hells gate

Stu Jackson · Mar 5, 2013

You could start here from Roger's Featured Contributor's logs

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=146259

skipmac · Mar 5, 2013

Went through a couple of years back headed south. Main thing is to time your passage so you are there at slack tide or, when headed south, the perfect timing would be on the tail end of the ebb tide.

When we passed the slack tide was about 5:30 am so we got a really early start and saw only one other boat all the way down the East River. Once we reached the battery traffic, mainly ferries, really picked up.

dlewis812 · Mar 5, 2013

(hell gate)

have passed many times, as skip said if at slack there's nothing to it. i need to think it through but my initial thought would be to hit at beginning ebb so you could ride it all the way down east river.

i did go though once not at slack which is not fun especially if any other traffic.

no stopovers around hell gate or east river (or most of manhattan really). if have the time best would be to get a mooring or slip at 79th st boat basin. would see the entire city from the water. also liberty landing in NJ and take a water taxi.

dlewis812 · Mar 5, 2013

current/tide

i like to refer both navionics current/tides as well as ayetides apps

CalebD · Mar 5, 2013

Get the "Eldridge Tide & Pilot Manual". It has current charts for the East River that align the current strength to the tide cycles. With this resource it is easy to time your East River passage with the current. Going against the current in a sailboat might be futile with <= 4 knot current.

Make sure your engine is reliable as you should need it for the constriction points where the current runs the fastest. I'd recommend dropping your jib for the sake of better visibility; so you can see the vessel traffic ahead. Even if you had perfect wind for sailing the whole way I'd motor sail thru Hell Gate and past Roosevelt Island. This is where the "river" is constricted and thus the current runs quite strong and fast.

Chef2sail · Mar 5, 2013

dehler25 said:
I've sailed in traffic and I've sailed in strong current, but I've not sailed in traffic with strong current! I might be leaving the North Coast of Long Island and instead of making a long northing I would prefer to simply go south (as South I am bound), How tough is the Hell Gate passage? Is it really tight or just keeping eyes open? It looks like a squeeze on the chart given the level of traffic I would expect to see. Anyone familiar with the passage? Are there reasonable overnight stopovers for sightseeing?

Hell Gate is not that bad, you just dont want to fight the current thats all. I suggest you hit it at 1 hour after slack tide and ride it down with the extra push. We stay away from slack as thats when all the barges and tugs come through. We have ridden it at peak current also with no problem. Note I said WITH.

Liberty Landing marina next to the Statue of Liberty is an awesome place to stop for the evening with a huge unbeleiveable picturesque view of lower Manahttan. The ferry to the
Manahttan is right in the marina if you want to stay and extra day and visit the Trades Monument and downtown.

The whole ride down the east River is spectacular and only crazy onceyou hit the ferry terminals after Wall Street and South St Seaport

Entrance to Hell gate looking north (you are at the junctionof Harlem and East Rivers)

Entrance to Hell Gate looking south after passing Rikers and the Trash Transfer station

Exiting Hell Gate heading south note the UN on the starboard after the Queenboro Bridge

Chartplotter passing Roosevelt Island note 11 knot (5 knot current)

Dave

sinnettc · Mar 5, 2013

dehler25 said:
Did you use tide or current charts? I made the mistake one time going through Deception Pass using the tide table and that flat out doesn't get it, the current doesnt square with the tide.

Bet that was interesting. . .

skipmac · Mar 5, 2013

Don't remember what web site I used but googled Hell Gate and tides and found several that gave not only hi/lo tides but hours of slack water, when the direction changed and an hourly forecast of the current speed.

RAD · Mar 5, 2013

I've done it many times both directions and always with the current and found it to be a no brainier using the Eldridge Tide & Pilot Manual as my guide and as someone said be aware of the barge traffic because it can get pretty busy through there.....I monitor the radio traffic (13) so I know who's doing what.
If you catch it right youl'l get swept all the way through to the VZ bridge and you can stop at Great Kills Basin at Staten Island if you don't want to stop in the city

Chef2sail · Mar 5, 2013

RAD said:
I've done it many times both directions and always with the current and found it to be a no brainier using the Eldridge Tide & Pilot Manual as my guide and as someone said be aware of the barge traffic because it can get pretty busy through there.....I monitor the radio traffic (13) so I know who's doing what.
If you catch it right youl'l get swept all the way through to the VZ bridge and you can stop at Great Kills Basin at Staten Island if you don't want to stop in the city

Weve been swept right out New York Bay and had a few times where we started the morning early at Northport and rode the tide out the Bay and down to Barnegat by evening.

Usually we like roiding the tide out at stop in Atlantic Highlands and anchor behind the seawall before the yacht clun moorings.

RichH · Mar 5, 2013

RAD said:
I've done it many times both directions and always with the current and found it to be a no brainier using the Eldridge Tide & Pilot Manual as my guide and as someone said be aware of the barge traffic because it can get pretty busy through there.....I monitor the radio traffic (13) so I know who's doing what.
If you catch it right youl'l get swept all the way through to the VZ bridge and you can stop at Great Kills Basin at Staten Island if you don't want to stop in the city

What's the status of Great Kills after H. Sandy? .... including the ever shallowing entrance channel?
According to some friends of mine who live nearby there, the harbor got swept clean, and theres a lot of 'stuff' on the bottom that didnt get beached.

shemandr · Mar 6, 2013

Do check with Liberty Landing in NJ if you plan a stop since they got whacked by Sandy.
I found the Eldrige current table to be spot on when I planned our trip.
Make sure you go on the correct side of Roosevelt Island. The wrong side has a bridge that many sailboats won't be able to pass under.

FourPoints · Mar 6, 2013

Stu Jackson said:
You could start here from Roger's Featured Contributor's logs

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=146259

I took Roger through Hells Gate his first 2 passages, and have made about a dozen or so trips through there myself in total. It really isn't that bad if you can read the current charts. For passages South your timing depends on your ultimate destination.

If you intend on continuing South and going towards Sandy Hook NJ, you want to be leaving City Island at exactly slack current there (I use Navionics for that, look up Hart Island, but I've found it is usually a few minutes early, delay departure by 30 minutes from what it lists as slack current). You won't see too much current boost though Hells Gate, but you will have current behind you all the way to the Atlantic making for a very quick and easy passage.

If however your final destination is to go North up the Hudson, you will want to leave City Island about 2-2.5 hours before slack current at the battery, so that when you get to where the East River meets the Hudson, it should be close to slack, and then you are not fighting too much current going up the Hudson. Your ride will be much more exciting through the East River with much more current behind you, and still have an easy trip.

I have reached SOG of 10+kts in Hells Gate when going through near peak flow. The turbulence is pretty to look at, but shouldn't cause you and problems.

Also worth noting, there is no practical sailing through the East River. The winds are far too turbulent from all the skyscrapers, at most you will motor sail with the main only up, and mostly to help stabilize the boat from the ferry wakes, and to help make sure you're seen by them, and the occasional sea plane (I was nearly hit by a sea plane taking off in the East River one morning. Had I not turned hard to starboard when I first saw him, he would have likely clipped my mast).

RAD · Mar 6, 2013

RichH said:
What's the status of Great Kills after H. Sandy? .... including the ever shallowing entrance channel?
According to some friends of mine who live nearby there, the harbor got swept clean, and theres a lot of 'stuff' on the bottom that didnt get beached.

That’s a good question.....I'm sure all areas within Sandy are going to be an adventure and finding debris floating should be interesting
......the Great South Bay where I sail will probably turn up some new shoals that I hope my 4 ft draft avoids, good news is Fire Island inlet that was pretty much closed up is being dredged and they're taking the sand and pumping it onto the beaches

FourPoints · Mar 6, 2013

dehler25 said:
Are there reasonable overnight stopovers for sightseeing?

Atlantic Highlands in NJ is probably the most common overnight stop along the route. If you use the timing I mentioned above you will make the entire passage with the current on the stern.

There are not too many good spots you would want to spend the night in the East River or the Hudson heading south before you get to Atlantic Highlands. Since it can easily be made in a single day (current allowing) that's the most common trip.

With that said, some people will stop at Liberty Landing Marina on the NJ side, or of a few extra $$, Dennis Conner's North Cove on the NY side, and spend a short while visiting NYC. Be prepared for a rocky night though. I have stayed at Pier 40 Moorings a couple times before, and if you are in by the seawall it is not very rocky as the piers and the tunnel are good about blocking most wakes. I've included a link below since it's hard to find otherwise.

http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/about-us/using-your-park/marine-operations/moorings/

They do not patrol the moorings on the weekends (if ever), therefore if you show up on the weekend, and leave before 9am Monday, it is impossible to pay them. Worth noting, they do not always have pendants on the moorings though, so it is suggested you make a reservation in order to have a mooring ready, or bring your own hardware ready to attach.

Chef2sail · Mar 6, 2013

Liberty Landing has recovered from Sandy as has any damage in the Atlantic Hihghlands area.

At Atlantic HIghland I forgot to mention is one of the stops for one of the the Steak fast ferry services also to NYG. We have moored/ anchored there for a few days and used that to explore NYC/ amd Sandy Hook.

The "Gate" is not as bad as people make it out to be, just dont fight current thats all. Use the current to help you and take a camera as the ride is spectacular.

Last time through the inmates at Rikers were hooting out the windows at us.

Dave