Conference unifix::sailing

Last labor day, I sailed around in that area with a friend of mine whose
Catalina 22 I was buying.  It is certainly possible to visit NYC by boat,
however, you should be aware that there are some SERIOUS currents to contend
with.  There is also a LOT of commercial traffic that cruises around in this
area as well.

Attempting to pass thru Hell's Gate, or cruise up the Hudson at the wrong time
can be almost impossible in a sailboat, due to the current.  I would suggest
getting a current copy of Eldridge, if you don't already have one, and plan
your trip accordingly based on the tides.

In terms of marinas in NYC, I don't know of any.  What I would suggest that you
do is call the Licoln Harbor Marina (which is near the Licoln Tunnel on the
New Jersey side).  Their facility is excellent - everything is brand new, and
nicely laid out.  Also there are stores, restaruants, and a hotel right across
the street from the marina.

To get to NYC from there, I belive during the week there is a ferry that runs
from a dock near Licoln Harbor although it doesn't run _that_ often.  There is
also the Port Imperial ferry (in Weehawken) which is a very short way up the
coast, which runs both to downtown (near the Battery) and to Midtown as well.
From the midtown dock, there are free buses which go almost everywhere, so it
is easy to get around.  One of the buses runs to the Port Authority, so from
there you can get additional buses and subways to most of the city.  When on
the NJ side, there are a couple of vans that run from the Radison Hotel near
the marina to the Port Imperial ferry.  Or there is also taxi service.

.1 is quite right.  Here are my own recollections:

The currents in the East River and Hells Gate are awesome--I'd guess close
to 6 knots at full ebb or flood. 

The traffic is at least as awesome--I have a picture taken of five 
distinct "lanes" of traffic (barges, freighters, ferries, more barges) 
just north of the Verazzano Narrows Bridge, just before we crossed all 
five to get from the Staten Island side to the Brooklyn side.  (This in an
open spritsail ketch with a six-stroke "Armstrong" auxiliary, capable of 
four knots under power in bursts.) 

We berthed next to the Clearwater on the Fulton Ferry pier just under the 
Brooklyn Bridge.  Romantic to look at...but it was incessantly noisy, 
mostly traffic on the metal bridge.  (24 hours a day, no let up.)  It was 
horribly dirty; black soot fell on deck and every horizontal surface all
day and all night.  It was (back 14 years ago) filthy, too.  We were
warned by the Clearwater crew not to touch any lines that fell in the
water with bare hands.  (They were not allowed to pump their heads into
the harbor, but were told to use an "approved" toilet in the building at
the head of the dock.  A few buckets in that head plus a flush brought it
out of a pipe less than 20' from the boat, along with contributions from
the neighborhood, I'm sure.)  

I'm really glad I did it once, and glad I had no warning it would be such 
a challenge.  I was prepared for the current, but not the environmental
stress.  If you go, stay in a marina, and I'd recommend the Hudson side. 
There are a few marinas also down around Staten Island and in the Kill Van
Kull area (I think). 

Seriously, the way to do it--and it is unbelieveably impressive--is to 
time the currents *very* carefully to transit all the spots they warn you 
of (essentially Governor's Island to at least a ways north of Hells Gate) 
in one fast passage.  The old stories of boats being lost in Hells Gate 
eddies are history, as they did a lot of work to remove the very large
rock outcroppings there that produced the famed whirlpools.  But it is
still narrow and fast, and all the traffic is much bigger than you, fills
the river it seems, and has the right of way! 

Enjoy!

;-), J.

    If all goes well this weekend at the survey, Ill be silaing thru this
    area on June 1. Ill pickup my new-to-me schooner in Raritan Bay and
    head thru New York harbor into Long Island sound. The tide book says
    the flow starts north at about 4:??PM that day. The seller tells me the
    boat will eailsy do 5-6 knots under power. I expect to sail as much as
    possible.
    
    If I leave Raritan Bay in the morning, can I cruise around the obvious
    tourist points and still get to Hells Gate at about 5:00PM? 
    
    What is the next decent place to anchor for the night after clearing
    Hells Gate? I dont need any marina service in particular, just a
    suitable anchorage an hour or two past the Gate.
    
    I hope to get to Mystic by Friday, june  5, for the annual Small Craft
    Workshop. Any other suggestions on stopping places along LI Sound? My final
    destination is Boothbay ME.

Ron,

Sounds like a reasonable plan.  Getting to/thru Hells Gate an hour after 
flood begins should give you some favorable boost, but not enough to carry 
you into things faster than you can plan and evade.  The place I'd really 
aim to hit at slack water (not the same as tide turning, as you well know)
is the lower East River, right up past lower Manhattan.  That's the worst 
in terms of narrowness, dangers, traffic, noise and distracting sights
you'd rather be looking at. 

When we did the trip in the HIOBS pulling boat, we made it up to King's 
Point area before stopping, which is a ways, but then the current is with
you, and you've got a faster auxiliary than we had. ;-)  We spent the
night across from King's Point at the NY State Maritime Academy, and found
them very pleasant hosts.  I don't know how they'd react to a pleasure
boat; they were fascinated by our little training ship, and ended up 
putting us up in the officers' quarters on the T/S Empire State!  We heard
from other people that the King's Point crowd was also friendly, and I
remember thinking that their anchorage would have been a bit more out of
the beaten path. 

You might want to invest in a Waterway Guide for that section of coast if 
you haven't already.  They really have a wealth of info, and usually quite 
accurate data on marinas and what's available where -- something worth 
knowing if you're on a new-to-you and untested boat.  They also have very 
good harbor charts, which might reduce the need to buy small-scale charts
or Chartkits. 

Sounds like a really fun trip!  Have a ball!

John.

    Well, my schooner deal fell through. While awaiting the day of my
    survey another buyer showed up with more money. The seller couldnt
    reach me so he took the other money. I cant blame him, my deal was
    still subject to inspection, but I am dissapointed.
    
    Anyone know of a small schooner for sale?