A boat in Maine is laid up for about 6 months a year at Caribou, and the median first 32°F night arrives October 1 at Caribou (NOAA 1991-2020). 78 boat storage facilities are listed in Maine, 19 with indoor or climate-controlled space.
| Month | Portland high / low | boat | Caribou snow | Caribou high / low | boat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32° / 16° | laid up | 25.0 in | 21° / 3° | laid up |
| Feb | 35° / 17° | laid up | 25.3 in | 24° / 4° | laid up |
| Mar | 42° / 26° | laid up | 21.4 in | 34° / 16° | laid up |
| Apr | 54° / 35° | launch or haul-out | 8.3 in | 48° / 29° | laid up |
| May | 64° / 46° | launch or haul-out | 0.8 in | 63° / 41° | launch or haul-out |
| Jun | 74° / 55° | in the water | 0.0 in | 72° / 51° | in the water |
| Jul | 80° / 61° | in the water | 0.0 in | 77° / 56° | in the water |
| Aug | 79° / 60° | in the water | 0.0 in | 76° / 54° | in the water |
| Sep | 71° / 52° | in the water | 0.1 in | 67° / 46° | in the water |
| Oct | 60° / 41° | launch or haul-out | 1.7 in | 53° / 36° | launch or haul-out |
| Nov | 48° / 32° | laid up | 10.4 in | 40° / 26° | laid up |
| Dec | 38° / 22° | laid up | 25.2 in | 28° / 12° | laid up |
Boat column rule: in the water at a 65°F high and 45°F low or warmer; launch or haul-out from a 52°F high; laid up below.
By that rule a boat at Portland has 4 months in the water (June to September), 3 of launch or haul-out and 5 laid up. By that rule a boat at Caribou has 4 months in the water (June to September), 2 of launch or haul-out and 6 laid up.
Maine is severe-freeze country for a boat: Caribou averages 2.6°F on January nights and about 38.1 nights a year at or below 0°F, so full winterization is mandatory and heated space is worth pricing.
78 live listings in 52 cities; by listed type: 19 indoor, 19 covered, 78 outdoor and 2 wet-slip (types overlap). No Maine boat storage listing publishes a rate on StowHelp.
| Facility | City | Listed storage | Listed amenities | Also listed for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All American Self Storage - Westbrook | Westbrook | indoor, outdoor, covered | security cameras, gated entry | Jet Ski |
| Casco Bay Boat Transport | South Portland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Portland Motor Club | Portland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Portland Yacht Services | Portland | indoor, outdoor, covered, wet slip | Jet Ski | |
| Kennebunkport Marina | Kennebunkport | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Belmont Boatworks | Belfast | indoor, outdoor, covered | security cameras, gated entry | Jet Ski |
| Maine Coast Storage | Saco | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Knight Marine Service | Rockland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Hodgdon Yacht Services | East Boothbay | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Johanson Boatworks | Rockland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Pride Storage Solutions - Scarborough | Scarborough | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Devon Self Storage - Falmouth | Falmouth | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Sun Valley Self Storage | Bethel | outdoor | Car, RV, Motorcycle | |
| Ames Mill Storage | Richmond | outdoor | Car, RV, Motorcycle | |
| YouCube Secure Storage | Dedham | outdoor | Car, RV, Motorcycle | |
| I-95 Self Storage | Palmyra | outdoor | Car, RV, Motorcycle | |
| Thompson Lake Marina | Casco | outdoor | ||
| Sanford Storage Solutions | Sanford | outdoor | Car, RV, Motorcycle | |
| Back Channel Marina | Kittery | outdoor | ||
| Yankee Marina | Yarmouth | outdoor |
| City | Boat Storage listings | Indoor | Climate-controlled | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Sanford | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Rockland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Arundel | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Boothbay | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Kittery | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| South Portland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Freeport | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Kennebunkport | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Manchester | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
NOAA's 1991-2020 median first 32°F night is October 15 at Portland and October 1 at Caribou; winterize by September 17, two weeks ahead of the earlier date. By our boat rule Portland stays in the water through September and Caribou through September, then 3 months of launch or haul-out follow at Portland. 19 Maine listings offer indoor or climate-controlled space.
5 at Portland (October to May) and 6 at Caribou (October to May), plus 3 and 2 months of launch or haul-out. Those laid up months hold 115.6 of the 118.2 inches of snow Caribou averages a year (98%), which is the load on a cover or carport roof. At Portland a boat is in the water from June to September (4 months), against 4 at Caribou.
Of 78 live Maine listings, 19 list indoor space and 0 climate-controlled units, against 78 outdoor and 19 covered. By city: Portland (5 listed, 4 indoor), Sanford (5 listed, 0 indoor), Rockland (4 listed, 3 indoor) and Arundel (3 listed, 0 indoor). Most indoor listings: Portland (4), Rockland (3) and South Portland (2). Ask whether indoor means heated; listings span 52 cities in all.
At Caribou, 6 months average a low at or below 32°F, all of them laid up months by our boat rule. Caribou logs 179.9 nights at or below 32°F and 38.1 at or below 0°F a year; January, the coldest month, averages 2.6°F and is laid up for a boat.
After the last frost. The median last 32°F night is April 26 at Portland and May 7 at Caribou; the last 28°F hard freeze comes around April 14 and April 26. Our rule makes June the first month in the water at Portland and June at Caribou. That month Portland averages a 55.0°F low and a 73.6°F high. Reverse each winterization step first.
Maine boat storage listings span 52 cities, led by Portland (5 listed), Sanford (5 listed), Rockland (4 listed), Arundel (3 listed) and Boothbay (3 listed). For outdoor winter parking, Portland (5 outdoor) and Sanford (5 outdoor) lead. Statewide, 78 list outdoor, 19 covered and 19 indoor or climate-controlled spaces. Compare the cities nearest you before October 1.
NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991-2020 (USW00014764, USW00014607); NOAA AOML hurricane impacts 1851-2025; StowHelp listings 2026-10-07 (methodology).