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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

876.0. "NY harbor advice" by SSPENG::ALINSKAS () Mon Jun 27 1988 11:59

I'm planning a sail trip for mid-August from Naraganset Bay south to Montauk, 
then west along the southern shore of Long Island, up New York harbor, the 
East River and back east thru Long Island Sound. I'd like to here from anyone
that has made the trip (or parts of it ) and would like to share their 
experiences. Any NYers out there?

Are there any precautions to take in NY harbor and the East River aside from 
staying clear of large ships? Is it possible to sail thru or is motoring
advisable.

What about transient moorings in NY City? I'm going to call the Manhattan YC
at the South Street Seaport and ask them. What about the restaurant under the
Brooklyn Bridge, any moorings or docks there?

I've heard about Hell's Gate. What is it and where? Its not on the charts.
My sister went thru there in a power boat, sprained her neck and ended up 
going to the hospital. From what I understand is it a step on the bottom that 
makes like a waterfall? Does it subside with the tide? Can you sail/motor thru 
it? Which direction is better? What tide?

There's also a "ledge" in LI Sound that forms a large wave on I think a dropping
tide. There are several ledges/reefs on the charts but which one causes the
large wave? I want to stay away from there.

Thanks,
Linas

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
876.1	Gravesend Bay might be worth a try	ROLL::BEFUMO	Life is like a beanstalk. . .isn't it?	`Mon Jun 27 1988 16:40`	7
	I used to live aboard at the gravesend bay marina in Brooklyn NY. It's not the swankest place around, but, when I was last there (1979), the area was safe, the prices were decent, and it's easily accessable. It's just east of the Verazzano bridge (right next to the sanatation department dock). Enjoy the sailing!. joe
876.2	Do Your Research!!	MERIDN::WOCHE		`Wed Jun 29 1988 10:39`	17
	I brought my boat up from Maryland to Fishers Island last year via New York (and Hell's Gate). If I remember correctly Hell's Gate is on the Long Island side of Roosevelt Island and it's where the water from the sound and through New York is squeezed into a tiny channel. Believe me, it can be a little scarey! I don't know the size of your boat but I only have a little 22' with a 7.5 HP. If I hadn't timed it correctly to go through with the tide, the current would have been more than I could have powered against. Once I made it into Long Island Sound I anchored for the night in Oyster Bay (on the South shore). I enjoyed it and even though it was crowded it was quiet. There are several marine stores should you need anything and several gas docks. I think that as long as you do your research you'll do fine in Hell's Gate and have a super trip! Enjoy!
876.3	Hell's Gate	EXPERT::SPENCER	John Spencer	`Wed Jun 29 1988 18:17`	20
	RE: Hell's Gate, my recollection is that it wasn't as bad as cracked up to be, just a bit of current and no "whirlpools". Of course we hit the tide change within a half-hour or so. I heard that perhaps 50 years ago they took out a vast quantity of boulders and rock from Hell's Gate, which tempered its effects dramatically. The incredible stories come from a century and more ago, when there where rocks near the surface and whirlpool eddies at mid-tide which could hold a moderate sized ship and swallow small ones. And unless you've got experience with shipping already, be prepared for shock. It really is challenging. Racing last week from Annapolis to Newport, at one point 30-40 miles outside NY harbor I had the lights of 19 ships in sight, 6 of them large and definitely converging with us. Many of the others were fishing boats, towing trawls all about in non-straight lines -- slower and less scary but in fact far more of a hassle than the big stuff usually. J.
876.4		GRAMPS::WCLARK	Walt Clark	`Thu Jun 30 1988 09:14`	25
	I would suggest you sail with the prevailing tides thru NY harbor, and run thru Hell's Gate under power while the tide is turning. Study the tide and current charts in something like Reed's. I dont think you can make it up thru NY harbor, the east river AND Hell's Gate on the same run. The current in Hell's Gate is quite strong at peak, most small displacement boats could not make forward progress against it when it's running. That means once in the current it might not be possible to turn around for any reason, so running with the tide is not suggested (and the resulting recommendations to hit it at the favorable change). We went to the '76 re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty from RI and basically did the reverse of your plans (west thru LI Sound, east south of Long Island). For what it is worth, I think NY Harbor is a sewer (not unlike Boston Harbor), and the shipping is brutal. Not a great place for a small boat (the Liberty weekend was an improvement of sorts since all vessles were required to stay under 8 kts, and commercial shipping was prohibited during the festivities). I have read of small boats that had to seek shelter on a calm day due to waves from shipping. Walt
876.5	but the views are great!	BMT::PLAUT	Robert Plaut (NY) dtn 352-2403	`Thu Jun 30 1988 09:33`	24
	The maximum tides in the East River (according to the Sandy Hook Pilots 1988 Tide Tables) are 4.6 knots up river (West of Roosevelt Island) 4 to 5 hours after low water (at the Battery) and 5.2 knots down river 4 to 5 hours after high water. East river slack occurs 1.5 hours after high and low water. Upper harbor traffic is not as bad as shipping lane traffic. Many of the ships are anchored, those moving are doing so are low speed and with a lot of separation. The Staten Island and Coast Guard ferries are very predictable and easy to spot. Just give their Manhattan terminals a very wide berth. They move more quickly than one would think they can. Newly installed commuter ferries are ex oil-platform boats, very fast and often hard to spot (they're low and dark)... watch for them if you're comming through during a week day. Pleasure craft traffic is very light (except for an occasional centenial celebration). We are always under power in the East River. It gets very narrow very fast and the traffic has little ability to give way.