79th Street Marina NYC - and Sandy Hook

[AutumnBorne1]

Good evening. We'll be at the top of the Hudson in early to Mid-October.
Has anyone had any experience with marinas at the top of the Hudson, near Albany, then the 79th Street marina along Manhattan. The next question... is anchoring in the vicinity of Sandy Hook, NJ.

any ideas ???
Thanks in advance.
Autumn Borne 1

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Autumn,
Welcome aboard!! Hope you can find the answers. I'm way the other side of the U. S. from you so can't help. I have driven through New York twice in my lifetime though. That probably doesn't count.
I'm certain someone here on the forum will answer your questions.
kind Regards,
JohnL

[GordMay]

We picked up a Mooring Ball, then re-stepped our mast ($50 DIY) at the Casteleton Boat Club (about 10 mi South of Albany), and anchored at Horseshoe Cove, near Sandy Hook / Highlands, NJ.
Rode out the remnants of Hurricane Frances there (October 1992).

See:
Castleton Boat Club
And:
Boating_Guide_to_America:State_NJ:Place_Sandy_Hook

See also:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...uth-10170.html
And:
http://www.nysgextension.org/marinas/hrmarinas.html

[Sandero]

I pass the 79th street boat basic and there are many boats moored there. It seems to empty out at the Fall arrives. I don't think they have transient dock space, and they may remove the moorings in the off season. It can be a funky anchorage with the current being strong, reversing etc. It's convenient if you want to do Manhattan.

jef
sv shiva

[Harriet]

There's not a lot of space to anchor in Sandy Hook, but this time of year you might get lucky. Otherwise, pick up a mooring from the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club.

[AutumnBorne1]

thanks for the all the thread answers. The trip from Sandy Hook to Cape May... outside or inside.... Outside looks easy... Is there an inside trip ? (60 Ft mast hgt).

[GordMay]

We originally anchored inside the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor breakwater, East of the mooring fields - then moved over to Horseshoe Cove for the storm.

As I recall, there was adequate room for (?perhaps?) 15-20 boats, all deploying multiple anchors on “storm scope”.

The bottom is soft clean sand, providing an easy set, but only moderate holding. Several boats dragged anchor, but none were significantly damaged.

I believe there are several low bridges on the New Jersey ICW, and the water is certainly “thin”.

Most cruisers, I know, go offshore from Sandy Hook to Cape May; with a possible overnight at Atlantic City.

[Vasco]

AutumnBorne1,

I will preface this by saying I haven't done the trip for three years but prior to that I did it nearly every year for over ten years. There are no good marinas in the Albany area. If you want to stay at the top of the Hudson your best bet is Waterford just below the "flight" (locks 2 to 6) and before Troy Lock. It is a free dock with internet access, power and very pleasant volunteers. At Troy, just south of Lock 1, there is a wall where you can stay. There are no marinas in Albany but you might be able to stay at the Albany Yacht Club which sells fuel. Albany is mostly commercial docks as many ocean going ships come to this northernmost port on the Hudson.

I always used Riverview Marina in Catskill Creek to do the mast stuff. Mike, the owner , is very accomodating. On my first trip I did the DIY thing at Castleton but their facility is not the best. On the trip south in the Hudson we always used to anchor but if you prefer marinas there are many. Kingston, Poughkeepsie Yacht Club, Haverstraw Bay, these are a few you might check up on.

I have never stayed at the 79th St. Marina but friends have taken moorings there and visited Manhattan. There are two marinas at the bottom of Manhattan, one is on the island and is really for mega yachts as they charged a guy I met $4 a foot (about eight years ago) and there were no facilities as mega yacht people don't go ashore for their showers nor was there a power connection small enough for their boat. The other marina is on the Jersey side, I think it's called Liberty Landing and there are many sailboats there.

We usually went from Upper Nyack (a good anchorage with two friendly yacht clubs) to Cape May. If you leave Upper Nyack in the morning you can get to Sandy Hook about two p.m. and go directly to Cape May, weather permitting, and get to Cape May late the next morning. You cannot take the inside route to Cape May due mainly to draft and bridge restrictions.

If you want to anchor before the trip down the Atlantic the best place is Atlantic Highlands. It is well sheltered and there are mooring balls if you don't want to anchor. Horseshoe Cove is another spot to wait for weather but I prefer Atlantic Highlands. There is another hidey hole in the area. The name escapes me but I think it's Peekskill, it's one of the "kills" anyway. This is a well protected anchorage and moorings are available. It's just northwest of Atlantic Highlands.

Enjoy your trip, I always did.

[cruiser_pete]

I'm based in the Atlantic Highlands marina. There are usually moorings available for transients. Contact The Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club (ahyc.net).

Around NYC, I would recomend Liberty Landing marina in Jersey City. It is in a protected canal on the west side of the river across from lower manhattan. There is ferry service from the marina to manhattan that is quick and reasonable. I would not recomend staying in the river, particularly if you intend to sleep on the boat. The current and almost continuous wake in the river can be very unpleasant.

All of the marinas in the NYC area are expensive (i think i paid $4/ft a couple of weeks ago) but you need to consider that their real estate costs are much higher than most.

Regarding the inside/outside question, I would recomend outside with a 60ft bridge clearance. Technically you should be ok, but you don't want to end up like the Hunter 38 that got caught under the rt 37 bridge a couple of years ago. Besides, you would be in the channel most of the way. Barnegat Bay is just a big puddle. Vast areas of the bay are less than 5ft. It is not uncommon to see a waterskier standing in chest-deep water more than 2 miles from land!

Let me know if I can be of any help.

Pete

[Vasco]

Pete,

What's the name of the harbour north and west of Atlantic Highlands. It bugs me that I can't remember and of course all my charts are on my boat in FL. It has a breakwall all around it and there's moorings inside but also room to anchor. There's "kill" somewhere in the name if my "memory" serves me right.

[cruiser_pete]

Rick,

I think that the harbor you are describing is Atlantic Highlands. It has a large breakwater with about 160 moorings and 5 fixed piers with slips.

Is it possible that you are confusing Highlands and Atlantic Highlands? Atlantic Highlands is WNW of Highlands.

I can't think of any kills in the NJ part of the bay. There are waterways called kills around Staten Island.

Pete

[Vasco]

Pete,

No, this is a harbour about ten miles or so from Atlantic Highlands. It's ok I got on Google Earth and found it. It's Great Kills. I was wrong about the breakwater, it's really a spit of land. This is the most sheltered harbour in the area.

[brian and clare]

Marinas in New York (information Circa 2001)

I lived on board a 28 foot pearson triton (6500 bucks) in a few of these marinas before leaving the city. Winter rates made it cheap living but the winter under an electric blanket is COLD.

Liberty Landing - Pretty nice, but you have to take a ferry across. When I was there the showers were in a red lighthouse boat, and they were ok but not flash. Outside is ghetto Jersey city. But a nice park is right there, (im sure its built up a lot since I was there before the towers fell) AMAZING view of the skyline. My ex girlfriend lived in that ghetto area and it cost me a car window and a crummy tape deck.

Newport Marina (not in newport though, silly name) - right in the heart of jersey city, the nice part, not the ghetto. Path train (like a subway)leaves right next to the marina and drops you off in grenwich village or 14th street. Quick access to downtown NYC fun stuff, and there is a mall in NJ side and very good shopping for groceries (asian foodmart is huge). Safe, and a generally good option. There is a spendy restaurant and a bar at the end of the pier. Ivana trumps boat was there at one point (allegedly).

Lincoln Harbor Marina - North of Hoboken on Jersey side right next to where the Lincoln tunnel spits you out. Ferry to midtown, quick and easy with bus links all over the city, but nothing much there but a good steak place (Ruths Cris) and a TGI fridays, and some apartments. Rolls like crazy. Docks got ripped out the winter we lived there due to ferry wakes, etc. Whole finger piers shearing 1 inch pins, broken cleats, snapped lines etc. Wave attenuator wall supposedly had holes, maybe they fixed it by now?


79th street Marina - They had a few transient moorings that they kept, and its actually not too bad if you dont mind dinghying in. Current is very strong, and you are required to have an outboard motor. Otherwise no dice. Too easy to get washed away. No real facilities though, and no showers on land. You are right on the park though and its pretty. Plus there is a cool restaurant that is always in the movies right there. I cant remember the name. Probably the cheapest option if you can get a spot. My favorite because of budget, and it's in NYC so you feel special.

Chelsea Piers - Pretty good overall, but I think spendy. Good news is there is a driving range, a bar, a bowling alley, climbing wall, and all sorts of stuff to do. Chelsea piers is a sport complex. Bad news is the lights on the driving range are like daylight. I havent been on a boat but have hit some balls there.

WTC? - Used to be a maina there, but it had charter boats and rich folks. I suspect you wouldnt find a much more expensive marina around. I dont know what is there now, but prob something. When we left things still hadn't been quite worked out. The hole had stopped smoking though.

South Street Seaport - Dont count on it, I dont think they take private people, only tall ships and such.

One other on the east side but I think it was private or something, and quite small.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by brian and clare

Marinas in New York (information Circa 2001)

I lived on board a 28 foot pearson triton (6500 bucks) in a few of these marinas before leaving the city. Winter rates made it cheap living but the winter under an electric blanket is COLD.

Liberty Landing - Pretty nice, but you have to take a ferry across. When I was there the showers were in a red lighthouse boat, and they were ok but not flash. Outside is ghetto Jersey city. But a nice park is right there, (im sure its built up a lot since I was there before the towers fell) AMAZING view of the skyline. My ex girlfriend lived in that ghetto area and it cost me a car window and a crummy tape deck.

Newport Marina (not in newport though, silly name) - right in the heart of jersey city, the nice part, not the ghetto. Path train (like a subway)leaves right next to the marina and drops you off in grenwich village or 14th street. Quick access to downtown NYC fun stuff, and there is a mall in NJ side and very good shopping for groceries (asian foodmart is huge). Safe, and a generally good option. There is a spendy restaurant and a bar at the end of the pier. Ivana trumps boat was there at one point (allegedly).

Lincoln Harbor Marina - North of Hoboken on Jersey side right next to where the Lincoln tunnel spits you out. Ferry to midtown, quick and easy with bus links all over the city, but nothing much there but a good steak place (Ruths Cris) and a TGI fridays, and some apartments. Rolls like crazy. Docks got ripped out the winter we lived there due to ferry wakes, etc. Whole finger piers shearing 1 inch pins, broken cleats, snapped lines etc. Wave attenuator wall supposedly had holes, maybe they fixed it by now?


79th street Marina - They had a few transient moorings that they kept, and its actually not too bad if you dont mind dinghying in. Current is very strong, and you are required to have an outboard motor. Otherwise no dice. Too easy to get washed away. No real facilities though, and no showers on land. You are right on the park though and its pretty. Plus there is a cool restaurant that is always in the movies right there. I cant remember the name. Probably the cheapest option if you can get a spot. My favorite because of budget, and it's in NYC so you feel special.

Chelsea Piers - Pretty good overall, but I think spendy. Good news is there is a driving range, a bar, a bowling alley, climbing wall, and all sorts of stuff to do. Chelsea piers is a sport complex. Bad news is the lights on the driving range are like daylight. I havent been on a boat but have hit some balls there.

WTC? - Used to be a maina there, but it had charter boats and rich folks. I suspect you wouldnt find a much more expensive marina around. I dont know what is there now, but prob something. When we left things still hadn't been quite worked out. The hole had stopped smoking though.

South Street Seaport - Dont count on it, I dont think they take private people, only tall ships and such.

One other on the east side but I think it was private or something, and quite small.

Very accurate info, except I'd add that the WTC marina he mentions is just awful! It's like a washing machine inside that little square area even on a 60 footer. Massive MASSIVE ferry wash. Plus... it's crowded with charter boats and such as mentioned. Not even doable.

[Sandero]

I think there are some moorings west of Harlem above 125th street, I've seen moored boats up there lately. Don't know where you can land a dink or where the transit access point is or if they have transient moorings.

jef
sv shiva