Timing Hell Gate

[chef2sail]

I concur. I keep my main up always when motoring through narrow high current areas like the East River, Hell Gate, and ocean inlets. If the engine dies you have steerage, plus it's also radiate for a tug or PB to see a big sail up around a corner then a bare mast.

Dave

[stevenit]

Originally Posted by tartansail

I'm not Sabray, but it's a trip I've done many times. The problem with the CCC is not so much the canal itself, but the exit into Buzzard's Bay if the wind is the prevailing sou'west. The standing waves in the first few miles will take any crud on the bottom of your fuel tank and rattle it loose along with your fillings. Ask me how I know my tank wasn't clean. Since the current runs up to five knots in the canal, you're not going to be able to go against it when it's running full. The current shifts from the Buzzard's Bay end to the Cape Cod Bay end. That means if you wait for slack at Sandwich, the current will be full into the wind at Buzzard's Bay. There are three strategies I've used when the wind is scheduled to be from the southwest. (1) Time your passage with tides that let you get through early in the morning. You may be able to get out of the worst sections before the wind sets up for the day. (2) Turn into the old channel which runs southeast almost immediately after exiting the canal. That gets you out of the worst of the current and associated steep waves. (3) Turn into Onset, which is just north shortly after exiting the canal and spend the night there. Get up the Bay in the AM before the wind comes up.

It's not really all that bad if you time your trip and can avoid driving right into the wind waves. Use Eldridge to schedule your departure and have a bail out option if the wind and waves are against you.

If I undertood well, you're talking about passage from Cape Cod to south, I'm planning the route from here (Annapolis) to Boston, I'm looking the Cap Cod Canal. On the "chart" seems to be a great escape: starting from Martha's Vineyard, where we plan to have a stop coming from Delaware bay, there are roughly 60 NM to reach Provinetown vs roughly 200NM going outside avoiding Nìthe Nantutek shoals....but.. I'm reading that Hog Island Channel seems not really "easy" due current and prevallent wind..so is enough to wait the right day or this day is extremely rare?
(sorry for the English.. I try to do my best)

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by stevenit

If I undertood well, you're talking about passage from Cape Cod to south, I'm planning the route from here (Annapolis) to Boston, I'm looking the Cap Cod Canal. On the "chart" seems to be a great escape: starting from Martha's Vineyard, where we plan to have a stop coming from Delaware bay, there are roughly 60 NM to reach Provinetown vs roughly 200NM going outside avoiding Nìthe Nantutek shoals....but.. I'm reading that Hog Island Channel seems not really "easy" due current and prevallent wind..so is enough to wait the right day or this day is extremely rare?
(sorry for the English.. I try to do my best)

tartansail Gave some good information for transit south. Northbound is a different story because the prevailing winds are SW. However, you would be wise to avoid wind against current situations in general.

So the short answer is that you can transit the CCC northbound most of the time without issues. It's easier to transit with a favorable current. Monitor VHF 13 for announcements or other communication from the CCC Control station. They monitor the entire canal with cameras. Also check AIS if you can, as there are many big ships transiting.

[stevenit]

Thank you!

[mrohr]

No problem going thru at full ebb ,rather exciting really ;and you will shorten your passage time significantly. But never mentioned is what comes next.....
If heading North up the Hudson along Manhattan one will encounter a strong opposing current as 100+ miles of the Hudson continues to ebb for a few hours even as the E. river is now flooding.
Sooo, If the OP is heading North best would be to traverse the E. riv. at the end of the ebb near the Battery (S. tip of Manhattan) and thereby catch the beginning of the flood which can run for more than 12 hours (flood is later as one progresses upriver).

Of course ,if your destination lies South then entering the Hudson after
leaving the E. River one would have a fair current in the above scenario.

Eldrige and the internet has the government tidal charts (12 in all,1 for each hour).These are worth a a study beforehand since one will be too busy dodging traffic etc., so it really pays to know before you go.

Fear not , Have often sailed much if the E. river ,but only if conditions were favorable or by necessity.
Hope this helps..............luv you all.................mike.................