Hudson River to Chesapeake Bay

[JanB]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and I'm new to cruising. Just purchased a 27 foot tug style boat and would appreciate any advice/tips on taking it from the Hudson River to the Chesapeake Bay. I'm a newbie to all of this. Thanks!

[JimsCAL]

Usual route is down to the tip of New Jersey, up the Delaware River and then through the C&D Canal into the Chesapeake. Sounds easy, but it can be tricky.

One choice to make is going outside along the NJ coast, or inside in the Bay/ICW. With a smaller power boat, inside might be the best choice.

The trip up the Delaware River can be nasty if the wind and current are against each other. Big steep waves. Would not be fun in a 27 footer.

I am sure others that have experience in this trip will chime in.

[fourlyons]

I have done this trip many times on sailboats from 25 to 44 feet. It should not be difficult on a decent twenty something tug type power boat. Running the outside on the NJ coast is much faster and more relaxed. There is cell coverage the whole way so you can get updated weather, including weather radar, which can be helpful for evading thunder storm activity. There are inlets spaced conveniently if you want to pull in and rest. You might have to wait a day or two in Atlantic Highlands for the south wind to clock around, but it does regularly. Or run early in the morning to about noon, when the wind starts to build.

Going up the Delaware is the easier direction. The predominant wind in the summer is out of the south, when it blows against the ebb you can get short period waves. But if you are going up the Delaware that won't be a problem and if you can maintain 6 knots you can carry the flood all the way to and through the C&D, not true coming down the Delaware.

Frankly, the roughest part of the trip might be the Verrazano bridge to Sandy Hook. On a typical summer afternoon with the breeze blowing against the ebb tide, it can get pretty lumpy.