{"id":5665,"date":"2025-06-30T07:03:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T11:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sailingfregata.com\/?p=5665"},"modified":"2025-07-05T09:12:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T13:12:00","slug":"welcome-to-2025-2-3-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sailingfregata.com\/?p=5665","title":{"rendered":"Living with Lobsters"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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This morning, we left Camden to work our way down to Portland. I am taking Sandy to a James Taylor concert in New Hampshire as an early birthday present and it’s easier to drive there from Portland than from Camden. As we left Camden Harbor, we were greeted by a thick Maine fog, typical in early summer. Although avoiding lobster traps becomes second nature to experienced Maine sailors, it can be intimidating for sailors not accustomed to these waters. So I decided to write a mini-guide.<\/p>

Safe Sailing Among Lobster Traps<\/h2>

Note: In this article, reference to lobstermen and sternmen also applies to lobsterwomen and sternwomen.<\/p>

Lobster Boats<\/h3>

Lobster boats rarely broadcast their AIS position, answer VHF radio hails, or use their fog horns. Presumably, they don’t want competitors to know where they’re laying their traps. Maintain good line-of-sight or radar watch when visibility is restricted.<\/p>

They move in unpredictable, erratic ways as they go from one trap to the other.<\/p>

Some lobster boats have a crew member called a sternman, handling traps while the captain drives the boat and navigates from trap to trap. On boats with no sternman, the captain is alone and is often more focused on driving the boat and tending traps than on other vessels.<\/p>

Forget everything you learned about right-of-way rules and good seamanship, etc. While you should always practice these, don’t expect the same from lobster boats.<\/p>

Lobster Traps<\/h3>

Lobster traps are everywhere, including in busy harbors, anchorages, and narrow marked channels.<\/p>

Buoys come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors to identify those that belong to each owner and, equally importantly, those that don\u2019t (poaching is not tolerated). Lobster boats must carry a buoy on their cabin roof, matching those in the water to identify which traps are theirs. Most common is the upside-down bullet shape, some with a small mast, some without. Others are lozenge shaped. Then there is a variety of other floating objects.<\/p>

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They are often hard to see:<\/p>