Long Island Sound: A different marina each week

[Joe500]

I live and keep my sailboat in Manhattan. I would like to spend a month or two exploring different ports in Long Island Sound this coming summer. I thought it would be fun to leave the boat in a different marina each Sunday, take the train back to the city, and then return by train on Friday evening. Then, sail over the weekend to a different marina and repeat. One problem I forsee though is the cost--I don't want to pay the daily rate at all these marinas for many weeks, which I think could add up to quite a lot. Even paying the mooring daily rate could add up if it's for a couple of months. And, I imagine leaving the boat at anchor for five days with no one on it could be risky as well? Has anyone ever tried something like this? Were you able to negotiate a better week long rate anywhere?

[Morgan Paul]

Hi Joe. That is an interesting idea. I keep my boat on a mooring in Port Jefferson Harbor in the summer. Ed Gatz at Silver Bay Marine is the guy to talk to here. He has transient moorings and a launch service. I believe he charges about 40 dollars a night for a mooring and the launch service. I know for a fact he would give you a good deal on weekly rate.

Eddie Gatz
Silver Bay Marine Service
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Phone: (631) 689-8262

It would be about a 20 min walk to the Long Island Railroad. Or cost about 7 bucks for a cab ride.

[Sandero]

Welcome to the high cost of transient storage in Southern New England.

It's a lovely idea but a costly one since I would suspect you are looking at feels from a low of $30/ day to as high as $100 at a slip.

Assuming you anchor off on the weekends and don't pay, you can be looking at storage costs of $150 - $500 week. Call it $300 or $1,400 a month or almost $5,000 for the season!

The alternative is to get a reasonable priced seasonal mooring in a good sailing location and use that as "home base" making weekend round trips to as many harbors as you can. A seasonal mooring will be between $1,000 and $2,000 in most places in the Sound IF IF IF you can find one.

If you can find an affordable monthly "rate" at one location on the West and another in the center and the last out East you might be able to accomplish what you describe at a more reasonable cost, perhaps 2-3K. Most offerings are seasonal, or day rates with the occasional price breaks for week or monthly transients. Good luck finding it.

[Tempest245]

Joe500,

Interesting Idea, but I'm afraid that you're correct, the costs can add up quickly.
Summer is a busy time, and the Marinas on the sound stay busy. I think you can expect to pay $3.50 t0 $4.00 per foot/ per night..plus tax,

I agree with Morgan Paul....I like Port Jefferson. I also think that it might be the best deal that you will find.

Where you go from Port Jeff is the question...you could end up spending money on 3 marinas....your home port, the weekly one, and the one you sail to on an overnighter.....

[speedoo]

It's an interesting idea, but to me the cost/benefit for you is probably not good, because frankly sailing in Western LIS in the summer is not much fun because the wind is notoriously light to nonexistent. You need to get at least out to New Haven/Port Jeff to get reasonably reliable wind IMO.

I think an even better idea is to think about a home base in Eastern LIS or Newport, RI. Or maybe Greenport, on Long Island's North Fork in the bay. It would still be expensive but at least you'll have wind. And nicer scenery as well. You could explore the offshore islands.. Block, the Vineyard and Nantucket.

Or maybe the Port Jeff mooring could be a less expensive alternative. But remember, going east from Port Jeff, the only harbor on the LI side is Mattituck... everything else is on the CT side. And the really good cruising is more than a day's sail to the east.

Better yet: talk your boss into letting you telecommute, and live aboard for the summer!

[swabbmob]

The telecommute idea would be pretty sweet if you job fits. Do you have a blackberry? I can connect my blackberry to my laptop and work from my boat. I get Verizon coverage all over LIS.

The sailing should be much better toward Greenport and Newport. But so many beautiful little harbors to see on both shores!

[bene505]

Call a Brewer Marina. There are about a dozen (more?) in the area. When on the hard for winter at a Brewer Marina, you get some free overnights during the season at any of their other marinas. With a deal in place like that to start from, you'll probably be able to negotiate a good "roaming" rate.

PM me if you want a contact at the Brewer where our boat is right now.

BTW, love the idea. And if your interested, join the Montauk/Block Island to Nantucket flotilla in mind-July.

[Joe500]

Thanks all for the suggestions and the encouragement. Seems like I need to find a few places with cheap moorings and weekly discounts. Port Jefferson sounds like a good place, I just need a couple of others further East. I'm not sure Martha's Vineyard would work since it would be hard to get to from New York City. I guess ideally the marina would have to be near a supermarket, but maybe that's asking for too much.

[Tempest245]

Hi Joe

If you could take 3 day weekends you could do ok from your home port...

You could leave friday and easily make Manhasset, Huntington...and even Port Jeff, spend sat and sail home sunday.....it means running up and down the east river alot but that's only a few hours....I'm guessing 7 hours or so to PJ

I'm less familiar with the Western Conn. ports, but I hear some are nice.

From PJ, I often cross over to Old Saybrook. There's a cove there, north cove if you don't draw too much you might be able to pick up a mooring or drop a hook.
I've never tried it, but I see boats in there all the time. The cruising guide has some info on it......

If you hang on a mooring for the week at PJ...it takes a good day of sailing to get you to block....timing the race is the key.

You didn't mention NJ, but Atlantic Highlands might be worth a weekend for you.

[hellosailor]

Joe, if you are a member of any yacht club, it might be worth looking the the reciprocal rates that other YCs in the sound might charge you, and leave the boat with them rather than at a commercial yard. A bit of research and calling to do, but you can start with the USSA, they maintain a list of member clubs that offer reciprocal privileges.

Groceries shouldn't be any problem, just pick them up on your way from the train station to the boat when you go out each time.

[bene505]

I'd could visit Manhattan some week. Perhaps we could swap for my mooring in Montauk.

[Joe500]

Bene505, that would be great. I'd love to swap for a couple of weeks. I'll send you a separate message with my contact details.

[Nk235]

Joe - I have lived on Long Island my whole life and have a 32' Morgan I keep on a mooring at Mt. Sinai harbor which is just 3 miles east of Port Jefferson. Just recently I moved to Manhattan to start a new job but I am still keeping the boat in Mt. Sinai and will be cruising the sound every weekend. I will be in the same shoes as you, leaving every friday and some thursday nights to drive to the boat.

Even with some of the suggestions of yacht clubs, brewer yards, etc. I still think it would be very very expensive to keep your boat at a different marina every week. My recommondation is to keep it somewhere central in the sound on the Long Island side. Mt. Sinai, Port Jeff, Northport Harbor, Huntingtun Harbor, Oyster Bay...Figure its an hour drive to the boat and then you are right in the middle of the sound with plenty of great cruising destinations only a few hours sail away.

Mt. Sinai where I keep my boat is the fursthest port east before you get real far out to Mattituck and the forks, but in 1 summer with just weekend trips, and only 1 weeklong trip, I have cruised to:
Stony Brook Harbor multiple times, the Nissequoge River in Smithtown, Port Jefferson harbor about 7 times, Northport, Huntington, Oyster Bay, Manhattan, Blackrock CT, Milford CT multiple times, Clinton CT, Stonington CT, Mystic CT, Mattituck, Sag Harbor, Greenport, Newport and Block Island

So what I am trying to say is you don't have to spend the huge amounts it would cost you to pay for dockage for weeks at a time at all the different harbors in the sound. Just find one central spot you like and head out fri afternoon or sat morning and you will get to see the sound in no time. Also if you need any advice or info on any of those locations let me know

[Soundbounder]

I agree with the above posts that it is going to be much cheaper to have a home mooring, and then visit other ports from there.
There are however, some places I have left the boat for a week, for a reasonable (cheap) price.
There are clubs in City Island that charge $25 a night, and will work out a weekly rate that is $100 or $125.
Morris Cove YC in New Haven was free the last time I visited for a night. I am sure a weekly rate would also be reasonable.
Thames YC in New London charges $10 or $15 dollars a night.

From my experience, a lot of the "working clubs" in harbors that are not destination oriented, will work with you.