Question for ocean boaters. Supposed to pick up my 31' Pursuit tomorrow I purchased last Nov. Kept it in Freeport LI for the winter, boat is ready for delivery now. I don't do much ocean boating, 90% of it is Long Island Sound which can chop up really good at times but if it's too bad I can just turn around, not so easy tomorrow since we have to get a car service going out to drop us off, don't want to have to come back in and hire another one, it's going to rack up some $$ if I can even get one.

Boat is going to my home port in CT. We're bringing it about 25+ miles in the ocean to NY Harbor then up to the Sound, not really worried about rounding the corner into the harbor, just the ocean, about 90 miles, 25+ or so in the ocean. Going out of Jones Inlet which I know nothing about either.

So the question is, should I run it? I know LIS waves at 4'+ are short and hard hitting, don't know much about ocean running in that. Today is small craft warnings, 4-6, sitting down to 4's late tonight, 4's tomorrow with a E to NE wind. My experience with marine forecasts is usually they're conservative, 4's means at least 4's with bigger holes.

Any South Shore boaters with experience that can chime in? Ocean boaters? It's pretty much the forecast the entire week too.

We boat in Long Island sound…but south shore is a different animal. Only recommendation would be to do a sunrise or sunset cruise when wind is gone and ocean has flattened out…if that isn’t a thing on the south shore. You may have to trailer it.

I doesn't have a trailer and if it did I sold my truck. We're going to reschedule for Tuesday which is 3's + holes. I have to be careful with the tides with the inlet so early or late doesn't work either But thanks. I'm going cautious, never piloted this boat, don't know much about it, going to go conservative.

First question, what's the draft on that boat? I don't think you have to worry about tides.

The ocean can kick up pretty good. From my reading here, not nearly as much as lake mead or the great lakes.

I was always cautious of the weather when I took my 28 Velocity out in the ocean I would think this time of year the waves will be more close together (rough) than the rollers.

From freeport to Jones inlet is a straight/short ride. You can get some good rollers coming into jones inlet. When you get past them, it usually won't be as bad BUT it can be rough.

You could stay inside and leave freeport and head west to the rockaway inlet. I would say that's about 10 miles but it is 5mph for parts of it and will take more time.

Look at hells gate on youtube if you never heard of it. Depending on the tide difference between the ocean and sound, it can get pretty crazy there. My first time going through it, I thought there were rocks in the water by all the turbulence. I was going about 30mph against it and the back of the boat was fish tailing all over as I we staring at the gps depths that were 50+ feet. I was like wth??

Than as you know the sound can get pretty rough. If your lucky you will be going with the waves at this point.

Also when you go under troggs neck Bridge, stay to the left of the light house. There are rocks on the right side.

My home ports are typically oyster bay, wantagh and freeport to launch from.

Which marina is the boat in?

Draft is a tad under 3', it's a Pursuit 295DC, 31'9" LOA, twin Yamaha 300s

Been through Hell Gate many times, East River, Sound et al. Hell Gate is weird, sometimes it's like a bath tub sometimes like HELL. Sort of like Plum Gut. Been on the Sound for 35+ years so I'm ok when I'm "home". I checked LIS forecast and it's ok.

Might think about running inside to Rockaway but have heard it's got a lot of shifting sands, are there channel markers? I pretty much have the day so if I have to 5mph it for a ways I'm ok, would rather not get clobbered with a new boat.

Regarding Oyster Bay, I've been in The Sand Hole about 5 million times but not West Harbor, how's that for day anchoring? Thinking of exploring it sometime.

Home marina is Total Marine which is right next to Rex, west side of Norwalk Harbor.

Thanks

A lot of it depends on the wind. I would look at the marine wind forecast (not the land forecast), and try to go when the wind is down, which is usually early morning. I would also look at the NOAA buoy reports. Sometimes the forecasts are not accurate. If you look at the buoy reports, you can get a good idea of the current conditions.

The other thing to look for is the "swell" and the "wind waves" in the forecasts. Swell spaced far enough apart is not a problem. In fact, swell can be fun. Wind waves (also known as chop) on the other hand can be miserable.

Good luck!

^ Agree. For ocean running, I always worry more about wind speed and direction versus forecast swell size.

I’ve regretted forcing my schedule to make me cruise in a small craft advisory. Not worth it. Cost me a $2200 cracked windshield.

I would travel west down Reynolds’s channel and take Rockaway inlet. Would take off a few miles of ocean running. I’m not super familiar with the south shore ,but I have done that run about a dozen times, Jones inlet is a tough inlet.

What Tom said... take Reynold's channel to ER inlet.
High tide is about 10:20am.
May be a bit snotty coming around Breezy Pt toward the Verranzano.
Jones and ER have been dredged and are well marked now.
But you'll definitely save yourself some ocean time by running east to ER.