# Sailing Community - Cape May NJ



## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

I've recently purchased my first sailboat. She's currently on Long Island but my plan is to get her to my summer home in Cape May NJ by June. Sailboats appear to be more the exception then the rule in Cape May and the local Marinas are polite but not entirely enthusiastic or knowledgeable about sailboats. The local Yacht club has not been much help yet either. I need to find a place to dock or moor her for the summer. If anyone has any information on the best place to dock an Ericson 28+ with 5'6" keel I'd be appreciative of any advice and local color. Also any links to the local sailing community would be great!

Thanks


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Murphy,

The last three summers I spent one month at Utschs Marina. There are a fair amount of sailboats there. Cape May is made up of mostly power boats and tournement fishing boats. Rough sailing in Delaware Bay also...home of the square wave.

Do not even go to the Canyon Club across from Utschs. Its made up of 50ft+ power behemoths. We went over there witrh our 35ft C&C and some jerk with a cigar and no lie a 70 foot wave maker was washing his boat at the pumpout station and refused to move saying "sailboaters had no business there". Poetic justice was seeing him being towed back in the inlet when we were on our way out sailing. I just tipped my hat to him and blew my horn.

Dave


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Southern New Jersey seems to be power boat heaven. Maybe because of the fishing. You may have some issues with your draft. There is a lot of thin water in the area. Look at a chart of the great bay and check out the water depths. You may want to look at Delaware bay. Many of the rivers that empty into the Delaware would be ok for your draft.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

No problem getting in, out and around Cape May with your draft. Lousy place to keep a sailboat though. I second the Utsch's nominations AND I almost lost my last sailboat on the rocks at the Canyon Club when trying to get out of a slip against the current...I ditto the stay away recomendation!!


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

Much appreciated! This is an excellent site. I'll be on it often.


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

PS
If you sent me a PM I'll reply once I figure out how. Apparently there are restritions on newbies like me.


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

Ok I'll bite. Have heard the reference to the "square wave" a couple of times.

Googled it:

A square wave is a kind of non-sinusoidal waveform, most typically encountered in electronics and signal processing.

Obviously there is an alternative sailing definition?


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Murph...you need 10 posts before you can PM and provide links. You're almost there!

Square Waves in sailing simply refer to the short, steep and uncomfortable waves that form in shallow waters especially where tide opposes the wind. 
This happens in the Delaware and makes 20 knots of winds against the tidal flow much less comfortable than being at sea in the same conditions.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Murph,
I tried to get a slip in Canyon Club and they didn't want me in my opinion. Probably because I don't buy gas. Glad I didn't end up there. I've ended up in Longport. Utchs is a fine marina as others have said. I would try there. There is also a marina on the other side of the drawbridge that would be good for you. Two mile something or other I think.


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## blowinstink (Sep 3, 2007)

Hey Murph -
I sent you a PM since I'll be in the neigborhood a bunch. Give me a shout when you get to 10! hehehe. I expect to be on a mooring this summer. Should beinteresting to see how that works out.


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

Spoke to Utchs which I think would be perfect but nothing left for this season. Two Mile landing seems to be next best alternative so I'll go and check that out thanks. Where is Longport?


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

Blowinstink
definitely would like to connect in CM this summer. will shoot you my phone number when I hit the magic 10.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

murph535 said:


> Spoke to Utchs which I think would be perfect but nothing left for this season. Two Mile landing seems to be next best alternative so I'll go and check that out thanks. Where is Longport?


Murph,
Longport is just above Ocean City on the other side of Great Egg Harbor inlet. The marina I'll be at is Seaview Harbor Marina. No cheap though. The problem I think you'll have is there are not a lot of slips in the area to start with and a bit late to be looking for one. If I remember right there were a couple of marinas off Rio Grand Ave in Wildwood but don't know if they would be suitable. Not too bad a ride from there out to Cape May inlet. let me know how you make out.


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

Utchs looks perfect but it's full for 08. Two mile landing looks like next best option so I'll check that out. thanks

Blowinstink
will be in touch. spoke to a local about the moorings last year and that is definitely worth a try. will be interested is hearing how you make out.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Murph,

Cam described the "square wave" to a T. In the Delaware Bay in the afternoon you have a predominatly SE onshore breeze which builds allafternoon in the summer from 5- 30 knots, depending on the difference beweeen the land temp and water temps. The greater the difference the greater the wind. Hot air rises so the air over the land (the hotter of the two) rises more quickly and the cooler air over the ocean rushes in under it to give the onshore breeze.

The tidal Delaware River flows up to 3.5 knots at peak tide and when it flows toward the ocean and opposes this striong wind and the bottom is shalllow ( less than 50 ft in most places) the wave form abruptly and have "almost square steep faces there. This area is known for them. We will be in Utsches this summer for a trip up to Mystic and during the month odf August.

Let me know where you end up.

Dave


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

Interesting comments about the Canyon Club... we stayed there on our trip north from Annapolis last year and had a great time. They seem to put all of the sailboats on the last dock toward the end, but the shorehands were very helpful and the guys in the office were great. We met a couple of other people bringing their boats up the coast and ended up finding how bad being hungover and pounding through heavy seas the next day work together.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Chris,
I think Canyon Club is fine for transients, there were a few there the day we stopped in. But given the shortage of berths in that area I guess they can be selective in who they give slips to. They told me they didn't have a single slip, much less one that was available, that could handle my 5'10" draft. I found that hard to believe.


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## Bermudahigh (Nov 17, 2007)

Murph, if you can travel 26 miles north, try harbor cove in somers point nj.
good liveaboard stuff, w/pool, decent food within walking distance.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Harbor Cove is also a full service facility which helps. It's a bit of a way back though. Since Seaview in Longport doesn't have haul out facilities I'm looking at Harbor Cove for winter storage next year.


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