OK folks need some help, I am a newbie who may want to get a small sailboat and sale in the Delaware Bay, I understand it's not everyone cup of tea but that's what I got. it is literally my backyard , I have no desire to drive the SB somewhere that is better for sailing. So one I am thinking on the smaller side boat under 25 feet, I am on the Jersey side and have a marina in my town, Fortescue I will not be trailing this boat, it will go in and out once a year is the plan ( that's in my head anyway) , I do not have a tow vehicle but have plenty of neighbors who can get it in and out once a year. My side of the bay is very shallow and does not see any boat barge or container traffic. There are plenty of power boats but almost no sail boats , could be a reason for that but I have no desire for a power boat. I am looking for the Honda civic of boats if that makes sense, it will mostly be me by myself is my guess. say budget of 10K max, I am in no rush to get a boat so I have time to be picky . I can take some lessons next summer and go from there, I have next to no sailing experience btw. SO am I crazy and if not what is the best boat for a shallow open water Bay like the Delaware. Thanks for the help.
AM I crazy to sail in the Delaware Bay
- Thread starter Sethc30
- Start date
Depends on what kind of sailing you want to do. If you are looking to cruise and find interesting places to anchor, Delaware Bay would not be my first choice. On the other hand if you are interested mostly in day sailing and maybe a short cruise to Cape May, Lewes, or up to the C&D canal, you would be fine.
To get the most enjoyment you will have to learn the tides and currents. There are times and places where the currents can be quite strong, ~3 knots. In a boat that can only go 4-5 knots this is not much fun if you are going against the tide. Also you will have to watch for wind against current and the waves, again this is pretty predictable.
There are shallow areas you will need to learn. Get a navigation program that runs on a tablet to take with you. Aquamaps is a good and affordable program.
I think Delaware Bay gets its bad rap from cruisers going down to the Chesapeake. If you get the tides, currents, and winds wrong, it can be a miserable slog up or down the bay. On a good day it is just a long boring day. Do watch out for commercial traffic and freighters going down the channel.
Most importantly, get out there and sail!
To get the most enjoyment you will have to learn the tides and currents. There are times and places where the currents can be quite strong, ~3 knots. In a boat that can only go 4-5 knots this is not much fun if you are going against the tide. Also you will have to watch for wind against current and the waves, again this is pretty predictable.
There are shallow areas you will need to learn. Get a navigation program that runs on a tablet to take with you. Aquamaps is a good and affordable program.
I think Delaware Bay gets its bad rap from cruisers going down to the Chesapeake. If you get the tides, currents, and winds wrong, it can be a miserable slog up or down the bay. On a good day it is just a long boring day. Do watch out for commercial traffic and freighters going down the channel.
Most importantly, get out there and sail!
Thanks for the reply, I do think I am more the day sailer around the bay, w maybe one trip a season to Lewes being my max. the one good thing about the bay where I am is there are good charts and it was recently dredged so it deeper and I have a marina 1/2 a mile from my home. , I hope to get out there, just trying to figure out the best boat to do it with and the best way to learn the knowledge I can from land.
My experience on the Delaware Bay was less than pleasant, mostly due to the biting flies. It was a constant battle with a fly swatter and they drew blood. I'm guessing it was the lack of wind and the particular time of the year so hopefully that was a one-off experience. If you're going to day sail or short trips like Dave said and the occasional short cruise it might be fine. The main thing is "get your feet wet" and you might decide you like it or the worst case is you find a better place to keep your boat and drive a little to sail it.
I can't comment on Delaware Bay. I have no experience there. But, I can say this:
If you get the itch to get a boat and sail, you will probably only regret it if you don't have a go at it. Maybe you'll hate it and end up selling the boat and vowing to never sail again. But, you'll know. As the prophet Captain Ron says:
If you get the itch to get a boat and sail, you will probably only regret it if you don't have a go at it. Maybe you'll hate it and end up selling the boat and vowing to never sail again. But, you'll know. As the prophet Captain Ron says: