Docking Recommendations at or Near the Connecticut River Mouth

Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
My wife and I are considering a move from our home in Michigan to East Haddam CT, I am looking for recommendations for docking / mooring at or near the mouth of the Connecticut river.
I would imagine that the closer I am to the mouth of the river or just off Long Island sound will determine the pricing.
Any and all advice is certainly welcome, thanks in advance for your insights.
 
Sep 20, 2006
155
Hunter 49 Mystic CT
East Hadam is a beautiful town. Look into the brewers marinas in Essex. About six miles up from the mouth of the river. I would also look into places east of the river like New London or Mystic. East haddam is on the east side of the river and all the marinas are on the west side.
 
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Dec 23, 2016
191
Catalina 27 Clinton CT
OK there are a few marinas on the river in Old Saybrook. The two problems are they are unprotected from the swell on Long Island Sound and he wakes. No one honors the no wake zones. You would be better off looking at either Westbrook or Clinton. I am at Cedar Island Marina in Clinton and have nothing but good to say about them.
 
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Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
Brewers is now safe harbor marinas. They have quite a few and most are top notch.
It’s already quite a trip to the three Brewers marinas on the river, which are all clumped together, out to the sound. I think I would rather travel a few miles by car rather than be further inland with my sail boat. Brewers Essex, Dauntless and other Dauntless marinas are all exceptional.
 
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Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
Thank-you kindly for all your suggestions it appears that there are plenty of marinas out there, I was wondering also about Thames YC anyone have any thoughts on that location?
 

RobG

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Jun 2, 2004
335
Ericson 28 Noank, Ct
I'm with Brezzin. South of Essex the marinas are at the end of the CT river and are almost all filled with power boats. The marinas straggle RT95 which looms far overhead and is very noisy, and your still north of the railroad bridge.
Thames YC has Electric Boat, a barge terminal and Pfizer across from it and is subject to almost continuous ferry wakes. Not my cup of tea anyway. A little more east is the Mystic River with many nice marinas and from Noank Shipyard working north you can choose your level of protection from the chunk that can happen occasionally with the perfect fetch direction of a prolonged blow. I've been at Noank Shipyard for 14 years and wouldn't be anywhere else. The location and view is fantastic.
Also agree East Haddam is a really nice town that time forgot. You have several routs from there to the Mystic river, all less than an hour. Good luck!
 
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Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
Brewers Pilot Point is probably a great compromise. It’s a really quick trip in and out, friends can meet up and anchor behind Duck Island. There is great sailing from there, depending on how long your boats legs are, you can hit Block Island, Montauck or perhaps the Vineyard. Check on safe harbors web pages about their members card that allows free stays at other safe habor marinas or half price stays when you run out of those, it’s a cruisers dream.
 
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NYSail

.
Jan 6, 2006
3,048
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
I must say I second uncledom.... bought
My boat from a guy who kept it at brewers pilot point marina and they could not have been better. Marina is clean, full service, great restaurants walking distance and people are great..... they can’t do enough for you. Ask for kip and tell him I sent you.
 
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Sep 20, 2006
155
Hunter 49 Mystic CT
I crew on a boat out of the Thames YC for Wed night races. Nice place, good people, low cost moorings but I agree totally with RobG, not a place to spend the night on the boat.
 
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Aug 7, 2013
48
O'day 39' 25th Anniversary Mystic, CT
Greetings from East Hampton, CT., which is the next town over from E. Haddam!!!!! The Admiral and I winter Faster Horses up the CT river in Portland,CT, which provides us with a great shake down cruise on the river each year in late spring/early summer. We always transient at Old Lyme Marina, which is on the east side of the CT river in a well protected, but small and narrow cove. It is on the same side of the river as E. Haddam, and therefore a quick ride to and from. You will find that it is a small marina, quiet aside from the highway bridge noise, which never bothers me. The area around the marina provides the essentials within walking distance. After an over night in Old Lyme, we sail to the Mystic river for the summer, where I would recommend checking out Mystic Shipyard (west) or Brewers' on the Mystic river. Here is a picture of a car fire on the highway bridge that I could see from Old Lyme Marina and FH on the bulkhead at Old Lyme
If I can assist you anymore, please feel free to contact me.
Always happy to help another sailor!!!!
 

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Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
@FasterHorses my wife and I were there last week to check out the house, we are still in the decision process, we also have lots of time to make that decision. Just love the area it is so very scenic, we are planning to spend a couple of weeks there in June at which time we will also be checking out some to the marinas in the area as well as sprucing up the house. (how we have come about this house is a long story)
It will take some time to adjust to the sticker shock of keeping a boat in the area, will have to rework my budgets that is for sure!
I fully appreciate all the input thus far from the good folks here on this wonderful forum.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
I crew on a boat out of the Thames YC for Wed night races. Nice place, good people, low cost moorings but I agree totally with RobG, not a place to spend the night on the boat.
Would this be due to noise or motion? Motion I can deal with, noise not so much.
 
Sep 20, 2006
155
Hunter 49 Mystic CT
All motion. The ferrys are the worst. The plus side is it’s a short sail to west harbor on fishers island which is a great place to anchor for the night.