Vacation in Long Island Sound - Cape Cod - Boat Ramp
 

All,

looking to trailer 31 foot Sonic to the Montauk NY or eastern CT area and find a good marina and deep water ramp to launch boat and leave Truck and trailer for 3-4 days while we tour around buzzards bay, marthas vineyard etc?

Anyone have any experience doing so or suggestions?

Thanks Tom

(also welcome any tips on good places to stay on water or places to drive by for sightseeing too!!)

I don't know the ramps in Eastern CT, but I do launch my 46' boat without issue at the state ramp in Old Saybrook, CT. Leaving the truck/trailer across the street in the dirt lot under the bridge/highway wouldn't be an issue either... and it's free. Montauk is about a 25 mile ride by boat from there and Block Island is about 40 miles. Greenport LI is another popular destination in the area, it's 22 miles from the ramp.

You might also want to post this in the New England section, I'm sure some of the eastern CT/RI/MA guys can offer other options.

BTW, Marthas Vineyard and Buzzards Bay is probably 90 miles or so from Old Saybrook, CT. If that's where you're headed, you might want to consider leaving out of RI or MA. Let us know what area you're going to be going through and I'm sure we can give you some decent destination along the way.

One last thought, inside LIS you'll have no issues with a 31 Sonic, but once in the open unprotected waters outside of the shelter of LIS, BI, MV, etc, you'll want to watch the weather and conditions. It's not uncommon to see 4'-6' rollers on an average day in the open water outside of LIS, and it can get a lot worse with high winds or stormy weather. Inside LIS it's typically 1'-2' chop.

Excellant Feedback - thanks, we have been to Greenport and Block so this time trying to stay on the north side - thinking of Hyannis, possibly Nantucket (conditions permitting) and then returning to Buzzards Bay

Thanks again - Tom

Agree, launch out of Old Saybrook and shoot across through Plum Gut to run around between the forks. Sag Harbor would be a nice stop, so would Montauk. Good luck with Nantucket, make sure of the conditions before that trip!

You're in some of the best waters in America!!

If that's the case I would start much closer to that area rather than leaving from CT. From the Old Saybrook area you're looking at traveling 90+ miles, much of which would be in unprotected water... and as I mentioned, a 31 Sonic might be a little scary if conditions aren't right. Hopefully the MA guys can chime in, but I would think leaving out of somewhere like Fairhaven, MA would be safer and save you a ton of money in fuel. From Fairhaven you're in Buzzards Bay, about 20 miles from MV, and only about 50 miles to Nantucket... plus you could hit a lot of the southern shore of the Cape if you were inclined to do so.

If you decide to hit Nantucket, I think you'd be fine if you watch the marine forecast and pick your day. The water is also typically much calmer early in the AM or later in the evening. I wouldn't think twice about making that trip in a 31 Sonic if the marine forecast looked good and I was leaving early.