Hudson, LI Sound, P-Town

[Mathias]

I am taking my boat out of Lake Champlain to Provincetown this summer.

I will be going down the Hudson, and thinking of the Harlem River into Long Island Sound; and then on to P-Town.

I am looking for recommendations on how to deal with Hell Gate, and the Cape Cod canal.

Does anyone have a final marina or anchorage recommendation on the Hudson where I can overnight, before doing the passage into the Sound? Any anchorages for the first night in the Sound?

Carter Brey, I know this is your turf. But I am sure there are a number of you who might have some advice for me.

I have been a lake sailor all of my skippering experience and this will be my venture into tides and currents. Excited with a good does of anxious anticipation.

Thanks,
-Mathias

[jerryaxler]

The entire trip is dependent on getting to Hells Gate at the slack before the flood. Everything else is fairly simple. You can anchor or take a mooring at City Island, Manhasset or Hempstead. I don't know of any place other than 79th street marina on the Hudson. Hope this is some help.

[Neil Gordon]

The Cape Cod canal is straightforward but don't go against the flow. Just check the tables and you'll be okay. No need to time your passage for slack current. There's plenty of bridge clearance other than the railroad bridge which is (almost) always up.

[Michael Heintz]

"I have been a lake sailor all of my skippering experience and this will be my venture into tides and currents. Excited with a good does of anxious anticipation. "

You are lucky to be begining such a wonderful adventure!!!!!!

I will leave the specific information to be answered by the many local experts on this board.


<img src=http://www.heintzwasson.com/clients/machtnichts.jpg>

[Oswego John]

Hi Mathias,

The best advice to give you is to forget the Harlem River route. The many bridges are too low for your mast. Go down to the tip of Manhattan and proceed up the East River to Hell Gate, and then eastward to LI Sound.

There are too many things to say regarding the trip as a whole. I'll try to give you some main things to consider.

After you leave the Champlain Canal and hit the main Hudson River, you can have your mast restepped just below the Erie Canal/Mohawk River junction.

Depending on how many hours a day you'll sail, it's at least two days sail down the Hudson. There will be current in the river. As you near NYC, the more you go, the more that tides will come into effect. Timing is very helpful. Try not to buck the tidal flow. The current is stronger in the middle than at the edges. When going with the current/tide, stay in the center. When bucking the current, stay nearer to the edges. Of course, observe the buoys.

When you head up the East River, time the trip so you start about one or one and a half hours before flood tide so you enter Hell Gate at slack tide, as was mentioned. Remember, if you time it this way, you'll be riding the current up the river. Stay to the left, or west of Roosevelt Island. (Someone double check me on this) Once you pass through Hell Gate, the rest of the trip to the canal is routine.

If I were making the trip, I think that I would sail along the north side of the LI Sound, along the Conn. coast. There are numerous harbors all along the coast. Do you belong to any yacht club? Do you have a burgee for courtesy moorings and priviledges?

Tide and current charts will be very helpful.

Good luck, have a great trip.

O J

[Neil Gordon]

Tide and current charts will be very helpful.

Nicely understated.

(Don't leave home without them.)

[Steve Laume]

My father in law did the trip from Milford, CT to Lake Champlain and back two years ago. He has a Danish built motor sailor that does a bit over 5 knots under power. I did the NYC portion of the trip with him. We did Milford to City Island then through the East River on up to Tarrytown at the base of the Tappenzee Bridge. There was a crew change there and they went on up the river. He looked at the Harlem River to cut out some milage but it was the train bridge opening schedule that really quenched that idea. Definitely go on around Battery Point and through the East River. It isn't really any big deal if you watch the tide and have a reliable motor. The reason you want a slack tide at Battery Point is so you have a favorable tide on the Hudson and the East river. Coming down the Hudson you want the last of the outgoing tide and then slack at battery Point so that the current will start to move through the East River and into Long Island Sound. Come to think of it you want the same thing on the way home. Low water at Battery Point when you plan to be there. It is a spectacular piece of shoreline and a very cozy, comfortable way of seeing NYC if like myself you are not all that familiar with an urban enviornment. There is not much large shipping traffic in NY Harbor anymore. There will be barges on the Hudson and they are much faster than they first appear. In and around the city it was mostly water taxis running back and forth every which way and setting up a pretty good chop in some places. Nothing you can't handle and it is just cool to have all that stuff going on all around but at a safe distance. Lots of helicopters (which don't leave a wake) and one mega yacht jerk that came roaring past us and then stopped just ahead and sat there while he launched his run about and looked for docking. It was a lot of fun. Going up the river seemed slow and we started playing with the inside of bends like you would if you were trying to paddle a canoe upstream. Once you get into Long Island Sound you might still want to keep those current tables handy. The Western end is not much concern but if you study the flows in the Eastern end you will see that it can make a big difference. Heading to Cape Cod the winds will generally be at your back from the SW. Lots of great anchorages along the sound. I have never been through the CC Canal but I will be able to let you know how it goes at the end of July. If you pick up a copy of the 2006 edition of the Eldridge tide book it should have all the information you need to plan the tidal timing of your trip. You may not want to go back up the river once you get a taste of salt, Steve.

[Joe Montana]

I agree with a previous post about going around Manhattan rather than through the Harlem River, for the reason mentioned but also not to deny yourself spectacular views and a memorable experience. Tide tables are essential. I would try to arrive at Hell Gate at slack HIGH tide. It's possible to ride up the East River on the last of the flood, then catch the beginning of the ebb flowing out the Long Island Sound. Whatever you do, do not try to buck the current in the East River. City Island Yacht Club is a good place to overnight.

[Bill Goldsmith]

Come visit us at Shattemuc YC, just south of Croton Point on the Hudson River in Ossining NY. We often have vacant slips for transients, and we have moorings, too. And even if we are full, there is good anchoring in soft mud in 8-12 foot depths all around. It's very sheltered in the prevailing NW, a little less so in a southerly.

It's also a good place to start the trip south to NYC and Hell Gate.

Send me a private message if you want further details.

[ricks]

Some suggestions for the NE leg of your trip into Provincetown.

Make sure to spend some time in the Fisher's Island area - the Sound is beautiful although very crowded on summer weekends. It is a great spot for an overnighter. Noank is one of my favorites, Mystic is also nice.

If you want to push on further Point Judith is a nice, safe harbor. Generally plenty of anchorage during the week, sometimes tough on weekends (as is this entire section of coastline). Good restaurants and bars within walking distance.

As mentioned hit the canal entrance at slack or early flood. Senseless to attempt to slog up the canal bucking the current. Besides, it is exhilarating gliding through the canal on a summer's day at 10 knots. Watch the eastern end - with the right current/wind conditions the standing waves can be substantial.

There is a small marina at the end of the canal on your starboard - it is actually in Yarmouth. There are a couple good restaurants within walking distance.

Sailing across CC Bay is a pleasure, just make sure you clear Billingsgate. Wellfleet is a nice overnight stop.

Let me know when you are in Provincetown. I have a mooring there and am not certain how much time my boat will be hanging on it. If the mooring is not in use you are welcome to use it.

Sounds like a nice trip - enjoy.

Rick

[Domenic]

Hi Mathias, I keep my boat at Liberty Landing Marina. You may want to look into it. www.LibertyLandingMarina.com. The Marina is just about next to Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Jersey City financial center. There is also a water taxi to NYC at the marina , if you want to go sight seeing. Also , just a few minutes to Hoboken. There are many fine restaurants is the area of the marina and in Hoboken. Or just jump on the water taxi for a night on the town in New York City. Have a great trip, Domenic

[Mathias]

You have all been so very helpful. I am absorbing all of your responses like a sponge. Well, actually, recording the various suggestions and working them into my route.

One question so far: You mentioned yacht club membership. I have been thinking about joining my local club: Royal Savage Yacht Club. Does that membership give me any advantages or privledges with other yacht clubs? If so, how do I go about requesting those priviledges?

Thanks,
-Mathias

[Bob Luby]

Get a copy of Eldridge's. It's a yellow book about 1/2 inch thick.
It's the bible for cruising these waters. It has good tide and current charts, complete tide tables for the area, and a lot of other information. It's a bit cheaper than Reed's, I think.

You can get the Maptech chart books.- Cheaper and more handy than actual charts. Get the plastic envelope so you can use the charts in your cockpit and still keep them dry.

Also, The Cruising Guide to the New England Coast or Maptech's Embassy Guides to these waters would be great. The Embassy Guides have nice write-ups on the harbors and the surrounding areas, and helpful chartlets ( not to be used for navigation, of course, ) )

In eastern LI sound, we often do not "Sail"; rather, we "practice controlled drifting". With a 5 kt hull speed, it makes a big difference whether a 2kt tide is against you or with you. Just keep that in mind, and you'll be fine. (For a fleeting moment, my GPS actually registered 9 kts(!) going through the Race with the tide)

The best approach will probably be, as said above, to stay a few miles off the Connecticut coast while transiting the Sound. Harbors are more frequent, and you will be farther out than the pesky jet skiers and stinkpotters. Past Port Jefferson, or so, the LI coast is one long sand dune/ cliff, broken only by Mattituck inlet.

A possible plan might be : City Island to Milford for one day, and Milford to Noank or Mystic or Napatree Pick the right time and you can have the tide with you.

Welcome to the waters your boat was made for.
________
Mira gino

[mike feeney]

With the wind behind us (straight line sailing) it took our CD30k a day to sail from Southport Cn to Fisher's Island and a very long day from Fisher's to the east end of the canal. The wind was moderate.

[Bob Owens]

Dear Mathias,
I would be happy to arrange a guest mooring at Harlem Yacht Club on the west side of City Island. We are just east of Throgs Neck Bridge in Eastchester Bay. If you pass Hell Gate in the middle of the day, probably you will want to go on farther (or be coming from farther) than City Island, but our location could be just right if you pass early or late in the day. HYC can offer you mooring, showers, our own restaurant, and easy walking distance to stores on the Island. Contact me directly whenever you know dates.
Bob Owens