Liveaborad Marinas Near NYC?

[swabbmob]

I am seriously considering a transfer to NYC, and I might be persuaded to actually make the move if I could find a way to live aboard a sailboat while commuting into NYC. I don't want a ridiculous commute - 30 minutes by train, sub-way would be within reason.

Any sage advice on the area you pack of crazies?

[hellosailor]

liveaboard marinas in the NYC area - SailNet Community

and

Live aboard in NYC - SailNet Community

There are very limited options.

[ssullivan]

Piece O Cake:

Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City. It has its own ferry that drops you off by the World Trade Center location. There is also the PATH train available. You can see all of lower Manhattan from your cockpit and you could be across to Manhattan in a dinghy in about 5 mins (assuming there was a place to land your dinghy in lower Manhattan).

It's liveaboard and it's year-round.

[hellosailor]

Sean, are there any tax disadvantages to living in NJ but working in NYC? Dual taxes to be paid, or have they worked that out by now?

[swabbmob]

So Sean, you seem pretty comfortable with Liberty Landing, which at least keeps the candle burning on my idea.

Hellosailer, thank you for the links to the Sailnet discussions. Sounds like the approach is to wander from marina to marina and to cut a quiet deal. And I'd better have a boat large enough to keep my wife!

My wife and I both are just sick of owning cars (5) and paying insurance. We could shift ALL that money into maintaining a boat! She said she wants to find a city with great public transportation, which is a joke where we live now. Everyone drives on big freeways (one person per car).

[swabbmob]

I contacted both Liberty Landing and Lincoln Harbor yesterday. Neither one batted an eye when I mentioned my plans to use the slip year round and would need facilities. They seemed comfortable with liveaboards. Lincoln even mentions it in their website. Lincoln has slips available, but Liberty has a wait list, which we joined.

Both marinas are directly across from Manhattan with regular ferry service. So I think they are exactly what I was looking for. Liberty charges $200' annually and Lincoln charges $165'. I can handle this if I can own a boat free and clear.

My wife checked out the school systems and we were satisfied with what we saw. Our kids would get a much more culturally diverse experience than they are getting now - and they might even learn the theory of evolution! I really like the fact that Liberty Landing is so close to the Statue of Liberty. I would love to give my kids the experience of waking up in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty every day.

Will keep searching, but so far, this idea has promise. I think it works primarily because we will have the income to cover the high cost of the slip. But as others have already mentioned, to rent an apartment would likely cost quite a bit more.

[Sandero]

I winter the boat in New Rochelle a mere 25 minutes by train to Grand Central Station. There is also City Island which is closer in and a bus and subway rid to Manhattan. I believe City Island has live a boards now. I did one winter there. It's quaint and charming, but bustling with tourists in the summer.

The yard/marina where I winter has some live aboards, no power boats and is quite small, and well protected. It adjoins Glen Island, a lovely park and both City Island and New Rochelle butt up to Pehlam park, which is the largest public park in the city will all sorts of fun stuff... especially for kids.

It's not right on top of the city as are the marinas mentioned in New Jersey, though the skyline is visible. I'd say it's quieter, safer, probably cheaper and close enough to the city for commuting. Keeping a car there does not require paying for a lot or a garage.

There are some OK destinations to sail to in the West end of LIS for some mini cruising and there is a robust racing community as well.

Schools are good too. Both are in the flight path to LGA and though not noisy per se... you are aware of all the flights above.

I95 and the Amtrack and Metro North are on the CT shore so day trips to lovely destinations is also convenient if you leave the boat and do the land thing.

For longer cruising you have all of the LIS and points east quite accessible.

It's worth a serious look if you want to be near NYC and live aboard.

jef
sv shiva

[swabbmob]

Thanks Jef,
I will check into. I think we would like LIS.

[swabbmob]

Following defjef's advice, I have been looking into several marinas in Long Island Sound. Apparently an ordinance was passed a few years ago which limits marinas to a 20% liveaboard ratio. Also, the vessel must be able to leave the slip and travel out to the middle of the channel and back on its own power.

I checked out several marinas, and I am convinced that I will have to bang on doors in person, and use every networking skill I have to find a slip. But I have time.

There are a couple of marinas in New Rochelle, and the marinas here are said to be extremely well protected during storms. Excellent access to Manhattan via the Metronorth trains.

City Island looks like a great spot, however, there is a high tourist population, which might be a nuisance to some. I figure I would fit right in . A broker from the area said that City Island can become uncomfortable in a noreaster, due to a heavy storm surge. He said the island doesn't provide as much protection as you might expect. Good access to Manhattan via bus and subway, but not as convenient as New Rochelle. There is an elementary school on the island.

Port Washington is just a bit South of City Island and New Rochelle. The Capri Marina is located there. Have not called yet - tired of out and out rejection for one day. I think they reject you first just to see how much gumption you have. While there is mass transit access to Manhattan, I am told it takes quite a bit longer to get downtown.

[Sandero]

I think you need to be persistent and showing your face and maybe a deposit might be an inducement. There may be a 20% rule, but I have never seen any enforcement types around. I remember standing around looking at the sky when a young fellow pulled into the marina looking to move his liveaboard situation from the Hudson over to "my marina" and it's been 4 years and he's still there. I don't even know if he takes the boat out. One old guy was so old he could barely get on and off and finally moved to a nursing home!

The squeeky wheel gets oiled. Squeek!

jef
sv shiva

[hellosailor]

Swabb-
"Apparently an ordinance was passed a few years ago which limits marinas to a 20% liveaboard ratio. " Perhaps in one town or country, but remember you are looking at multiple towns, counties, and states. There's no such rule over the entire "LIS" around.

" I am convinced that I will have to bang on doors in person," Yep. Living aboard is a dirty little secret here, try to make sure the local landowners and taxpayers don't here it from your lips.

"New Rochelle, and the marinas here are said to be extremely well protected during storms. " And some down in Echo Bay as well. Some of the routes out involve carefully rock walking, plenty of room but not to be done without care and charts. "Excellent access to Manhattan via the Metronorth trains." Yes, and parts of NR are also known as rough parts of town after dark.

"City Island looks like a great spot, however, there is a high tourist population, which might be a nuisance to some." As long as you don't need to step onto the island from 9AM to midnight on any summer weekend, no problem.<G> During those hours main street simply fills, and it is "one car must leave before the next car can get on the island". Gets a bit ugly, and getting into the city means a hike, or bus, to the end of the subway line. Neither very attractive late at night, sorry to say.

So, just check out the local lay of the land, and your own confort zones, before believing the pretty pictures. Come into the city, rent a car, see 'em all for yourself. And maybe scoot over to the NJ side as well.

"The Capri Marina is located there." Totally different county and town.<G> Arguably a better neighborhood and if you can afford the prices, possibly the deluxe choice, if the term can be applied. Once you get to the LIRR station, it's another easy commute into NYC.

If you are working in NYC, City Island is the only one of these where your residence will be NYC. There may be tax considerations to working in NYC and living in the other counties. (Dunno.)

Then there's also Gateway Marina in Brooklyn, down Flatbush Avenue from the subways and across from Floyd Bennet Field. Probably also worth a visit while you are here, although "local access" is more to the Atlantic than the LIS.

[swabbmob]

Hellosailor and Defjef,
Your encouragement is very much appreciated. Your ideas are really enabling me to get into the geography of the area, so that is a real benefit. I'll have a great mental picture before I ever get there. I studied the East River from Throgs Neck on through NY Harbor yesterday. Figured out where Hell Gate is, read the threads on that. Got real excited when I saw a Maptech chartbook from Nantucket to Sandy Hook. There is a lot to explore there.

On the job side, things are progressing very fast (man, they must be really hurting for people!). I could be in NYC as soon as December. My wife will stay in Kansas City through May. So we have several months to get everything sold. I trust that it will fall into place - including a marina home.

I really look forward to meeting each of you. Our boat dock friends at our current lake are some of the best folks we've ever met - I expect you to be the same.

[swabbmob]

My wife, 2 youngest sons and I made a trip to NYC this past weekend and had a ball. We have decided to take the job transfer and move to NY . I will start in January, and she and the kids will join in June. We plan on selling most everything, but putting some furniture in storage.

What we found in NY - We spent 13 hours driving along both the North and south shores of Long Island sound looking at Marinas. We saw many charming marinas, and quite a few with somewhat ferocious looking surrounding neighborhoods. The one we fell in love with was Port Washington, just a few miles to the East of Laguardia. The marina was very friendly toward liveaboards (actually most were) and we made a point of being very upfront about our intentions.

The Port Washington train to NY is about 1.5 miles from the marina - not sure if I have the cajones to actually ride a bike back and forth .

We are super excited about the area and the proximity to some of the best cruising in the world. Thanks for all the advice and offline assistance from you folks.

Now I've got to sell my current boat and figure out how and when to find a hidden treasure - 45 to 50 feet with 3 staterooms and 2 heads and at least 1 separate shower.

[hellosailor]

Oh darn, and here I'd completely forgotten to mention the marina behind the fuel oil plant up the Bronx or Saw Mill River, in the most unlikely location next to the parkway leading down to the WhiteStone Bridge. (Talk about locations...UGH!) <G>

For a 1.5m commute to the train, a moped or small motorbike might work. There's Ghost Motorcycles right in PW...I make no comment on the rumours of how they sometimes get their stock.[VBG]

[swabbmob]

I'm pretty sure we visited that marina in the Bronx (or one like it) and I had to scoot my wife out of there fast or this whole idea was going to go up in smoke.