A personal watercraft in Maine is off the water for about 8 months a year at Portland, and the median first 32°F night arrives October 1 at Caribou (NOAA 1991-2020). 19 jet ski & PWC storage facilities are listed in Maine, 19 with indoor or climate-controlled space.
| Month | Portland high / low | personal watercraft | Caribou snow | Caribou high / low | personal watercraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32° / 16° | off the water | 25.0 in | 21° / 3° | off the water |
| Feb | 35° / 17° | off the water | 25.3 in | 24° / 4° | off the water |
| Mar | 42° / 26° | off the water | 21.4 in | 34° / 16° | off the water |
| Apr | 54° / 35° | off the water | 8.3 in | 48° / 29° | off the water |
| May | 64° / 46° | off the water | 0.8 in | 63° / 41° | off the water |
| Jun | 74° / 55° | wetsuit weather | 0.0 in | 72° / 51° | wetsuit weather |
| Jul | 80° / 61° | on the water | 0.0 in | 77° / 56° | on the water |
| Aug | 79° / 60° | on the water | 0.0 in | 76° / 54° | wetsuit weather |
| Sep | 71° / 52° | wetsuit weather | 0.1 in | 67° / 46° | wetsuit weather |
| Oct | 60° / 41° | off the water | 1.7 in | 53° / 36° | off the water |
| Nov | 48° / 32° | off the water | 10.4 in | 40° / 26° | off the water |
| Dec | 38° / 22° | off the water | 25.2 in | 28° / 12° | off the water |
Jet Ski column rule: on the water from a 76°F high; wetsuit weather from 66°F; off the water below.
By that rule a personal watercraft at Portland has 2 months on the water (July to August), 2 of wetsuit weather and 8 off the water. By that rule a personal watercraft at Caribou has 1 month on the water (July to July), 3 of wetsuit weather and 8 off the water.
Maine is severe-freeze country for a personal watercraft: 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.
19 live listings in 11 cities; by listed type: 19 indoor, 19 covered, 19 outdoor and 2 wet-slip (types overlap). No Maine jet ski & PWC storage listing publishes a rate on StowHelp.
| Facility | City | Listed storage | Listed amenities | Also listed for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteelClad Self Storage | Portland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Boat | |
| Long Lake Marina - Freeport | Freeport | indoor, outdoor, covered | Boat | |
| Chicks Marina | Kennebunkport | indoor, outdoor, covered | Boat | |
| Journey's End Marina | Rockland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Boat | |
| Port Harbor Marine - South Portland | South Portland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Boat | |
| Interstate Self Storage - Freeport | Freeport | indoor, outdoor, covered | Boat | |
| Johanson Boatworks | Rockland | indoor, outdoor, covered | Boat | |
| Portland Yacht Services | Portland | indoor, outdoor, covered, wet slip | Boat |
| City | Jet Ski & PWC Storage listings | Indoor | Climate-controlled | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Rockland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Freeport | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Kennebunkport | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| South Portland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Belfast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| East Boothbay | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Falmouth | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Saco | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Scarborough | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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 personal watercraft rule Portland stays on the water through August and Caribou through July, then 2 months of wetsuit weather follow at Portland. 19 Maine listings offer indoor or climate-controlled space.
8 at Portland (September to June) and 8 at Caribou (August to June), plus 2 and 3 months of wetsuit weather. Those off the water months hold 118.1 of the 118.2 inches of snow Caribou averages a year (100%), which is the load on a cover or carport roof. At Portland a personal watercraft is on the water from July to August (2 months), against 1 at Caribou.
Of 19 live Maine listings, 19 list indoor space and 0 climate-controlled units, against 19 outdoor and 19 covered. By city: Portland (4 listed, 4 indoor), Rockland (3 listed, 3 indoor), Freeport (2 listed, 2 indoor) and Kennebunkport (2 listed, 2 indoor). Most indoor listings: Portland (4), Rockland (3) and Freeport (2). Ask whether indoor means heated; listings span 11 cities in all.
At Caribou, 6 months average a low at or below 32°F, all of them off the water months by our personal watercraft 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 off the water for a personal watercraft.
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 July the first month on the water at Portland and July at Caribou. That month Portland averages a 61.2°F low and a 79.5°F high. Reverse each winterization step first.
Maine jet ski & PWC storage listings span 11 cities, led by Portland (4 listed), Rockland (3 listed), Freeport (2 listed), Kennebunkport (2 listed) and South Portland (2 listed). For outdoor winter parking, Portland (4 outdoor) and Rockland (3 outdoor) lead. Statewide, 19 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).