Sailing from Cape Cod to New Jersey

[scottydaum]

Not trying to be a smart A** and I DO understand the spirit of your question but I would suggest that if you are going to follow the ICW all the way to Florida you may as well get used to waiting for "good timing". Timing for locks, timing for may bridge openings, even timing for another HELL GATE down in GA.
It has taken me a lot of years to learn to enjoy the "waiting" as much as enjoying the going.
Good chance to grab a nap, double check charts, calculate courses, make a meal, or double check rigging, mechanics etc.
I too have a engine on the smaller side i.e. Atomic 4 in a Tartan 30 with a fin keel and the tides down around Georgia can get tricky if you have not thought it out.
Sitting at Beaufort SC Marina with the flood tide running hard, and trying to stick to the dock until the Lady's Island Bridge opens. All those inlets look great on the chart, but I need to be very choosy about trying to run some of them if they have a strong tide.
I am envious of you and your trip!
I don't know how I feel about about jumping across the Gulf Stream at Beaufort NC in a 24 footer, but it IS the way many choose to sail to the Caribbean. I intend to use that route with my Tartan 30. Your boat is probably stiffer than mine.
Fair winds!

[Jim W1JT]

Originally Posted by scottydaum

Not trying to be a smart A** and I DO understand the spirit of your question but I would suggest that if you are going to follow the ICW all the way to Florida you may as well get used to waiting for "good timing". Timing for locks, timing for may bridge openings, even timing for another HELL GATE down in GA.
It has taken me a lot of years to learn to enjoy the "waiting" as much as enjoying the going.
Good chance to grab a nap, double check charts, calculate courses, make a meal, or double check rigging, mechanics etc.
I too have a engine on the smaller side i.e. Atomic 4 in a Tartan 30 with a fin keel and the tides down around Georgia can get tricky if you have not thought it out.
Sitting at Beaufort SC Marina with the flood tide running hard, and trying to stick to the dock until the Lady's Island Bridge opens. All those inlets look great on the chart, but I need to be very choosy about trying to run some of them if they have a strong tide.
I am envious of you and your trip!
I don't know how I feel about about jumping across the Gulf Stream at Beaufort NC in a 24 footer, but it IS the way many choose to sail to the Caribbean. I intend to use that route with my Tartan 30. Your boat is probably stiffer than mine.
Fair winds!

No worries about being a smart A**!! Your points are well taken and very much appreciated.

I can see the value of "down time" to do all of the things you mentioned and more. There will be times on my cruise when I'll have a crew and then there will be times when I'll be alone. I'm looking forward to both.

Thank you Scotty and thank you to all who have been offering your help. This is really a great community!

Jim W1JT

[oldsalt_1942]

I've been through Hell Gate several times with different boats and always wondered what the fuss was all about.

Sure, go outside if you don't care to see any interesting stuff along the way. If you're in a hurry that's one thing. If not, go inside and enjoy the sights. To me the outside run, yes I've done THAT, TOO, is like traveling in an airplane. With air travel you leave one terminal, enter a metal tube that hurls you through the air and deposits you at a terminal that looks pretty much like the one you just left, and you've seen absolutely nothing in between the two places. Why would any rational person do such a thing?

[zstine]

As others have said, there's nothing dangerous or scary really about either the inside or outside. I've done both several times. People get scared b/c someone says 'there's shallow water around liberty'.. yes the water generally gets shallow when you get close to the shore, but there's wide deep water down the Hudson and out.

Do what you want.. do you want to sight see and deal with the possible cold weather, or do you want to get south and warm quicker? Certainly going outside and perhaps skipping All NJ but cape may would knock a few days off your trip, as would continuing the offshore hops, like cape may outside to Norfolk, vice C&D and Chesapeake. I find offshore much more relaxing and enjoyable if my goal is making miles, especially if you are running overnight. I would not like to run up LI sound or even Chesapeake through the night b/c the lights on shore will make traffic hard to see, it's harder to navigate, etc. So, to go with a previous posts metaphor, sometimes the best way to get somewhere is to fly... sometimes the scenic drive. up to what you want to do really. There's nothing particularly dangerous about either option if you proceed with good seamanship.
good luck and enjoy!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Jim W1JT

. Also, not going until next July.
T

Then the parameters are completely different.
When time is not of the essence it should be all about the tourism.
Go where you wish to go and get there when you want by the prettiest route.

If you are in New York in July... the 4th is a great time.
The Long Island route will be nicer because there's some nice anchorage which the outside passage doest have.
Same considerations for Dismal Swamp. Few boats can fit, so take the advantage and go the pretty route.

[MarkJ]

Re Statue of Liberty. You can now anchor 150 feet (50 meters) from the Statue of Liberty shore.
Yes I checked with the Coast Guard.

That's closer than I go with tourists on board!

I don't think its really viable to anchor that close because you would be blocking the view of too many tourist boats. Unless you went in late at night.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Jim W1JT

My boat is a 1988 Pacific Seacraft Dana 24.

I've heard some pretty scary stories about Hell's Gate.

Apparently the current can be fierce
When I couple that with large boat traffic...

Jim W1JT

1. Nice boat! There is a great review of this boat on YouTube by Bob Bitchin of Cruising Outpost. There's also a nice video of a well known sailor in the San Francisco Bay area who singlehands while flying a kite (no not that kite) with a camera attached to it.

2. There are plenty of scary stories. Most are legend, which means they have been greatly enhanced. Don't worry about them. Be prepared and be aware, but don't sweat it.

3. The current is strong and if you catch it wrong, you will just mark time until it changes. On very rare occasion, if the wind is against the current, the standing waves can be surprisingly large; up to four or five feet. Again, don't worry about it. Keep your forward hatches closed and time your trip even remotely close to when the current is going your way and you will be fine. MOST OF THE TIME IT IS VERY SMOOTH GOING. There have been times where it looked like glass. Again, be prepared but don't sweat it.

4. There is often boat traffic but don't worry about other boats. There is plenty of room for you to go around them and the large boats are captained by professionals. You'll be fine. Enjoy the views and enjoy the experience.

5. I live here and actually have one of my boats right at the beginning of the south end of Hell Gate. Please feel free to message me and I can assist you with places to tie up and wait, and things to do if you want to or have to be here waiting of weather. I can also give you some good anchorages and marinas down the coast (inside and outside) if you desire them.

6. The above comments are spot on. It is a great trip. There are also two spots to anchor behind the Statue of Liberty as well as other places to go.

7. Good luck and have a great trip.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by zstine

People get scared b/c someone says 'there's shallow water around liberty'.. yes the water generally gets shallow when you get close to the shore, but there's wide deep water down the Hudson and out.

Yes, that was a silly comment about the shallow water near Liberty. If one stays out the boundary bouys you are perfectly OK.Besides, OP's draft is less than 4 ft.

[Jim W1JT]

Originally Posted by ArmyDaveNY

1. Nice boat! There is a great review of this boat on YouTube by Bob Bitchin of Cruising Outpost. There's also a nice video of a well known sailor in the San Francisco Bay area who singlehands while flying a kite (no not that kite) with a camera attached to it.

7. Good luck and have a great trip.

Thank you for such an informative post Dave! Actually thank you again to everyone who has offered their help. It is very much appreciated. I gotta say, we sailors certainly are a friendly bunch!

I'm thinking that I"m going to head that way on or about the 4th of July. What a great way to spend the holiday! My boat's being pulled in 3 weeks for the Winter and I'm already getting excited about next Summer!

Thanks again for your help and your offer Dave, I'll stay in touch.

Jim W1JT

[brucep2100]

City Island YC is a great place to stop for the night and then depart for Hell Gate (about 1-2 hours) when the is favorable which will have you shooting down the East River at 10 knots or so. Have fun.

[Jim W1JT]

Originally Posted by brucep2100

City Island YC is a great place to stop for the night and then depart for Hell Gate (about 1-2 hours) when the is favorable which will have you shooting down the East River at 10 knots or so. Have fun.

Planning this trip and visualizing it is going to keep me going all Winter! Thanks!

Jim W1JT

[YellowcakeMan]

We did almost a straight line from Block Island to Atlantic City in June, crossing the three shipping lanes at 90 degree angles in the dark. We didn't experience any shipping at all, and the trip was a non-event. Wind was on the bow, so we had to use the engine for the entire transit.

[Jim W1JT]

Originally Posted by YellowcakeMan

We did almost a straight line from Block Island to Atlantic City in June, crossing the three shipping lanes at 90 degree angles in the dark. We didn't experience any shipping at all, and the trip was a non-event. Wind was on the bow, so we had to use the engine for the entire transit.

Thanks.....how long did it take you?

Jim W1JT

[YellowcakeMan]

36 hours at about 6 knots.

[Jim W1JT]

Originally Posted by YellowcakeMan

36 hours at about 6 knots.

Thanks