Mike Comeau learned to sail with his Dad on Sebago Lake when he was 12 years old. The thrill of sailing, the wind and the waves, stayed with him ever since.

In 1984, Mike bought an old 1959 25′ Hackercraft with his brother. They repaired, painted, caulked with cotton and re-powered it with an engine from a Monte Carlo. They brought it back to life. That big, wooden vessel was launched in Wells Harbor, Maine and the brothers learned how to maintain and operate a boat, with encouragement and guidance from local fishermen and the salty harbormaster, Chick.

It was named “Knock on Wood”.

That’s when Mike decided to get educated.
He took the USCG Power Squadron’s Boater Safety Course at Portsmouth High School and earned his first mariner credential.

In the 90’s, Mike bought a 19′ Four Winns and then a larger 22′ AquaSport and he learned how to safely navigate the waters around Portsmouth and the seacoast, from Kennebunkport, ME to Rockport, MA. He often trailered that AquaSport up to Lake Winnipesaukee as well. Since he was a video producer, he eventually shot, wrote and released a DVD called “Destination Winnipesaukee”, a guide for boaters on the big lake.

When the Portsmouth Yacht Club advertised for Launch Drivers in 2016, Mike applied for a job. They hired him and he took the required USCG classes and became a licensed launch driver. He also fueled boats, worked as a dock hand, constantly learning skills and techniques, handling and operating boats in the fast currents of the Piscataqua River. Two years later, he was promoted to Dock Master.
In 2019, Mike switched gears and started working for the ‘Wentworth by the Sea’ Marina in Newcastle as Launch operator and dock hand.

It was at these two jobs that Mike often heard the same question, “Is there a water taxi in the area?”

Mike decided to upgrade his Coast Guard license become and earn a Master credential, become a real Captain. That meant working on larger boats. So he reached out to Isles of Shoals Steamship Co and they hired him to work on the MV Thomas Laighton. The following season he was also working as a 1st mate on The Heritage (Portsmouth Harbor Cruises).

Meanwhile, Mike was diligently studying the course lessons and in 2021 he passed the exam and ultimately earned a 50 ton USCG Master license.

In the summer of 2023 Mike was hired as a captain for Red Top Boats in Boston, a very busy water taxi company. He learned a lot about how this operation works. So in 2024, Mike decided to launch a new business in his own area – Portsmouth Water Taxi, LLC.