Need Advice: Vineyard Haven to Oyster Bay

[annsni]

I heard Milford was just dredged? We stayed there on the last night coming home from our cruise thanks to a bad thunderstorm waylaying us and I think we were a gnat's eyelash space from the bottom with our 6'8" draft.

[caradow]

Regarding entry to Milford Harbor......suggest sticking to the Greens (western side ) of the Harbor coming in if it is low tide.
A lot of race boats in Milford Harbor including boats with a 9 foot draft.
Should not be a problem. Shoaling is occurring in most harbors on the CT. shore.....always has been. Gilford is one of the worse. Just stay in the channel.

[caradow]

Hey DCY
How was your trip?


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[D.C.Y.]

It was an amazing adventure. Thank you all for your generous advice. We are sitting on our mooring at Oyster Bay tonight in this very aggressive wind after seeing all the fireworks. As planned we spent two days just organizing and cleaning her up and out once my first mate Mike and I got to Vineyard Haven. We were about to take her out on a test motor/sail and just before we casted off I noticed the rudder post was not responding to the wheel and the wheel seemed to have an abnormal lack of resistance. We postponed and found that a block on the starboard side that holds the pulley for the steering cable had broken clean off from the hull itself. A special glass guy came and did the repair Saturday morning. Our plans of leaving Sunday were changed. The repair needed until Monday morning to cure. Phil Hale and the rest of the guys at Martha Vineyard Shipyard are consummate pros! By 2pm on Monday we were off to Cuttyhunk. 3.5 hours with the current and wind on our nose. A wet ride with lots of chop. Cuttyhunk is a truly magical place. Great folks and great oysters, chowder and chocolate cake. There is a beauty and simplicity there you just don't find too often in this world. The next morning we headed out to Block Island's Great Salt Pond. The trip was made under diesel power in 7hrs with current and wind on our nose. Less wet and choppy and a great day of sun and getting more comfortable with the Procyon (my 1965 Alberg 35) and paper charts and gps and my novice crew. Upon leaving block island we set sails and as soon as we had breached the majority of traffic. My navigator punched in a way point and we sailed like champs on a close reach for 3 hrs. Looking for watch hill pass, I notice he had set the way point well off course. So we struck the sails and made north for Stonington. A much longer leg due to the miscalculation, lessons learned and ps they have great facilities. Next morning we headed out for port Jefferson. We got 4.5 hours of fog and a long boring windless day after that. This guy at the dock said we would not make it. We did it in 10hrs. Then the last leg was in the rain. We left Port Jefferson at 11:15 and motored thru big rain and heavy waves on out and were sitting on our mooring by 3pm. The day we were able to sail was my favorite. I had such a great time and learned so much about my boat. Now I don't want to leave her!
Thanks Again Everybody!


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