East Coast cruise suggestions required

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I don't know why so many people think that going to NYC in a boat has to be expensive. Port Washington has mooring balls free for 2 days then $25/day after that with launch service. You can take a short train ride into the city. City Island has several yacht clubs that rent empty mooring balls to transients. Harlem yacht club had a deal 3 days for $40/day and get 4 days free. Going in at Sandy hook and up the east river is no issue at all if you time the tides right. After NYC going up Long Island sound there is plenty of deep water and no bridges.

Exactly! but out of those you mentioned, only one is NYC (city island). The others are nearby. BTW I'm not a fan of City Island anymore; it's got local color but it's run down and inconvenient to get to other places. Port Washington is the one I'd recommend, of those you mentioned.

[YARGO]

Like Cpt. Bill says go to Maine first or at least before anyplace other than lower New England. BVI to Bermuda and Bermuda to Newport are both usually fair wind passages with a possible squall or two throne in. Although May is considered a safe month for a BVI departure, i prefer mid May or early June the latest. Newport is a good port for clearing back into the US.

I like to cruise lower New England until late June and take a week or two to get to Maine which is beautiful in July and August. Sunny warm days and frequently a blanket at night. My preference on departing Maine is early September as I like to get to the Chesapeake by mid to late September.
The Chesapeake is too hot in July and August making Spring and Fall the best cruising.

But come late October, cold weather is possible so I am usually in Norfolk by then. Again i would like to mention that if you are on the Chesapeake in October, don't miss the Annapolis sailboat show early in the month.

[Badsanta]

The reason for NOT going south of the Chesapeake bay till October, is hurricane season and most insurance companies won't allow travel south till then. Its also nicer after October less bugs and heat.

[Badsanta]

Also Maine is not cold in the summer, unless swimming.

[hobopacket]

Think of stops that have big ports. Port Everglades, port of palm beach, Jacksonville, savannah ga, charleston, Wilmington nc, Norfolk, Baltimore, NYC.

[Island Time O25]

Leisurely cruising Newport, RI to Bar Harbor, Maine you will have 2 or 3 great months in the Summer. Get to Newport around mid to late May and be done with Maine by end of August and then just hop back to mid Atlantic hugging the coast in case of any storms, etc.

Another plus of this itinerary is that if you have any boat related issues which need to be addressed pronto that area is full of boat yards, facilities, helpful fellow sailors, etc. Not very cheap by most standards (except perhaps in remote areas of Maine) but you won't be stranded in the middle of nowhere either. Yet another plus would be all the fish and seafood you'd be catching or diving for and eating while on the way.

As far as stopping in NYC - unless you can afford a daily rate of about $10/ft you'd have to moor or anchor in a very inconvenient (and often not very safe) area far away from all the attractions. If you really need to see the City you'd be better off grabbing a mooring in nearby Long Island or Connecticut and catching a train or a bus for a day of sightseeing. I've had friends who cruise on very tight budget do exactly that and they were very happy with the results. In Boston you'd be able to find a mooring with launch service for about $75-90/day vs dockage rate of $4-5/ft per day. Or anchor 45-60min away by commuter rail and do the daily sightseeing thing as in NYC. Both cities have ample public transportation options ("ample" not compared to Europe but to the rest of US ) to make this alternative approach to sightseeing work well.

[98blackbell]

Miami, St Augustin, Savannah, Charleston, Cape Lookout, Cape May, Chesapeake, New York, New Port RI, Maine.

[stevenit]

WOW... let me study about this huge amount of information, really thanks!

[NormanMartin]

OK. New Idea: Build a cruise around some world renowned regattas. In the States it is a good way to observe indigenous sailing peoples in their natural habitat.

1, Antigua in April and early May for the regattas and the race to Bermuda on May 12. http://caribbean-sailing.com/wp-cont...-2017-2021.pdf

2. Bermuda to Newport in June arriving in time for Block Island Race Week. (BI is next door to Newport) Block Island Race Week

3. Around Martha's Vineyard Race Series (BI is a short hike to MV). Round the Island Race Martha's Vineyard

4. Portland Maine for the Monhegan Island Race. (Portland is a few days sail from the Vineyard) Monhegan Regatta - Portland Yacht Club

End season cruising Maine and USEC while heading back South to Caribbean.

Have too much fun!

Norm on Cape Cod

[marsh21]

NANTUCKET... no doubt, especially if you can get into the fagawi race from the cape to nantucket

[NormanMartin]

Nantucket and the FIGAWI Race: Starts May 27 in Hyannis. Set aside a grand for entry fees and dockage. It may be one of the best opportunities to see the local sailing scene at its rowdiest.

The Opera House Cup is probably way more fun. Watch a hundred classics sail.
Opera House Cup

No matter, there is plenty going on up North before heading South to check in at Annapolis, Charleston, and Ft Lauderdale!

[Jolly Roger]

I was thinking of asking the same questions as Stevenit, so I hope this helps him as well.
We will be setting out from Florida, around March. We thought we would go to the Bahamas, but it will be too hot for us by then, so we are thinking of exploring the East Coast.
I like the suggestions of getting up to New England and Maine, then coming back down the coast in the fall.
We could sail first to Bermuda, which we have done twice before, then north to New England.
So what is the best time to arrive in Maine?
When would you normally head south?
What makes it the best sailing area?
Thanks JR.

[NormanMartin]

Hello Jolly Roger:
Well "one man's opinion" follows.

The route from Florida to the North East is your call. I am an outside to Beaufort, inside to Norfolk, and outside to NY or Newport. Bermuda is nice though a bit expensive for my taste.

Maine starts to really get fun for sailors in June. It can begin to get chilly in September. The normal process is to sail directly (with the prevailing SWerlies) to your farthest point and day hop back to Portland and then straight on to Boston in one hop.

April, May, and September, October are very nice in Long Island Sound, Newport, and waters South of the Cape Cod Canal.

What makes Maine so nice? Beautiful anchorages, hip and not-at-all-hip coastal towns. The fog is a great way to take the rush out of your system. We always meet interesting cruisers sailing interesting and well found yachts.

Again, one man's opinion. Norm
if you want tp PM me, we can discuss it in more detail.

[Scott Berg]

Originally Posted by Paul L

It's an opening bascule bridge with 70ft, 22m, clearance. The opening requires calling in advance to schedule.

The East coast US will take some serious planning with your air and water drafts. While Maine is pretty cruising, the history available by the shores of the lower states is really interesting for those that don't live in the area.

Please come visit Washington DC
80'+ clearance closed in center span, opens on reservation with easily supplied notice
15'+ all way to Anchorage. Great cruiser welcome at the Capital Yacht Club. PMme for details.

[dfelsent]

Maine. And don't forget Nova Scotia with Cape Breton Island.
Boston is a fun city. 50 usd per night at Boston Waterboat Marina. No launch but right downtown and a short walk to the historic areas and some great Italian Neighborhoods. I work downtown so I am biased but I have spent a fair amount of time on a mooring there. It's a city though. Not super quiet but exciting.
Martha Vineyard, Nantucket, Block Island, Buzzards Bay, Newport. Provincetown. All just south of Boston. Long Island Sound too.
North there is Marblehead, Salem, Gloucester. Then I skip Portsmouth any as mentioned go to Portland. From there coastal hops to and from St John New Brunswick and the reversing falls and up the river. I don't recall the clearance at the bridge there though.
It's all beautiful as mentioned June to September. Quieter everywhere in June and September.
Often people wait til November to head back south due to hurricane season.