Sailing through Hell Gate NY

cmendoza · #1 (**permalink**) 05-05-2003

Evening all.
My wife and I are planning a trip from Milford Connecticut to Nyack NY sometime within the next week or two in our Catalina 30. The plan is to spend the first day traveling towards Manhattan, stay overnight in City Island go through Hell Gate during slack tide, around Manhattan and up the Hudson to Nyack the next day.

This is our first time and while we have our GPS, Chart-plotter, and more paper charts than you can shack a stick at, we have no experience and would appreciate any and all advice… including suggestions for the overnight anchorage, restaurants, etc.

Thanks in advance,

Carlos

HHJ · #2 (**permalink**) 05-05-2003

Hell Gate is a breeze (no pun intended) as long as you''re in sync with the currents. You want to get to it at slack, ebb begins. The current will then take you all the way to the Battery. Make sure you take the channel west of Roosevelt Island.

City Island is a great place to stop and wait for your moment; it''s about an hour from the Gate. There are 4 Yacht Clubs on the western shore of the island and I believe all have guest moorings.

I''m prejudiced (since I''m a member) but I prefer Stuyvesant Y.C. They monitor channel 72, have a bar/restaurant, shower facilities and 24-hour launch service. You can also reach them at 718-885-9840.

If you prefer, it''s an easy 10 minute walk from Stuyvesant''s dock to the main drag where you''ll find restaurants - seafood and others - galore. I highly recommend Rhodes'' as both a restaurant and a good place for a few drinks.

Contact me off-line if you like for more info.

Hans
s/v Hesper
two.onoak@verizon.net

HHJ · #3 (**permalink**) 05-05-2003

Carlos

Sorry, I just realized your note said "in the next WEEK or two". This early in the season, Stuyvesant''s restaurant is only open on weekends and the launch isn''t 24-hours. Otherwise, everything else I said applies.

Hans

bubb2 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-05-2003

I live and sail out of Tarrytown Ny on the Hudson. I have made the trip to long island sound and back many times. The tides times will dictate where and when and if you might want to stop as this trip can be made in a day. I would sugest you be at the Throgs Neck bridge 2 hours after low tide. As the rising tide will carry you through Hells Gate and to the Battery at an extra 4 to 5 knots. I have done it with a VMG of 11 1/2 knots. Works the same going back be at the Battery 2 hours after low tide and let it carry you back through. If i were going to take 2 days to do the trip i would stop at Liberty Landing Marina, Jersey side of the Hudson across from Manhatten. Look for the Collgate clock. Free 4 hour dock and dine tie up and restaurant on site. If the overnite forcast is good i would move out and anchor next and behind Liberty Island(Statue of Liberty). The lights of Manhatten, the glow of Lady Liberty''s torch and the harbor traffic will be your company for the evening. While you are there say a little prayer for her as Liberty needs all the help she can get these days. Next morning catch the incoming tide and your be in Nyack in just a few hours. Regards Bubba

maestro · #5 (**permalink**) 05-06-2003

there''s always the 79th street boat basin in Manhattan....cheap ( but you''re on a mooring and need your own dink to go ashore.)

Enjoy the Hudson...I love it

Mike C.
s/v "Maestro"

HHJ · #6 (**permalink**) 05-06-2003

Uh, Bubba -- the rising tide flows UP the East River, from the Battery to Hell Gate and beyond. You definately DO NOT want to fight that.

bubb2 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-06-2003

dear hhj
please read your tide tables. the differance between tides at the battery and the throgs neck are 3 1/2 to 4 hours. you can ride the incoming tide from the throgs neck bridge and reach hells gate at slack and ride the out going to the battery. just so you can check my facts on may 10 2003 the afternoon low at the throgs neck 1:02pm. enter 2 hours later and the rising tide will help push you to hells gate. the afternoon low at the battery is 4:11 pm. once at hells gate the ebb tide will carry you to battery. the point where these 2 tides meet can be rough water so goes the name hells gate. as a coast guard capt. 100 ton/100 mile offshore with 30 years experance and after reading your profile i have a word of advice for you. stick with racing around your backyard buoy''s and leave the tide tables to us cruiser''s. regards bubba

cmendoza · #8 (**permalink**) 05-06-2003

Thanks folks... appreciate the advice.

HHJ · #9 (**permalink**) 05-07-2003

Bubba:
With all due respect for your experience and credentials, no one is immune from making a mistake. You''re quite right, there is a 3-4 hour difference between tides at the Battery and Throg''s Neck. Heading west from Throg''s Neck 2 hours after local low tide puts you about 5 hours after low at the Battery. At that time, Eldridge shows you fighting a 1.2 - 1.8 kts contrary current in the East River (Bronx section) and 3.8 kts contrary at Hell Gate. As the man said, "You can look it up." If there''s a fault in how I''m reading the book I would appreciate being shown the error since I do often rely on it. Thanks. HHJ

cmendoza · #10 (**permalink**) 05-21-2003

Well folks, sailing through Hell Gate was a breeze...

Dodging the ferries on the Hudson the following morning... now that was another story!

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice and let everyone know we had a great trip... approximately 9 hours from Milford CT to the Newport Marina in Jersey City... Nothing like exiting the East River and setting eyes on Lady Liberty!

An overnight stay and then another 5 hours to Haverstraw NY the following morning.

Again, thanks... Carlos