The plan in 2010 for the voyage to Maine was to sail all the way and to do it by heading east from New Jersey and then due north to Rockland, Maine, once Robin was past the notorious Nantucket Shoals.
A kidney stone the week before departure convinced me to keep closer to land and, once again as in the past trips, to rely on Robin's engine.
Last year,  the plan was to sail through Vinyard Sound, between Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, and to round Monomoy Point at the Cape's elbow. Again, we would sail the whole way.
Engine problems diverted us to Newport, Rhode Island and made it once again prudent to motor because there was the risk of losing our running lights if we couldn't charge the batteries.
This year's plan is similar to the predecessors. I plan to sail, regardless of conditions, following last year's route and motor only when that's the only way I can reach Rockland in time to fetch Monica from the Portland airport.
First, I'll have to motor north on the Chesapeake Bay and southeast on the Delaware Bay to get to the ocean. The sail-only plan doesn't include those bodies of water, where wind is fickle at best and often entirely absent.
But my experience tells me that I should get enough wind in eight days to make the (motoring) three day passage from Cape May, NJ, to Rockland.
Departure day from Maryland is next Monday. More reports to follow.