Sailing LI (Huntington) to Catskill. NEED ADVICE! Zero experience.

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danm1

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Oct 5, 2013
202
Hunter 356 Mamaroneck, NY
I disagree, respectfully, with aiming for slack tide at midday at Hell Gate. I have made this trip several times and have always tried to ride a fair current as suggested by the offshoreblue rule of thumb I linked above. That means leaving Port Washington friday around 5 a.m. and passing under the Throgs Neck Bridge around 5:30.
Also, as others mentioned, bring a chart or have one on a tablet and be sure to pass west of Roosevelt Island.
 
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martensonpassingwind

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Jun 29, 2025
10
Hunter 25.5 Catskill
Okay, we are actually going to be travelling Saturday morning instead of Friday to give us an extra day. Everyone! We have a call scheduled tonight with someone that has been sailing for many years who is going to help us create our navigation plan. Will let yall know what we come up with!
 
dLj

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
4,398
Belliure 41 Back in the Chesapeake
martensonpassingwind said:
Alright! So we 100 percent have to go in when ebb is coming in after slack. THANK YOU!
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Terminology can gets us stuck sometimes.

There is slack high tide and slack low tide. These are the inflection points of the tide where the currents are at close to 0 as possible. It's where the tide turns from coming in, flood, and going out, ebb.

You go through Hells Gate as close to slack high tide as possible. I would not go through on a boat your size at much more than about 15 minutes of either side of slack high tide.

Forget going through Hells gate at slack low tide. You hit the tide coming in going down the East River. Your boat probably won't even make it down the East river all the way before you will be SOG = 0 or maybe even in negative numbers - meaning being pushed back up te river towards Hells Gate.

Hitting Hells gate at slack high tide means after going through (and yes stay to the right - the tip of Roosevelt Island is right after going through) you will then get the tide going out and you will shoot down the East River - it's actually really fun! Watch for water taxis and all sorts of boats, it's a busy river. But it will be fine.

dj
 
shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
7,555
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I hope I don’t have to say this to this group but make sure you are looking at current tables and not tide tables. They can differ significantly. Eldridge is the Bible on this.
 
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dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
12,905
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
@shemandr is correct. Current changes lag tide changes by anywhere from a few minutes to nearly an hour. Eldridge has a good explanation on why this happens. Eldridge is a great publication, its only about $20 at a marine store.

When I've done the East River from East to West, I try to hit the Throggs Neck Bridge at tide change (not current). There would be a brief period of low adverse current and slack water, before the fun kicked, 6 knots through the water 11-12 knots over ground. Yahoo!
 
PaulK

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,401
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
NOAA puts high tide at the Throggs Neck Bridge at 06h07 on 05JUL. Tide Predictions - NOAA Tides & Currents Following @dlochner's advice that means it will be light enough to see when you leave Port Washington. That is a good thing because there will likely be a number of tugs, barges and tows waiting there for the tide change. Stay clear of them. They may not see you. They will probably not be eager to chat on the radio. They will be going a lot faster than you (eight knots to your four) and have great difficulty maneuvering. Sometimes they lose control and the barges destroy the piers they hit. https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/06/...r-shattered-in-east-river-hitandrun-case.html
 
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dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
12,905
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
PaulK said:
NOAA puts high tide at the Throggs Neck Bridge at 06h07 on 05JUL. Tide Predictions - NOAA Tides & Currents Following @dlochner's advice that means it will be light enough to see when you leave Port Washington. That is a good thing because there will likely be a number of tugs, barges and tows waiting there for the tide change. Stay clear of them. They may not see you. They will probably not be eager to chat on the radio. They will be going a lot faster than you (eight knots to your four) and have great difficulty maneuvering. Sometimes they lose control and the barges destroy the piers they hit. https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/06/...r-shattered-in-east-river-hitandrun-case.html
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When going through NYC Harbor, I've noticed commercial vessels don't respond on channel 16 and use horns to signal their intentions. It would be wise to know what those signals mean.

Actually, I've found commercial vessels anywhere don't respond on channel 16.
 
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TimFromLI

TimFromLI

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Jan 7, 2014
444
Beneteau 45F5 51551 Port Jefferson
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martensonpassingwind

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Jun 29, 2025
10
Hunter 25.5 Catskill
Yep, thats what i used to take a look at the time I need to be at throggs neck. Now that we have our plan in place I'm feeling a lot more confident about this. I appreciate everyone's input, its been so so so helpful!
 
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Project_Mayhem

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Sep 24, 2018
3,389
Catalina 30 MKIII Chicago
I'd hire a captain. There's a lot that someone without experience won't know. Mistakes can be costly both to your wallet and overall sailing experience. You don't know what you don't know
 
BarryL

BarryL

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May 21, 2004
1,066
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hello,

I suggest you buy the Navionics app for your IOS or Android device (make sure the device has a GPS). That will show you the tide and currents including speed and direction for many many locations. You can select the date and time and see how it changes.

IMHO you should try and time your departure so you end up at the Battery at low tide. If you do that correctly you will ride down the east river with a favorable current and then up the hudson river with a favorably current. It will not help you to head down the east river at max ebb only to run into the hudson river with a very foul current.

I've made the trip from the Long Island sound to NY harbor more times than I can remember. Note that the area by the south st. seaport is just crazy. Ferries, helicopters, tour boats, commercial vessels, bridges, etc. It's really something!

good luck on your trip.

Barry
 
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martensonpassingwind

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Jun 29, 2025
10
Hunter 25.5 Catskill
Project_Mayhem, we are prepared and have all the apps we need, along with our float plan, contingency plans, and really, the trip is super long for a sailboat, but by vehicle we are only a few hours from home and have friends on standby to help if needed. I have confidence in what we are capable of, and will not be hiring a captain :)

Barry L, that is our EXACT plan. To get to the Battery by low tide. Super excited! Was scared and nervous before we had all the logistics in place, but now I'm feeling really great about the expedition.
 
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jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,110
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Put the plan together. Execute the plan. Have an outlet plan in case circumstances change.

Go for it.
 
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