Winter “Stay aboard” in NYC

[Eben Rose]

Does anyone have insider information about over winter “stay aboard” options for NYC? I am on the 13-year wait list for the public 79th St. Boat Basin marina, but it is a 13-year wait! I am looking at 2022-23 winter stay-aboard and understand that “live aboard” options are prohibited in the NYC area (hence careful wording of seasonal over winter “stay aboard”). I have a Hunter 30. Thanks for your comments!

[bensolomon]

Check out liberty marina in Jersey city. There are a few marinas clustered together on that side of the river, but I don't know all the names.

[Eben Rose]

Thank you, bensolomon, for your rapid reply. I did inquire at Liberty. They seem accommodating to stay-aboards but have a high price tag at ~$10,000. Still, are they as accommodating as they seem for stay aboards? Does anyone on this thread have experience with Liberty?

[Maldwin]

Liberty would actually be better than 79St because there would be less motion from wakes.

[skipmac]

Very few options right in or close to the city and all I've looked at were ridiculous expensive.

If you want even vaguely affordable you need to go farther afield.

Have you looked at City Island, Port Washington or Staten Island?

[Capt ScubaDave]

Had Stay-aboards near me at Wright Island Marina in New Rochelle. City Island is a bit closer, but may still fall under NYC restrictions, as might Staten Island.

Good luck

Capt ScubaDave

[ArmyDaveNY]

There are two or three marinas right across the old canal, just north of Liberty Marina. One has an RV Park adjacent to the Marina and, for NYC, decent facilities.

www.LibertyHarborMarina.com

Their prices are better than Liberty Landing and their facilities are reasonably decent for the NYC area. I have used their facilities including haul out, and they are pretty easy to deal with.

I have never been told or heard that live aboard people are not allowed in the NYC area. That is usually on a marina by marina basis.

Are you self sufficient or do you require a slip? Also, when you say NYC, do you need to be in the city or will the adjacent boroughs such as Queens or Brooklyn work for you? I ask be cause outside of the city, aka Manhattan, the options increase greatly. Also, just up the Hudson, the Sound, or in NJ there are options and it can actually be faster and safer to take the train (Hudson North, LIRR, or NJ Transit) or ferry.

Finally, what is the purpose of wintering in NYC? Is this for work, family, play, etc? If you have a chance, PM me and I will give you my phone number and we can chat.

[Larry Florida]

I'm curious how you will heat a 30 ft Hunter in winter. I have a 30 ft also. NY winters would be too cold for me. I have a house in NY and still go to Florida for the winter.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Larry Florida

I'm curious how you will heat a 30 ft Hunter in winter. I have a 30 ft also. NY winters would be too cold for me. I have a house in NY and still go to Florida for the winter.

Heating a boat in the winter is not hard as there are many options. If the boat is in a marina, one option is using an electric heater. I have done this and most often the 30A pedestal was more than sufficient.

I prefer other methods though, such as solid fuel (coal, wood, etc.) or diesel. Typically a diesel heater doesn't use much fuel and even a larger boat will only use around a gallon a day. Each system has its advantages and disadvantages of course. Also, there are some things one can do with not too much effort to insulate the boat. Perhaps the most common and easiest is to use a boat cover. Those really make a surprising difference.

Keep in mind too that NYC winters don't really get cold. If you want cold, check out Montana, the Dakotas, etc. It can get rather a bit beyond brisk!

EDIT: Whenever I type more than one paragraph, I get multiple lines between the paragraphs, which I then edit out. Is anyone able to suggest a way to get rid of this?

[NorthCoastJoe]

Staying warm is doable I would think, but how do you deal with the water around you freezing a foot deep or more?

As a kid, I remember Barnegat Bay freezing and walking across it several times.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by NorthCoastJoe

Staying warm is doable I would think, but how do you deal with the water around you freezing a foot deep or more?

As a kid, I remember Barnegat Bay freezing and walking across it several times.

This is usually not an issue, at least for now, however a lot depends upon where one is. On the Hudson, some marinas are more exposed to current and waves. Those that are more protect have more to think about as they are more prone to icing. The ice however almost never gets that thick and a more traditional hull is far less at risk than a power boat since they tend to ride up on the ice. More important, at a marina there are often bubble makers. It is salt or brackish water so it takes a long cold spell to create ice.

[ngatti]

It may be worth it to join the Nyack Yacht Club for a year. Google them up for the cost deets.

Haverstraw Marina is a little further up the Hudson and have recently changed owners, so I don’t know their live aboard policy.

I assume you have explored possible City Island options.

Good Luck

[Cadence]

Someone else mentioned Staten Island, Great Kills harbor, my parents lived aboard there for a no. of years. There was a marina on the Jersey City side of Port Newark, as I recall it was by a stadium, it may even have had stadium in it's name.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by ngatti

It may be worth it to join the Nyack Yacht Club for a year. Google them up for the cost deets.

Haverstraw Marina is a little further up the Hudson and have recently changed owners, so I don’t know their live aboard policy.

I assume you have explored possible City Island options.

Good Luck

These are two very good suggestions, depending upon why you want to winter here. Haverstraw marina is very nice however if you need one, it is not conveniently near a train station.

A friend of mine lives aboard his boat in Sheepshead Bay and the Rockaways. In the winter, he typically moves to the marina in the Rockaways due to it being easier than being on a mooring. Also, his slip fee is only $300 a month! Plus he has electricity.

Yacht clubs are often a very affordable way of living aboard as they offer facilities. It should be noted that many, if not most, suspend their tender service during the winter. This will require you to either borrow a slip if they have one, or use your dinghy to get to shore. It isn't a big deal really, even in the winter, but there is the convenience factor.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Someone else mentioned Staten Island, Great Kills harbor, my parents lived aboard there for a no. of years. There was a marina on the Jersey City side of Port Newark, as I recall it was by a stadium, it may even have had stadium in it's name.

Cadence reminded me of a highly overlooked place called Perth Amboy. It has a city marina that was rebuilt a few years after hurricane Sandy and is quite nice. There is also a decent restaurant right next to it. It is just a 30 minute or so train ride into the city in case you need to go there. While many think of Perth Amboy as just another depressed rust belt town, there are some nice areas. It is not crowded, and a favorite place of mine is the Flatiron Bar which just reopened. GREAT burgers and inexpensive food and drinks; easy to walk or ride to also. Additionally, they have a very active yacht club.