# Hudson River Cuise



## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

Hello,

In July ''02 I am planning a cruise from Stonington, CT up the Hudson River to Catskill, NY.

My route will take me to the Hudson via LI Sound to the East River then up the Harlem River.

I am looking for information from anyone who has made this trip or a similar one.

I have plenty of boating experience, but I am new to sailing (I have completed the ASA courses in sailing and navigation). This spring I will be getting alot of shakedown time before embarking on my trip.

Rob Gallagher 
C&C 30 "Trysail" 
Pawcatuck CT


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## SHIMSHON (Jan 30, 2001)

Great Trip but why not do it in the fall with the change of leaves--very pretty, especially Hudson Valley area (West Point to Tivoli Bay) You will find very little wind at that time of year and it will be very hot and humid. I don''t think you want to go through the Harlem River since there are special requirements and advance notification for bridge openings. Go down the East River and around The Battery and then up the Hudson--get to see a lot more ie. UN Plaza, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, South Street Seaport etc. Watch out for the ferry boats when going around the Battery. Lots of Marinas and plenty of anchorages. You should have reservations at the Marinas. Neat places--Bear Mountain, Garrison, Cold Spring, West Point, Norrie Point Marina,Roundout Creek (Kingston). Any other questions?just ask. There is also a very eclectic group of boats and people who usually stay at the 79th Street Boat Basin in the Hudson River-you might want to reserve a mooring there and it is a good stoping point going from the Sound and around lower Manhattan before preceeding up the Hudson (it is south of the GW Bridge).


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

Hi Shimshon,
Thanks for the reply. My first plan was to go down around the battery, now I think I will go back to that plan. I make 3 trips (usually by car) every summer to stay near Catskill NY with friends. I can plan my cruise as late as september. I would like to use the motor as little as possible (or not at all!). Do you think September will give me better winds upriver? Do any really great marinas come to mind?

I''m guessing 2 days from the Battery to Caskill. Is this realistic considering light winds and current?

It''s going to be a long winter 

Thanks again for your reply!


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## SHIMSHON (Jan 30, 2001)

September should present you with some better opportunities for sailing. As I mentioned before, Norrie Point is a nice place to stay (aprox. 11 miles north of Poughkeepsie). If you are not adverse to anchoring-- just north of Cold Spring on the east side of the Hudson is a nice little cove with a view of the Storm King Mountains.
There is also a small marina in Garrison that you might want to consider. Garrison is a neat little village to stroll around in. Cold Spring has a great restaurant called the Hudson House that you might want to try.
A lttle farther north from Cold Spring and on the west side of the Hudson is the Cornwall Yacht Club which will take transients if they have the room--not much else there though. Good Luck!! In response to your question regarding time--if you pushed and motored most of the way, you could probably make it in two days. But you are talking about some long days since it is aproximately 75 miles from the Battery to Saugerties (Catskill). I think you would miss an awful lot that the Hudson has to offer.


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

Hello Shimshon,

I will be allowing plenty of time to enjoy the hudson. But, because I will be meeting friends in Catskill, I might head strait up then take my time on the return trip. It depends on my schedule. The information you have provided will be very helpful. Thanks again for you input.

It''s 70 degrees and sunny today, I''m wishing my boat was still in the water.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

My father is a member of Nyack Boat Club in Nyack, NY. about 1/2 mile north of the Tappan Zee Bridge on the west shore. 
The NBC website has info and links pertaining to this stretch of the Hudson.

http://www.serve.com/jfmorris/nyack.html
Enjoy the trip,
V.Landers Jr. Cal28 (unnamed)


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

One more link of information for your Hudson River trip.

http://www.boatingonthehudson.com


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## halyardz (Sep 2, 2000)

We produced a video cruising guide for the
Hudson, check under videos in the sailnet
classified. Shows passage from Battery to
Troy and all the major ports.


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

Thanks for the interesting websights and I will look further into the video. Any thoughts on the best cruising guide to the hudson?


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## SHIMSHON (Jan 30, 2001)

I need to correct my mail to you of 12/2/01. I gave you the distance from the Battery to Poughkeepsie. The distance to Catskill is aproximately 106miles. So, you probably have aminimum of a three day trip to get there. Sorry for the error.


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## halyardz (Sep 2, 2000)

Good points Shimshon! We usually make the
run from LI Sound, round the Battery and up
River to Kingston in two "long" days. If you
do more sailing than motoring, count yourself
very lucky and the tides DO matter.

One plan is to use the tide for a kick out
of the NYC area with a planned overnight in
Haverstraw/Stoney Pt.; next day run to Kingston, have a nice meal, and the next
morning take the run to Catskill.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Rob: We purchased our boat in Westbrook in July 2000 and set upon delivering it back to the Great Lakes. Because we were on a schedule, we stopped in Westport the first night, City Island the 2nd, did the run down the East River and around the Battery on day 3, making it all the way up to Haverstraw where there is a HUGE marina. Day 4 took us to Roundout Creek and day 5 got us to Troy. Needless to say, once off the Sound, we motored to keep up this pace and not be held up by the tides. Going around Manhattan was fascinating and virtually the entire stretch of the Hudson was quite scenic, especially the Catskills. Hells Gate was no problem at slack tide.


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

Every time I plan to sail, I have delusions of never starting the motor 

Has anyone attempted to get up the Catskill Creek with a sailboat? The chart is not to clear as to the depth (I need 5 ft). It seems like it might get shallow about halfway up.

If possible I would like to tie up in Catskill for a week. (I will be staying with friends in nearby Palenville). I know there are marinas there and I have seen larger power boats and catamarans, but I don''t recall seeing anything with a keel.


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## halyardz (Sep 2, 2000)

Rob,the farther north on the Hudson you get,
the fewer sailboats (for obvious reasons). There are a couple of sailboat friendly marinas in Catskill. With any of the channels (Kingston, Saugerties, Catskill) plan to motor in as the wind dies due to being blocked by terrain most of the time.

If you plan to be on the boat at least half
the time, I''d do the driving tradeoff and
keep the boat in Kingston....try Hideaway,
Rondout Yachtbasin or Certified as they are
close to the shore facilities and have nice
amenities. There are a number of marinas up
the creek but are far from the action and
require auto for convenience. You can always
run up to Catskill for a few days.


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

Several times during the summer I meet friends in Palenville NY. They own 2 cabins up in the mountains. I usually drive up, but decided next year to combine a cruise/camping/golfing trip.
People laugh at me when I tell them I can''t wait to play golf when I go camping. Wait till they here I will be packing my golf clubs on my sailboat to go camping and hiking in the mountains.

I believe the closest marina is in Catskill and I want to be able to check my boat and maybe take guests out for a daysail without driving too far.

*If anyone wants to see a breathtaking waterfall, try Katterskill Falls (near hunter/palenville NY). You can hike to the bottom or drive/short walk to the top. Simply amazing!!


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

[No message]


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Guess you plan on hitting th course in Woodstock? 

BTW..I LOVE Katterskill Falls!


Astarte


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hi- We''re planning a trip also this summer, but the reverse of yours. I''m a Nyack Boat Club member, with a 300 lb. mooring. If interested, I can make this available to you, which includes launch service to the club. I can also give you some ''local knowledge, if we speak.
Additionally, I am looking for accomodations for my 30'' Ericson, for a few weeks even for a month. Will be willing to rent.

Like to hear from you.
Randy Mirque
(845) 735-1115


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

Hi- Sounds like a good idea. I am now thinking about later in the summer but my time frame isn''t set yet. I will have to check the rules of my yard, but maybe we could swap moorings for 3 weeks or so. My boat will be Moored in Noank CT this season. Noank (part of Mystic CT)is located at the mouth of the Mystic River. It''s a no frills marina, no launch or pool etc, but the location is great. If you find the Mystic Harbor on a chart you will see Noank and Morgan point. My boat will be moored on the East side of Morgan Point. I work at one of the area casino''s and my hours are late, so it might take me a few days to call you. My email is [email protected]

Talk to you soon.


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## HUGOSALT (Jun 15, 2004)

Hi guys...if anyone still out there...planing trip up Hudson
3rd week in Oct....any local knowledge/experience re: winds and weather would be appreciated, hoping to go as far as Athens/Hudson area. Maybe leave boat for a week and come back down Halloween weekend. 
Will I be doing any sailing? or mostly motor/sailing?
Suggestions for marina if we leave boat?
Any train stations along east side of river walking distance
from marinas/town docks to pick up or drop off crew?
Any input appreciated...boat is 30' with 4'2' draft
Thanks in advance...Hugo


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## AlanBrown (Dec 20, 2007)

No public marinas in either Hudson or Athens that I can recall. I suggest you contact Catskill Marina or Hopponose to see if they will still be accepting transients. October is the time of year they begin removing their docks for the winter. They are located across from one another on Catskill Creek.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Tarrytown marina is right by the train station. Many of the eastern shore towns on the Hudson are convenient to their train stations from the river as the tracks often go right along the river.
In addition to October being the time of year they begin removing docks, it is also usually the time of year that the leaves start changing color. I would like to do a similar trip going only as far as Beacon; perhaps in mid-October or earlier.
Traveling up river with the tide is the way to go. You can be fighting a 2 knot current if you go against the tide.
Commercial traffic (tugs etc.) monitor vhf ch. 13 I believe.
"The Cruising Guide to the New England Coast" has a section devoted to the marinas on the Hudson.
Good luck, have fun and stay warm.


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## HUGOSALT (Jun 15, 2004)

How rude of me...Thank you both...never made it up the river last year...will try again this fall...thanks again. Hugo


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