sailing LI Sound to Cape Cod

tommays · Nov 15, 2011

When would you be going ?

Benny17441 · Nov 15, 2011

Perhaps in summer and real close to shore. Swing keel vessels have an inherent weakness for sailing in open waters. When wind and waves kick up the lateral forces on the keel can be quite strong. On a swing keel it can induce lateral keel slap which if allowed to deteriorate could damage the keel trunk and perhaps cause the loss of the keel. With no ballast in large waves the boat would surely capsize. What measures could you take? 1) insure the side play on the keel is down to a minimum. 2) Make sure the keel is locked down in case of a knockdown you do not want that steel coming back into the trunk with momemtum. 3) Wait for a good weather window for the entire duration of your trip.

shemandr · Nov 15, 2011

Read The Coast of Summer by Anthony Bailey before going Have a chart available while reading

navigator97 · Nov 15, 2011

From Branford, probably closer to So. coast of CT, No. of Fischers Is., So. of RI coast, from around entrance to Sakonnet Bay angle to Cutty Hunk Is., thru Quick's Hole into Vineyard Sound, So. of Elizabeth Is. coast , and So. of Cape Cod coast to wherever on cape Cod yu wish to go.

HukilauMike · Nov 15, 2011

Mike: First, I am assuming that you will not be taking your boat around the seaward side of the Cape; that is some challenging sailing, especially for a small boat. The elbow of the Cape is known as a graveyard for boats; is it your plan to sail Mass Bay, or do you have a particular Cape destination in mind? In any case, it will take you about three days to sail from Branford to the westernmost portion of the Cape in a 22 foot boat.

I can give you some insight into what you will find along Conn and RI shores, but a lot depends on your willingness to sail at night. If you are a daytime sailor, then I suggest the following: Day 1: Branford to Groton, either the Shennecosset Yacht Club or Pine Orchard Marina. That will take you a good five to seven hours, depending on wind and tide. If you don't want to sail that far, go to Westbrook, and either anchor out behind Duck Island, or tuck into Pilot's Point Marina. Another option if you don't want to sail that far in one day is to go to Cedar Island Marina in Clinton. Day 2: from any of those options, sail to (in order of distance) Stonington, Watch Hill, or Newport. There are places to anchor in Stonington and Watch Hill; I don't know about Newport, but there are plenty of transient berthing and mooring options there. From Rhode Island, you can get to Buzzard's Bay in less than a day. I have never been there, but it is supposed to be beautiful. From what I hear, the winds are strong and the tides stronger, but the Cuttyhunk Islands are reputed to be undeveloped New England wonderlands. The Cape Cod Canal is at the eastern end of the bay, and I have been told that the currents are a beast; however, that may be the only practical way to get a 22 foot boat into Mass Bay (aside from trailering). If you have any specific questions about the places I mentioned, I'd be happy to provide more details.

NYSail · Nov 15, 2011

MikeC,

When will you be going?? Saw Benny said summer.....

Watch Hill is a great place.... so many places along the way.

Soundbounder · Nov 16, 2011

You'll need a 2012 Eldridge Tide & Current Guide. They are about $11.

I made the trip in a Bristol 24 years ago. Your biggest concern is the 20 + mile stretch from Watch Hill to Point Judith (and I don't recommend entering Pt Judith). The currents in Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound etc are another issue. You'll need to time your departures and arrivals.

This winter, spend some time familiarizing yourself with different harbors. Not just the ones you want to visit, but also ones which you may be forced to seek shelter in.
For example.....between Newport and Cuttyhunk, there are not many options. In an emergency you may need to pull into Sakonnet RI or Westport MA. It's a good idea to be somewhat familiar with these 2 harbors even if you do not plan on visiting them.