Nantucket Sound " just passing through"

[ramminjammin]

I'll be charting a course through Nantucket sound to Nova Scotia in a couple of weeks. My draft is about two and a half feet , width 24 feet , length 40 feet


I have been using the active captain site , and it looks like keeping to the the north side of vinyard sound is the shortest route, as i will be bearing up north once i clear monomoy shoals

it looks like a channel just off monomoy point where i can pass through into the gulf of maine.

Any local knowledge would be appreciated

thanks

[Bene505]

Any reason to not use the Cape Cod Canal? Doing that would keep you in protected waters longer.

Regards,
Brad

[ramminjammin]

Brad

I hadn't thought about that .
I didn't know it was there to be honest.

I looked it up on the chart doh

thanks
looks like a good route :>

[rwy36]

Originally Posted by ramminjammin

Any local knowledge would be appreciated

You may want to consider picking up a copy of Eldridge's Tide and Pilot Book which might help you avoid opposing tides and perhaps take some advantage of fair ones. Eldridge is available at Defender or West Marine (and probably other marine outlets as well). It's important to be aware that the tidal strength can be significant through the New England area, and particularly near Martha's Vineyard Sound, Woods Hole and the Cape Cod Canal.

In my view, care should always be taken to be mindful of the tides and how the weather (e.g. brisk opposing winds) might be interacting with them, or how navigation plans (e.g. target time of arrival) might possibly be influenced.

Best of luck with your journey,

Bill

[sailingdog]

The Cape Cod Canal requires you to motor IIRC.

The problem with the whole Monomoy area is that the sand bars shift constantly, and local knowledge is pretty key. I would recommend going east while south of Handkerchief Shoal and northeast to Pollack Rip and the Pollack Rip Channel. Then you've got a pretty clear shot north, but I recommend crossing the VTS shipping channel that runs NW-SE just NE of Pollack Rip Channel as quickly as possible.

Eldridge is a necessity. Also, I would recommend getting The Cruising Guide to the New England Coast for the trip.

[ramminjammin]

thanks sailingdog and rwy 36
i appreciate your help

I have been using the opencpn program with the noaa charts , it has
current and tide information so I will try to get a handle on that

I have also been reading that i will have to be aware of tides coming up through new york too.

[sailingdog]

Be very aware that entering the CCC with a southwest wind can be a very interesting experience.. even in a boat as large as yours. Even a fairly light SW wind can result in 10'+ standing waves and a washing machine like environment at the Buzzards Bay entrance to the CCC.

[KindOfBlue]

I find that as long as you don't go against the current, the standing waves at the west end of the CCC are not so bad. Going east, once you pass under the railroad bridge, you are past the worst of it. The rest of it is just fast motoring. Stay to the right as there can be large container barges under tow, so you want to pass them port to port. Monitor channel 13. Everything is very well marked, but it can get foggy (although once in the guts of canal the fog always seems to go away).

[xxuxx]

One of the fastest routes I've often used is the Lagerhorn Channel. Makes for a smooth passing regardless of wind direction IMHO

[sailingfool]

Originally Posted by xxuxx

One of the fastest routes I've often used is the Lagerhorn Channel. Makes for a smooth passing regardless of wind direction IMHO

OK, I'll bite...where is the Lagerhorn Channel?