Crossing The Race, Long Island Sound

[Sailfish466]

Does anyone have a suggestion as to where is the safest and easiest area to cross through The Race in Long Island Sound? And is it a different area based on ebb vs flood? I'm in a 27' Walk around with twin 200's (Triton 2690 WA) so power is not the issue, I just know the rips can be rough and at times dangerous.

[CaptTom]

Like most places, anywhere in the Sound is going to be snotty when any significant wind opposes the current. The Race is no different. With your boat, the current is otherwise not an issue.

Depending on your destination and starting point, Fisher's Island Sound can be a better option. Going to/from the North, it also saves some miles. Again, look at wind and current and base your route on those. For example, transiting the Sound you can sometimes get in the lee of one shore or the other if there's a North or South wind. Not so much E or W winds. Charts are your friend. Grounding on the rocky ledges here is nothing like a soft grounding on a sand bar!

[Sailfish466]

Ill be crossing N to S and of course returning the opposite.

[Orion Jim]

The strongest rip is on the eastern side adjacent to Race Rock. If you stay west of Valiant Rock you will be in the shallow portion of the Race and you will avoid most of the commercial traffic. The ebb vs. flood will not be an issue.

[cottonsail]

I've always used the Fishers Island sound route.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Like most places, anywhere in the Sound is going to be snotty when any significant wind opposes the current. The Race is no different. With your boat, the current is otherwise not an issue.

Depending on your destination and starting point, Fisher's Island Sound can be a better option. Going to/from the North, it also saves some miles. Again, look at wind and current and base your route on those. For example, transiting the Sound you can sometimes get in the lee of one shore or the other if there's a North or South wind. Not so much E or W winds. Charts are your friend. Grounding on the rocky ledges here is nothing like a soft grounding on a sand bar!

The Race is hardly the same. It’s x10.
Everything else you wrote is true, in my experience. To the OP- you have plenty of power and speed to overcome the current, but the standing waves and washing machine type confused waves can provide an interesting experience. Bottom line- avoid going when wind and current oppose each other, especially if the winds are above about 7 knots.

[Hudson Force]

We always passed by on the north side of Fishers Island; careful with the rocks by the Watch Hill Light; then fairly close to Point Judith and on to Buzzard's Bay.

Of course we were notoriously slow cruisers so this was usually after a stop at Mattituck and a stay in the anchorage at Napatee Beach, some time at Block Island and Newport. This means that our trip of a couple weeks or more could be a short piece of your afternoon.

[cottonsail]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

We always passed by on the north side of Fishers Island; careful with the rocks by the Watch Hill Light; then fairly close to Point Judith and on to Buzzard's Bay.

Of course we were notoriously slow cruisers so this was usually after a stop at Mattituck and a stay in the anchorage at Napatee Beach, some time at Block Island and Newport. This means that our trip of a couple weeks or more could be a short piece of your afternoon.

I can not miss stopping at Noah's in Stonington Ct.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by cottonsail

I can not miss stopping at Noah's in Stonington Ct.

'and there's always this possibility, -some clue to a new place that I've never heard of! It's wonderful that there is always more.

[Sailfish466]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

The strongest rip is on the eastern side adjacent to Race Rock. If you stay west of Valiant Rock you will be in the shallow portion of the Race and you will avoid most of the commercial traffic. The ebb vs. flood will not be an issue.

The specificity of, "west of valient" is what I was looking for, thank you. Attached is my proposed route (red line) from New London to Sag Harbor, NY. I have fished the Race and we always stay out of the rips as a rule, I just never thought about crossing until recently. I guess I can target slack tide also, but that may be inconvenient.

[Time2Go]

I have crossed the race many times
and have always gone with the tide.
It can get gnarly, Since you are transiting NS
not EW , Make you life easy and go at slack
+ or - one hour. ( rule of 12’s) and you will be fine
You can always just juice the throttle and be done
with it in maybe 5 to 10 minutes
Cheers
Neil

[Sailfish466]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

I have crossed the race many times
and have always gone with the tide.
It can get gnarly, Since you are transiting NS
not EW , Make you life easy and go at slack
+ or - one hour. ( rule of 12’s) and you will be fine
You can always just juice the throttle and be done
with it in maybe 5 to 10 minutes
Cheers
Neil

Slack it will be +/- 1h and West of Valient. That gives me a 2-3 hour window and at slack I can juice the throttle (always fun).

Thank you all

[bensolomon]

I have done both Fishers island and Lords passage. Timing with the tide is key, power not withstanding. Both are not difficult, but.....watch the rocks. They're hard to see at certain sun angles.

[psk125]

Originally Posted by cottonsail

I can not miss stopping at Noah's in Stonington Ct.

Make reservations about a week ahead. They've turned us away twice in the last two months (parties of three, and four) when we weren't able to make a reservation beforehand. Stonington is becoming less attractive, with mooring rates at Dodson's almost as high as a tie-up at the yacht club, and service and attitude at Dodson's less than stellar.