectacular beach – an unbelievably protected soft sand beach that is about 3/4 mile long. The trip makes for a pretty long day – 3 Hours one way in calm water navigating numerous reefs and across the open ocean at 15 knots from Southwest Harbor. A great trip on a nice day, but perhaps NOT a trip to do in “less-than-ideal” weather. We loved our time on “Lab Adore” and the support the Ellis team provided us, which included taking my repeated calls on how to clear out seaweed from Lab Adore’s jet drive. Once I learned and became comfortable with back-flushing the jet drive, it ran great!

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.

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

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

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

LOCATION: Southwest Harbor

VESSEL: “No Altitude” – Ellis 28 Express

NARRATIVE: I wanted to charter a nice boat for a family vacation with my son and my grandkids. I was not disappointed. Right from the first contact, Shane and the crew at Ellis Boat Charters were nothing less than top-notch. I have been sailing and boating pretty much my whole life and have done bareboat charters in various locations from Maine to the Caribbean and Ellis Boat Charters is at the top. From the charter arrangement at the front end to the checkout and return was seamless. The boat was delivered as promised and the return was as expected. If you want a quality boat from a trustworthy and well-run organization, Ellis Boat Charters is the one.PHOTO: Family on the Ellis 28 out of Southwest Harbor

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

VESSEL: “Hathor” – An Ellis 36 Express Cruiser

NARRATIVE: We were a little daunted by taking on a boat 11 feet longer and geometrically much larger than we’re used to. A day with a captain, to get used to the controls, handling, and navigation systems, was well worth the investment in time. On our first day on our own, we headed south out of Southwest Harbor to eventually head north toward Eggemoggin Reach. Seas were quite choppy and the wind was “on our nose”. Hathor comfortably handled the chop at about 17 knots. We were happy to make the turn north toward Eggemoggin and have a following sea. Eggemoogin Reach was a beautiful ride up to Bucks Harbor, where we moored for the night. We had time to go ashore and take a walk around and explore. The next day we continued north a bit to Castine where we tied up for a couple of hours to explore a town rich in Revolutionary War history. An unplanned visit to the Castine Historical Society was a pleasant mix of art and history. Next, we were off to Camden just down Penobscot Bay. Smooth sailing the whole way. We tied up for the night before heading off to Stonington. We were a bit conservative in our approach to Stonington and probably went further south than those with local knowledge of the waters. Once in Stonington, we had the good fortune to tie up at Billings – a first come first serve boat yard. After several days of being on the move, we stayed in Stonington for two nights. Since the boatyard was on a first come first serve basis, we didn’t have to leave. Stonington is another Maine gem (shhh – don’t tell anyone!). Alas, the trip had to end as we made our way back to Southwest Harbor, again perhaps a little too conservative on the approach, but what’s not to like about being on the water? We soon found ourselves at Bass Harbor, where we stopped for lunch, the only meal all week we didn’t cook for ourselves.PHOTO: Stonington, Maine – Looking out over the many offshore Islands to the Southeast.

LOCATION: Claremont Hotel out of Southwest Harbor

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). 

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.

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.

Words and photos reveal the Maine coastline but experiencing Maine on the water is extraordinary. The beauty of the Penobscot Bay islands accented with white clouds is God’s artistry at its best. There are so many options to explore but just to name a few. Find some time to stop at Little Cranberry Island for Islesford Dock restaurant and Historical Museum. Pick up a mooring ball in Burnt Coat Harbor on Swans Island to take an afternoon hike to the Lighthouse, then be sure to view the brilliance of the night sky. Buck’s Harbor Marina provides excellent facilities with a friendly family staff. Enjoy a morning walk to the town for the Farmer’s Market and a delicious selection of bakery choices at the Bucks Harbor Market.

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.

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

VESSEL: Hinckley Talaria T40 “Timbuktu”

NARRATIVE: My husband and I rented Timbuktu for a week after Labor Day. On the first day, we spent an afternoon with Captain Andrew, on Somes Sound, learning the ins and outs of this beautiful Hinckley T40. It was like taking a class in a subject you love with a friendly and engaging professor. After class, we spent the night in NE Harbor, a favorite from last year. Timbuktu was comfortable and well-appointed. We took five friends out on the following day. The boat was made for this type of cruising. Lots of room in the stern for people to enjoy the scenery, and plenty of room for a comfortable lunch.   We spent the rest of the week cruising Penobscot Bay. We picked up a mooring at the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership, a beautiful spot. The boat is very fast and handles lobster pots and a good chop equally well. We loved our cruise up to Castine, where we spent a day with family cruising to Dark Harbor on Islesboro. Hurricane Larry had kicked up some seas, causing a small craft advisory. Shane Ellis checked in with us knowing we had a bit of a ride back to SW Harbor. He arranged for us to follow in a friend of his from Castine, who was cruising to Manset on an Ellis boat. In retrospect, Timbuktu easily handled the seas, and really the only big rollers were in Bass Harbor. But we will be ever grateful to Shane for his understanding and support, and for introducing us to his friend Ned – a terrific guy.

PHOTOS: Capt. Andrew and Timbuktu in Southwest Harbor

LOCATIONS: Southwest Harbor, Rockland, Duck Harbor

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 “Liberty”

NARRATIVE: This part of Maine was an area we had not experienced by water and it was stunningly beautiful! We spent the first night at Dysart’s marine and had dinner at a fabulous restaurant, Little Fern, inside the Claremont Hotel. It was one of the top 5 restaurants we have eaten in. On our last night back before returning the boat we had dinner at the Marina at the top of the hill restaurant – known for their burgers. On the second day, we headed out for Rockland and docked at Safe Harbor. Again, a winner with a special marina that offered all services plus a beautiful shower, laundry area, restaurant, and free use of a SUV for touring! We had planned to stay only 2 nights but ended up canceling our Camden moorage and stayed there another night. There are 2 premium restaurants in Rockland. Primo (go early and walk around the farm to table gardens) and “In Good Company Downtown” – a small but also farm-to-table restaurant. Last night was spent in Buck’s Harbor, a jewel of a spot! Small tucked-in cove that is quintessential to Maine. A film crew from Portland and LA were filming while we were there to promote travel to Maine so get there before it becomes discovered! They also sell Lobster and scallops right off the dock and the little local market is 1/2 mile away with fresh pastries, deli, and take-out. 

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.

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”

NARRATIVE: We had a fabulous time on our 5-day, 4-night charter with Ariel’s Song! Our prior boating experience has been with smaller powerboats, so we hired a captain. This turned out to be a very wise choice for us because not only were there many things we had to learn about handling a boat of this size but also because Captain Andrew knew many beautiful and uncrowded spots to visit. The highlight for us was a trip to Isle Au Haut, where we did the Western Head hike with breathtaking views along the shore. (Be aware of your timing though — it is a somewhat challenging hike and takes at least 2 hours). Captain Andrew docked us at the ferry landing, which made it easy for us to get on the trail. Prior to that hike, we visited Stonington on Deer Isle, which is quite picturesque. Another day we boated over to the Schoodic Peninsula and had the best lobster rolls of our entire Maine stay at a pop-up lobster shop in Winter Harbor. We also boated to the northern edge of Frenchman’s Bay and up and down Somes Sound. One day, when the weather was a bit cloudy with a chance of rain, we boated into Northeast Harbor and docked by the Thuya Gardens. They are gorgeous and well worth a visit! From there, you can also walk over and visit the Asticou Gardens. On the last morning of our charter, we boated over to Sutton Island and hiked across it, through a very verdant trail in the woods. No one else was there and it seemed sort of surreal. Our boating venture was an incredible experience and we plan to do it again!

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).

LOCATIONS: Camden, Rockport, and some of the nearby Islands

VESSEL: Ellis 28 “No Altitude”

NARRATIVE: For the second summer, I rented a boat from Ellis Boat Charters. The experience was terrific – as it was last year. The boat was in fabulous condition and handled wonderfully. Plus, the staff at the Ellis Boat company were incredibly responsive and helpful. I felt like I could take No Altitude anywhere. We were able to travel north to Castine and to several of the islands – Islesboro, North Haven, and Vinalhaven. We especially enjoyed Vinylhaven where the Homeport Family Restaurant was a great lunch spot. Plus, our dog, Erwin, loved every minute of her. After 2 years with No Altitude, I can assure you we will be back for a third.PHOTO: Erwin on Deck

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

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”

NARRATIVE: The Ellis Charter boat company is the best. Beautiful boat, fully equipped, ran great! After several days of fog, we took off to cruise Somes Sound which was a gorgeous trip. We returned to the marina and left the following day for our adventure with the first stop to little Cranberry Island – a small quaint island where we saw many seals. Then on to Stonington – a gorgeous town with stunning scenery. We stayed at Billings Marina in Stonington which is the Lobster capital of Maine. The next stop was beautiful North Haven where we picked up a mooring. Lots of interesting places to dingy around here! Then on to charming Camden where we picked up a mooring from Lyman Morse Marina. The marina offers a courtesy car for 2 hours so you can restock and see some scenery. Curtis Island is a short dingy ride from the boat with trails around the perimeter and a beautiful lighthouse. From there we cruised to Castine – a very beautiful and friendly small-town, but not the best place to moor or anchor. On to quiet, scenic Bucks Harbor which is the ideal place to anchor or pull up a mooring. Not much of a town but we had a nice walk and did laundry at the marina. We loved scenic Hunts Harbor in Frenchboro which is on Long Island where we picked up a mooring. Lots of places to hike here! The last night of the cruise was in Burnt Cove Harbor on Swan Harbor. Interesting harbor, very low-key. This was really the trip of a lifetime!! We enjoyed it and highly recommend it!!

PHOTO: Curtis Island Lighthouse

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

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.

We highly recommend “A Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast” for dreaming, scheming, and planning your general Maine Coast vacation – 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. 

LINK TO PURCHASE

Every Ellis Charter Boat includes MAPTECH charts and a copy of MAPTECH’s New England Cruising Guide, which is a handy 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.

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)

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 →

I wanted to take a minute and tell you how much we enjoyed our charter on the 36’ Ellis “Too Priceless”. She is truly a proper yacht and in Bristol condition. We were impressed the moment we walked down the dock – the boat was spotless – incredible condition for a charter boat. And the boat was set up with all the “right stuff” as well. The maintenance was spot on. We had a flawless week of charter – the boat performed way beyond our expectations. I truly feel privileged to have spent a week on Too Priceless – it was one of our best vacations ever!!!We really can’t say our favorite place as the entire Penobscot Bay Area is absolutely incredible – so many wonderful places. If we had to choose a favorite place it would probably be the area around Vinalhaven – so many secluded anchorages.

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.