I have sailed and motored through Plum Gut 500 or more times. It is not especiallu challenging in a modern powered auxialliary at any time. At full ebb or flood the tide can run up to 3+ knots, but and you will set set east or west as you pass north or south, but there is plenty of room.
You can sail through when there is sufficient
wind and there often is, but many times it is calm. The sea can be roiling a confused when the
current runs fast, but it is nothing to be feared as there are no real underwater hazards in the Gut.
Many small
fishing boats are there when the
current runs and you might need to weave your way through them, but usually they move away and let moving vessels pass.
There are two
ferry lines which pass through the Gut regularly , one which goes between Orient and New London and the Plum Island
ferry which goes betweeen Orient and Plum Island. You want to give them a wide berth.
The best time to pass is on a fair tide because you will shoot right through in no time. The worst is a foul current because you may only make a
knot or three.
I usually turn the
motor on when doing the Gut as a precaution and to pass through an area which often has lots of boats moving in all different directions and some drifting about
fishing... which are the main hazards.
You will do fine.
Jef
sv Shiva
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