Delaware City to Boston on a 44' Ketch with 55' mast

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Vasco

GWB's on the Hudson. But you can do the East River with 55 feet.

you are correct. and i believe it to be lower then the east river bridges, as that is the route i took.

ride the tide, its very fun!
at 2000rpm i was going 7kts :P

look for the gondola, and the airport, very cool things to see!

[Vasco]

I've only done the East River to Long Island sound a few times but I don't remember having to look up due to low bridges. The only bridge I remember is the one I put a down payment on.

[Delancey]

Um, vertical clearance in the George Washington Bridge is 210' so if you want to go up the Hudson to Albany you don't have to worry about that one.

If you want to go out the East River to Long Island Sound and are NOT an AC72 you should be fine. The lowest of the East River Bridges is currently the Brooklyn Bridge which has marsupial maintenance platforms suspended beneath it and are called out at 110' vertical clearance.

[SailOnEverAfter]

Hey everyone, THANK YOU!

[Paul Annapolis]

You CANNOT clear the bridge at the Cape May Canal but you can come in extremely close to shore around Cape May in 10' but stay far out when approaching the Coast Guard and then enter the all weather inlet--the best in Jersey. Atlantic City inlet is fair but weird and buoys dont seem to make sense. Barnegat is fair in good weather as are Manasquan and Shark River but tricky and involve bridges--esp Shark River with no room for error. Sandy Hook is fine, Gravesend Bay is fine to anchor and time your entrance to Hell Gate with either slack turning eastward or during the flood eastward. Stay to the west of Roosevelt Island and go by the UN rather than using the east side of the river/island. If weather is good, I'd just do Cape May to Montauk overnight...watch for ships--lots of them at every step of this voyage...and people watching up the East River with binocs is great fun!

[psneeld]

Cape May bridges/wires show 55' min clearance on the chart...can't say whether the tide boards agree or not. Many monthly low tides do offer a lower than datum clearance, especially with westerly winds. Still a tight fit if you don't have up to the minute info....and it's a long way back around if you can't make the first bridge.

There is plenty of water close to the beaches...especially at high tide...the shoals on the charts aren't accurate but I have never seen the ones close to the beach with less than 10' of water over them....get out more than 1/4 mile or so and it can get shallow on a low tide...but if the current is moving pretty good...you can see the standing waves.

[Saltfly]

I've got 56' and tried to get under the Cape May bridges at low-low tide. I just ticked the first one but came up + 6" on the second one. Cost me $1,000 in repairs. Be forewarned.

[SailOnEverAfter]

Originally Posted by Saltfly

I've got 56' and tried to get under the Cape May bridges at low-low tide. I just ticked the first one but came up + 6" on the second one. Cost me $1,000 in repairs. Be forewarned.

I have been warned!

Thank you for sharing valuable information that cost you $$$$$$

[SecondBase]

I'm surprised there isn't a Cape May barrel-ballast guy tilting masts.
Anyone know of one?

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by SecondBase

I'm surprised there isn't a Cape May barrel-ballast guy tilting masts.
Anyone know of one?

Probably 2 reasons...to go around the Cape isn't a big deal...no one would pay more than a few bucks to do it...and the current can be up to 3 knots making the operation less than safe in many situations..especially with the traffic.

[SecondBase]

Gotcha PS. Okeechobee is a the opposite situation. Thanks.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by SailOnEverAfter

We are looking for advise on our first trip from Delaware City, DE up to Boston on a 44' Ketch with 55' of mast.

I'm looking for advise on the best routes, stopping points, and any other advise from others that have been there before me.

As of now, I'm planning on sailing straight from Delaware City, DE to Cape May for a night of rest and then want to find a good spot in Jersey for a night and then to NY and then to Martha's Vineyard, then to the Boston Area.

I THINK we want to go off shore and come in at certain points but ALL ADVISE IS WELCOME. It looks like there are many places that we couldn't clear and don't know much about the waterway up there.

I've done the reverse twice in two years.

If in a hurry and not sight seeing go off shore

I made landfall in Marblehead, then a long day/night down to Mystic, through the Cape Cod Canal.

I caught the tide out of Mystic and made a fast, for me,run to Cape May in 40 hours. 33' with 13hp.

I had intended to go down the Sound but I broke down and then circumstances changed my plans.

The previous year, in the 44'er, I landed at Marblehead, then to Marion, then Fishers Island, then Cold Springs Harbor, then Atlantic Highlands, then overnight to Delaware City.

You should have more favorable winds and a better run.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by SecondBase

I'm surprised there isn't a Cape May barrel-ballast guy tilting masts.
Anyone know of one?

If I remember right the channel under one of the bridges is so narrow you don't have room to heel the vessel.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Vasco

If I remember right the channel under one of the bridges is so narrow you don't have room to heel the vessel.

Horizontal clearance on the only two bridges is listed at 80 feet for both.