Soundings

At this time of year there are more boating options than ever as conditions for cruising are great all over the country. But if there’s a list of top 10 places to drop the hook, the coast of Maine is on it. The cruising season is short, but there are big opportunities to create an unforgettable experience on the water. Because it’s prime boating season in Maine, this issue is designed in part to celebrate all things Downeast. In the story “Whatever Floats Your Boat,” Executive Editor Pim Van Hemmen—who moved to Maine just a few years ago and now gunkholes in the local waters aboard his RIB—offers a look at some of the most interesting custom and semicustom designs launching this year. It’s no secret that Maine builders are renown…

A REAL CLASSIC I am a longtime subscriber to Soundings and always look forward to the next issue. One section I have always enjoyed is Classics. The boats featured there always catch my interest. I have a suggestion for a design you might want to feature in a future issue; it’s a true classic, and the boat is mine. She is the original Able Marine Wolf Class 44 designed by Chuck Paine and built in Maine by Able. The company built only a few of this design, and everywhere I cruise the boat—from Maine to the Bahamas—she draws crowds of admirers. When she launched in 1993, she was on the front cover of a national boating magazine (Motor Boating & Sailing) and celebrated as one of the earliest of the Downeast-style…

When Drew and Mackenzie Lyman purchased the Wayfarer Marine facility on Camden’s inner harbor in 2015, they envisioned making improvements, but they weren’t planning on a complete overhaul. That changed in June 2020, when a fire at the location of what is now part of Lyman-Morse destroyed most of the property’s buildings. After the blaze, the Lymans worked with the town to rebuild a business that is important to the town’s economy. Their initial drawings had a super-modern aesthetic, but along the way, the Lymans—led by Mackenzie, who handles marketing and branding for Lyman-Morse—settled on a style that some people say is reminiscent of a Scandinavian waterfront village. The buildings, which offer 44,000 square feet of space, contain retail spaces, offices, restaurants, “hotel” suites and a working boatyard capable of handling large…

It was all clear skies, fair winds and administrative camaraderie for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the old Armory on Thames Street in downtown Newport, Rhode Island, this past May. The Sailing Museum—a nonprofit, educational showplace—was ready for the public. Many of those who donated to make this building a reality were in attendance. The location was 20 years in the making, an effort spearheaded by sailing legend Gary Jobson. As museum President Gus Carlson said, “This is the culmination of the hard work Gary put in, and here we are about to enter a fantastic museum dedicated to the sport we all love.” At the ceremony, Jobson didn’t acknowledge the ups and downs and the twists and turns that had to be overcome, but city officials recognized the benefits of having the…

MJM has announced its latest model, the MJM 42, a 46-foot, 8-inch performance cruiser with a 12-foot beam. The Carolina-based builder says the 42 will be available with twin 600-hp Mercury outboards or a choice of twin 400- or 440-hp Volvo Penta inboards with DPI drives. Top speed is advertised at around 44 knots depending on the power that the owner selects. On the main deck of this Downeast-style cruiser is the driving station. It has a business-class helm sofa for two that offers excellent sightlines thanks to large, opening front, side and aft windows that surround the space. Abaft the helm is a starboard-side galley that faces a big U-shaped dining area. Down below, a hideaway door and bulkhead system create an open floor plan that turns the belowdecks area into…

A few years ago, I cleared in at a western Caribbean island with the help of two 18-year-old female deckhands. The port captain directed us to dock on the windward side of a concrete quay, in the row where they placed all the foreign yachts. I did as I was instructed, against my better judgment. After leaving the customs dock, we stood off, prepared the deck and had a discussion to ensure the execution of what we knew was going to be a tight fit. Our boat was a heavy, 60-foot, single-screw ketch with a long bowsprit. As we approached the narrow channel, we could barely see our slip in a long line of 30-plus yachts secured alongside. We proceeded bow-in, with an after spring line in hand and ready to…