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LI Sound vs. NY Harbor

4260 Views 39 Replies 17 Participants Last post by tempest, Dec 21, 2009

AndrewMac

Discussion Starter · Sep 21, 2009

I'm in the process of researching a place to moor a baba 40 in the new york area. We currently keep it in Maine, which is great during the summer months, but makes for a very short season. The idea would be to keep her either in the Sound (City Island, Manhasset Bay?), New Jersey or maybe somewhere off Brooklyn (I live in Brooklyn) in order to stretch the season to include April-May/June then sept-october/november - summer months would be back in Maine.

I was hoping someone could give some insight into the relative merits of L.I. Sound versus outer New York Harbor from a sailing perspective (although any ideas about harbors/mooring fields/yards would also be appreciated).

Thanks!

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tommays

· #2 · Sep 21, 2009

Late and early sailing on Long Island Sound tends to be on the cold and windy side , sure you get some great normal days BUT theres plenty of 20 knot + days

My friend keeps a boat in Whitestone right under the the Throgs Neck Bridge and when sailing in this area you really have current issues all the time compared to going a bit futher east like Manhasset Bay

AndrewMac

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 21, 2009

Thanks - it's those 20-30/35 knot days and getting a bit wet that I'm looking for! Appreciate the heads up on the currents - definitely one of the things I'm trying to figure out as i'd prefer not to throw a lot of shifting currents on top of the higher winds for now..

smackdaddy

· #4 · Sep 21, 2009

AndrewMac said:
Thanks - it's those 20-30/35 knot days and getting a bit wet that I'm looking for!

That's what I'm talking about!

When I first saw this thread I thought we had a competition on our hands!

I've hung out with some of those Long Islanders. Dudes can sail. Don't know about the Harbor guys.

CalebD

· #5 · Sep 21, 2009

Folks who sail in NY Harbor have to know what they are doing in order to deal with all the commercial traffic, currents and the occasional airplane dropping down. It is a fun place to sail but I would not want to keep my boat there just because it is always a fairly stressful situation.
LI Sound is nice because it is a fairly well protected stretch of water although the western end is fairly tight and there can be a lot of traffic there as well. As you head out east in the Sound there is a lot more sea room. Commuting to a boat on LI by car can be a bit of a PITA though.
With your boat (40' Baba) Sheepshead Bay is likely an option as well. The ocean waters outside Sheepshead Bay is known as the NY Bight and can have quite confused seas because of the 2 shorelines that are nearly at a right angle to each other.
Your call.

AndrewMac

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 21, 2009

Thanks! I had been thinking about Sheepshead Bay area, but had not heard about the New York Bight. I'm leaning towards the Sound for a lot of the reasons you mentioned - ferries/tankers/tugs/water taxis and currents, but don't want to be schlepping too far out east at the same time, so been thinking about western end of the sound and have been worried that I'll just run in to much of the same obstacles as it looks tight - don't know about the currents there...

voice3

· #7 · Sep 21, 2009

I sail my Eastward Ho 31' out of Sheepshead bay. I've heard that in general the winds are a bit stronger on the south side of LI compared to the sound. I haven't really noticed a problem with the currents, but I'm relatively new to sailing. I choose Sheepshead bay because clubs tend to be a bit less expense than the sound.

pschoonveld

· #8 · Sep 21, 2009

I would also go for being closest to home and the shortest path to air. The western end of LI sound is known as where wind goes to die. Being closer to the ocean gives more regular access to wind.

If you're south of the Verazano, the commercial traffic is a lot easier to manage. The ferries are the problems with the northern end of the harbor, much more so than tugs or freighters.

Sheepshead Bay would be my recommendation. It would be close to your house (certainly more so than City Island) and gives ready access to Raritan Bay. If you join either of the two clubs in Sheepshead Bay (Sheepshead Bay or Miramar YC), you get 6 nights of free moorings at each of the other clubs in the Interbay Association. You can see a list here:
AHYC Interbay Cruisers

AndrewMac

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 21, 2009

Great feedback - thanks.

danielgoldberg

· #10 · Sep 21, 2009

Are you daysailing or looking for easy places to go overnight? NY Harbor is an awesome place to daysail. True, there are currents and traffic, but there is plenty of room, and needless to say, the scenery is nothing short of spectacular. Also, there is wind, just about all the time.

On the other hand, if you want a home berth where you have easy options for overnights, weekends, etc., then NY Harbor and the south side of Long Island generally is not so hot. Just not that may places to go.

Long Island Sound has the virtue of being a very nice body of water that is well protected, and there are numerous good harbors with lots to do. The wind is lighter in the western sound, but one benefit to global warming is that the wind is becoming more consistent (at least it has the last two years). It's not SF Bay by any stretch, but most days you will see in excess of 10 knots. Don't underestimate the value of having a variety of good, fun, nice places to go for weekends, particularly if you have kids or a significant other that would want to do something other than go sailing for the day and then return home.

If you live in Brooklyn, I'd suggest looking for a place on the Long Island side, rather than City Island or the north shore of the Sound. You've got Manhasset Bay (Port Washington), Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Huntington or Northport, all within a reasonable driving distance, all things considered.

Good luck!

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scottyt

· #11 · Sep 22, 2009

heck i vote for keeping it on the Chesapeake bay, less than 5 hours from lower new york and its an honest 10 month year. granted 3 or 4 months have cold nights but its around 60 degree days

AndrewMac

Discussion Starter · #12 · Sep 22, 2009

Thanks for the considered input. I have been primarily a day sailor, but my father and I got Decision with the idea of taking longer trips and the north fork and CT shore do seem inviting in that regard - jersey not so much (sorry, probably just a lifelong new yorker's prejudice

). Also, you make a good point about the kids (got three - 7,5 and 4), the oldest of which is just starting to get interested in learning. As for the Chesapeake, I'd love to get down there at some point, but 5 hrs in a car ain't for me.

tweitz

· #13 · Sep 22, 2009

I second Dan Goldberg's comments. My earliest sailing was done out of Sheepshead Bay, and I later had a boat in Great Kills harbor, Staten island, both of which involve sailing in the Lower Bay. I have also sailed in the Sound quite a bit. The current and traffic need to be considered, especially in the Lower Bay, but the winds are definitely better than in the Western Sound. It is also less crowded with sailboats. The biggest plus of the Sound is the number of places to cruise within any distance from a couple of hours to multi day trips. In the Lower Bay you can sail North into the spectacular New York harbor, and a little bit to the South in the area west of Sandy Hook, but beyond Sandy Hook its the open Atlantic, and there are not so many places to go or harbors of refuge if you get caught offshore. Once about 30+ miles South of Sandy Hook, the intracoastal waterway and bays inland of the barrier islands tend to be very shallow and may not be hospitable for your boat. On the other hand, prximity of the boat to your home is an enormous plus, so there are pros and cons either way.

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voice3

· #14 · Sep 23, 2009

danielgoldberg said:
Are you daysailing or looking for easy places to go overnight? NY Harbor is an awesome place to daysail. True, there are currents and traffic, but there is plenty of room, and needless to say, the scenery is nothing short of spectacular. Also, there is wind, just about all the time.

On the other hand, if you want a home berth where you have easy options for overnights, weekends, etc., then NY Harbor and the south side of Long Island generally is not so hot. Just not that may places to go.

Long Island Sound has the virtue of being a very nice body of water that is well protected, and there are numerous good harbors with lots to do. The wind is lighter in the western sound, but one benefit to global warming is that the wind is becoming more consistent (at least it has the last two years). It's not SF Bay by any stretch, but most days you will see in excess of 10 knots. Don't underestimate the value of having a variety of good, fun, nice places to go for weekends, particularly if you have kids or a significant other that would want to do something other than go sailing for the day and then return home.

If you live in Brooklyn, I'd suggest looking for a place on the Long Island side, rather than City Island or the north shore of the Sound. You've got Manhasset Bay (Port Washington), Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Huntington or Northport, all within a reasonable driving distance, all things considered.

Good luck!

This seems like a very accurate assessment of the pros and cons of each place.

SOUNDBOUNDER

· #15 · Sep 24, 2009

scottyt said:
heck i vote for keeping it on the Chesapeake bay, less than 5 hours from lower new york and its an honest 10 month year. granted 3 or 4 months have cold nights but its around 60 degree days

"An honest 10 month year"????
C'mon now!
My experience has been that there is about a 6 week difference between the Chesapeake and the Sound. You gain about 3 weeks in both the spring and fall. Off course it depends where you are also on both bodies of water.

hardalee22

· #16 · Sep 24, 2009

Western Long Island Sound

I've been sailing out of City Island for around 6 years, and have done a bit of sailing in the harbor. Western Long Island Sound offers amazing spots to anchor from Glen Cove to Oyster Bay. It's much more relaxed sailing than NY harbor. We do have commercial traffic but nothing like the harbor.

The wind does get light in August, but the spring, early summer and fall are great. You also need to consider the possibility of having work done on your boat. The western sound offers many good riggers and you get your boat hauled in a hurry if necessary. City Island alone offers a couple good yards to have work done at.

Personally, I recommend Morris Yacht Club (I am a member) as it costs less than most other boat yards and you can still paint your bottom, and do anything else you like. Winter storage rates are low compared to the ridiculous rates being charged by many other yards. Look around though as I'm sure there are other good spots in the area.

I'd recommend paying for a month on a mooring in the western sound and try it out. You can be in NY harbor in 3 hours if you time the tides right so it will be easy to shoot down and check it out.

Good luck

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SOUNDBOUNDER

· #17 · Sep 24, 2009

[I'd recommend paying for a month on a mooring in the western sound and try it out. You can be in NY harbor in 3 hours if you time the tides right so it will be easy to shoot down and check it out.
/QUOTE]
hardalee makes a good point. With the slow economy, a lot of places will work with you right now to an extent. You can get a mooring for a reasonable rate for a month or so at some of the clubs in the western Sound. Try it out, see how you like it.

chef2sail

· #18 · Sep 24, 2009

6 weeks difference between the LI Sound sailing and the Chesapeake. I think not even close. We stop sailing in December and start up again in March.

SOUNDBOUNDER

· #19 · Sep 24, 2009

chef2sail said:
6 weeks difference between the LI Sound sailing and the Chesapeake. I think not even close. We stop sailing in December and start up again in March.

I have spent plenty of time in DC, Delaware, and Urbanna Virginia. The norm is not 60 degree days in November, December, and March.

tommays

· #20 · Sep 24, 2009

Must be me but it snows at the rehoboth delaware house

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