Opinions on Barnegat Bay 2013

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Ward H

Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,833
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
As this is our first full season sailing and first full season in a marina, I was wondering how others feel the season is starting out.
At our marina there are few boats in the slips. Maybe 25%. Seems slow to me since last year this time when I took my ASA course and the bay had plenty of boats and the marina that the course was out of was full. In our marina there was minimal damage from Sandy to boats but alot of boats are still on the hard.
Did the lousy March and April weather delay getting boats ready? (It did in my case)
Are people nervous about what might be in the water?
Are they taking the year off to repair damage to boats and homes?
Not replacing boats lost or damaged by Sandy?

One old guy says most of his friends are not launching this year and he expects weekends on the bay to be quiet.

Any opinions?
 
shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
8,005
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Probably a bit of all of the above.
The cold weather has yards around here behind. The weather will turn and everyone will put the ASAP notice on. Sandy did a number on the area. And yes we are going out with a little caution - buoys are off station and there's stuff in the water, most of it not floating but some are.
 
T

tommays

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Oct 2, 2006
1,517
Jboat J24 commack
I am in and sailing as of Sunday and it took every trick I learned in the last 40 something years to work around this springs weather

My reward so far is 37 degrees tonight and another rainy weekend coming up :)
 
knot smart

knot smart

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Feb 8, 2013
92
beneteau 352 Raritan Bay
Im launching into Raritan bay .. the boat yard is so busy its just taking a long time.. but the truth is even when I do get it in the water ill be mooring at RYC and theyre not even ready.. but I don't care, ill shuttle myself back and forth in my own dingy.. RYC members lost about 40-50 boats which is about 20%.. I have family in ocean beach and cant imagine how many people lost theyre boats on the island. I think youre right, should be light traffic this year
 
jimmcgee

jimmcgee

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Feb 26, 2008
603
Catalina 30 Marathon, FL
I'd agree with Andy, it's a little bit of everything. I'm still doing repairs (unrelated to Sandy) and have to drop my mast yet to replace my wind sensor before launch.

What we heard through Silver Cloud is that from the Tom's River bridge south conditions on the bay are supposed to be pretty good. North of the bridge there is supposed to still be debris in the water. I also heard on the dock that Tices Shoal is now knee deep way out into the bay. I've heard it repeated often but haven't yet talked to anyone who was there so take that part with a grain of salt.

I think you're sailing out of Mariners so you should be OK. Just feel your way out the channel, especially around the municipal pier where there was already some shoaling.

In the 30's tonight, take extra blankets if you're anchoring out!
 
njsail

njsail

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Feb 18, 2010
216
Bavaria Ocean 40 CC Forked River
I think the cold weather has everyone still in hibernation. A lot of boats are not in yet. I hope to launch soon. Bottom is painted and hull is waxed. My guess is the cold weather has more to do with it than any other reason. Just my opinion.
 
oceansail0

oceansail0

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Feb 9, 2007
35
Freedom 21 Forked River, NJ
I just purchased a Freedom 21from the "sandy fleet" at the farmindale airport yard. I plan on having the damage repaired by May 31 and launched the next week. After 45 years of sailing the Barnegat bay and Toms river, a little wet weather will not stop me.
SEE YOU ON THE BAY SOON!
 
All U Get

All U Get

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Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Hi,
We had a call by a sailor from NJ who had his Catalina 27 slam into his house during Sandy. He's looking for a Catalina 30 with 4 foot draft to sail. While coming into Cape May last week we saw a green marker mid-channel at the end of the breakwater. The next morning we left at dawn and "no marker". An hour later a fisherman reported being tied onto the marker up the beach. Two hours later USCG reported the marker missing. I can understand why some may choose not to go boating this year in NJ.
All U Get
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,432
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I don't know about everybody else but with a rising cost of living and stagnant wages, not to mention the glut of people who STILL need work, I'm working my ass off trying to stay above water and don't have much time for hobbies. Since Sandy, the work has been inexhaustible and impatience is now the norm. I've also been overwhelmed with a lot of the site improvements/repairs around my house since the storms we had last fall. Plus, I took on some improvements for my boat, caused my own delays through indecision and am not even thinking about when my boat may be in the water.
 
oceansail0

oceansail0

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Feb 9, 2007
35
Freedom 21 Forked River, NJ
Launch day is this Saturday. You could never tell my freedom 21 was severely damaged in SS Sandy. Still looking for an outboard and may have to get a tow down the Forked River to the Barnegat Bay. If the wind is right I will attempt a no power launch. Once I am on the Bay I may never set foot on land again. It has been over 5 years since last I sailed due to the economy.
See you around the Bay y'all!
 
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