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Hell Gate Transit - Advice Needed

6K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  Roger Long 
#1 ·
I will be delivering my Sabre 34 from Annapolis to Long Island Sound this weekend. In doing so, I will be going through Lower/Upper NY Harbor, East River, Hell Gate, etc. I'm an experienced sailor and navigator, but I know this is a tricky piece of water and would welcome any advice regarding the timing of currents through Hell Gate especially. I am planning on arriving in NY harbor vicinity @12:00am Monday morning (6/10). My vessel does roughly 5.5 kt under power, single screw.
 
#2 ·
You must make the trip with the current as it peaks out above 6 knots in some places

I would NOT do it in the dark as there is always flotsam in the river and mucho commercial traffic that does not have much sailboat patience
 
#15 ·
I would NOT do it in the dark ..
I'll second that. I have a lot of urban night boating experience and went with two crew who had made the trip before, one of them in the dark. Never again.

OTOH do not obsess about hitting Hell Gate right at slack. The turbulence is greatly over rated. Unless you have a clumsy and slow turning boat just get reasonably close and be sure you have a fair current going up the river.
 
#4 ·
I made the exact same trip about the same time last year. Eldridges is your go to source for info. Don't try to time getting through at slack, go with the flow this way if you are early or late you won't have an issue.

We anchored around Sandy Hook in Horseshoe Cove and timed it from there. Give yourself some time to do a drive by at the Statue of Liberty.

Keep your radio handy and keep a sharp lookout for commercial traffic. Once you into the East River the confusion of tons commercial traffic, choppers, etc starts to ease off and you can enjoy the ride. You might have a tug or something running the current with you but we didn't see much other than that.

The only other issue we had was not noticing any place for fuel. We motored most of the way from Atlantic City and motored all the way through to LIS. We had just enough diesel to get to City Island so it was not an issue. However, if I had noticed a place we would have stopped just to be on the safe side. I'm sure there are places but finding one and pulling in will probably affect your timing.

Have a fun, safe trip.
 
#5 · (Edited)
The important thing to recognize is that the problem is not just Hell's Gate but the entire transit. The current is significant from the lower end of the East River to the Whitestone/Throgs Neck Bridge. Thus the trick is to enter at slack or near slack when the current is going to turn favorable. At your speed you will make it almost the way before it turns unfavorable again.

Notes -
1) I would not do this at night - lots of anchored vessels, lots of water traffic, a lot of shipping traffic in the East River, lots of lights - easy to get confused.
2) Do not try in adverse winds. Going north when the wind is from the north in the East River gives new meaning to the term mixmaster.
3) When you get to Randal's Island note the sign "Welcome to Randal's Island" on the old ferry dock (they built a bridge.) Randal's Island is the New York City prison. I find "Welcome" ironic."
 
#6 ·
Fuel....Cheapest fuel in three states is at Atlantic Highlands, also can stop at Liberty Landing next to the statue of Liberty

If what you wrote is that you are arriving at NY harbor at 12 midnight, Id go down to Atlantic Highlands and await the tide change. Leave there at 6 AM and you will sweep up through the NY Harbor and then East River with the current to the LI Sound by noon. Current starts running against you at 11:30 PM June Ninth

Hell Gate is not as imposing as you think, just want to not run against the tide that's all. The tugs and barges general run 1 hour either side of slack tide so I would avoid that. As you turn the corner from the East River to go through Hell gate just give any other vessels in that turn room.

Looking south through Hell Gate. In the distance is the East River bank

Roosevelt Island close to Hell Gate..note SOG. we have hit speeds as high as 13.4

 
#7 ·
Hell Gate is not as imposing as you think, just want to not run against the tide that's all.
The danger of Hell Gate is so over rated. Since the OP is an experienced sailor, it would be easy for him with some common sense. I would advise the OP takes his camera and enjoy the sight of NYC skyline. Hell..... if the current is going to right direction, I would motor at night.

We lost our engine 1.5 nm from Hell Gate going south a few years ago. We raised our sails and steered over to the side and dropped the anchor, and called Towboat. We ended up at a Marina in City Island for 2 days. Well.... It is not like driving a 911 at 120 mph with only one or two microsecond to make your decision. No big deal.

East River is the only place I don't mind to motor. Enjoy the view. I know I will never get tired of seeing it over and over again.

Have a safe trip. :)
 
#8 ·
I agree with RockDawg and Chef to sail. We did in our Oday 272LE bringing it from Lindenhurst when we purchased it to our mooring in Setauket Harbor by Port Jefferson. Id plan to motor at least from the battery till u pass Rikers and if i remember correctly time it so you arrive at the battery two hours before the tide. Check Eldriges to be exact or search Hellgate on this forum to be exact.A nice stop after is the Brewers Yard in SeaCliff LI. Cool town with nice pubs and resturants all walking distance. Youll pass one of the Brothers islands. Google it. Fascinating history. The river gets kinda stanky north of the Manhatten bridge and obviously give the commercial traffic a wide berth.
 
#10 ·
The android ap "Currents" works fantastic for scoping out currents in places like this.

We like to have 2 vhf radios, one on 16 and one on 13. Make a security call on 13 before Hell Gate. It's a blind corner. The harbor below the battery is more difficult than the Gate, watch for the ferries. Consider going behind governors island to avoid the ferry terminal if you are coming through during weekday rush hour
 
#12 ·
Just a heads up... I would double check ( call for) diesel fuel availability in the Atlantic Highlands, I believe that they may be temporarily closed. I'm not sure if Great Kills is open yet either..Liberty landing may have diesel. I'm being told that Atlantic Highlands YC will not be renting mooring balls this season. You can anchor as always, but launch service may be limited. You might just want to drop a hook in horseshoe cove behind sandy hook until 6 a.m. weather permitting. I'll know more about fuel stops as the week goes on.

With regard to Hell Gate and the east river..... If coming from the south..I generally cross over to the right side of the main hudson river channel and stay east of the channel toward the bay ridge anchorage and either hug the anchorage or cut through it and take Buttermilk Channel ( behind Governor's island) to access the east river. Unless you feel you need a close up of the Statue. Make sure you keep Roosevelt island to your starboard going up river. Have a great trip..
 
#13 ·
Just a heads up... I would double check ( call for) diesel fuel availability in the Atlantic Highlands, I believe that they may be temporarily closed. I'm not sure if Great Kills is open yet either..Liberty landing may have diesel. I'm being told that Atlantic Highlands YC will not be renting mooring balls this season. You can anchor as always, but launch service may be limited. You might just want to drop a hook in horseshoe cove behind sandy hook until 6 a.m. weather permitting. I'll know more about fuel stops as the week goes on.
Thanks for the head up. Keep us informed about the marina situations. We will try again this year to move my friend's Passport up to RI or Maine.
 
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