Virginia Beach to LI outside route

[Karen7330]

My husband and I will be taking our 1971 36-foot Grand Banks from Norfolk , VA to Long Island and would like feedback advice as to planning the route, where to dock for the night, length of trip, inlets or harbors in case we need to stop along the way. It has twin diesel Lehman engines, does about 10-12 knots and has a 4 ft. Draft. We bought it in Carolina Beach, NC and have navigated it up through Bogue inlet, up the ICW. We headed up the Chesapeake Bay and currently it's in Deltaville, VA . Since we both have work obligations, we are planning on taking a few separate weekends , weather permitting, to bring it home to Patchogue, NY. My husband is very familiar with the Great South Bay, grew up there and knows the Bay very well, plans to go through Fire Island inlet.

We are considering going back through Norfolk and taking the outside route on the Atlantic all the way up. Any feedback, suggestions, experiences about the trip , inlets, harbors, marinas , etc would be most appreciated. Also opinions about whether to continue through the Chesapeake Bay through the C&D canal, Delaware Bay, then taking the outside route by NJ to NY. At this point we are not looking for Long scenic tours, time is of the essence.

 

[psneeld]

You want to go outside or you think its faster?

At Deltaville, I would probably just continuue up to the C&D canal and do the Delaware to Cape May.

More choices staying inside.....very few outside.

 

[cappy208]

Personally I think you're going to go either out around Montauk or through city. Unless you get a spectacular 40 hour weather window that ain't likely in September.

A friend tried to take his 4.5' draft trawler in the great South Bay. He was aground more than not. Took him five hours to get back to the locks to escape. It's shoaled in greatly. Go through NY city and down sound.

The Chesapeake Bay teems with destinations and shelter. The run from the Delaware Capes to Sandy Hook is a long 14 to 16 hour day. Wait at Cape May for a decent weather window. Then once you get inside at NY city you can hop down the sound at your leisure.

 

[SaltyDawg86]

Without a doubt, C&D canal. Pop out the Del river and it's about a 14 hr run to NY.

 

[FF]

"It has twin diesel Lehman engines, does about 10-12 knots and has a 4 ft. Draft."

I doubt it has the fuel capacity to operate the distance at 12K , with out refueling

Perhaps at 6 K .

When the weather kicks up some of the pit stops become difficult.

Atlantic City is nice in great weather , but can have breakers in the inlet at times.

While inland is longer, the shorter runs between anchorages makes it a safer route.

If you can find a long enough weather window putting 5 miles out from shore would work.

 

[psneeld]

With a 36 Grand Banks, you can make it uo the NJ intracoastal waterway instead of just sitting.

Yes it is shallow and winding, but with 4 foot tides on average, you can easily travel the 6 hours around a high tide and more in certain stretches with no more isdues than any place else.

 

[eyschulman]

Another vote for inside from somebody who lived there and traveled that route often. The worse case scenario for trouble inside is soft grounding, outside you and your boat are at risk. Be prepared for green fly's and big hungry mosquitoes inside and take your time and navigate carefully. Infinite places to anchor tie up and fuel with many detailed guide books. You will not be alone inside and can join a caravan going north.

 

[psneeld]

Just had a 40 something Sundeck trawler and a 36 red hulled Grand Banks 36 pass my NJ intracoastal marina southbound this morning at high tide.

It was even decent enough to go outside yet they stayed in.

 

[Karen7330]

Keep the votes coming

Thanks so much for everyone's replies. I feel safer taking the inside route myself. Would have been smarter to have started this journey at the beginning of the summer but that's not how it played out so we have to deal with it. Being a newbie I value experiences of those who have made the journey. My husband is more confidant than I am but I think he appreciates getting other opinions as well. If anyone has gone the outside way, where are the few places one can dock if needed along the Delaware and NJ coast?

 

[psneeld]

Leaving the mouth of the Chesapeake you have...
Chincoteague....not great but follow someone in or ask to be lead in in less than great conditions. Used to have a town dock.

Ocean City, Md......pretty good inlet with several marinas.

Indian River Inlet.....not a real bad inlet but strong current. Large bay inside with a couple marinas.

And that is pretty much it with a long distance between any port in the Chesapeake till Chincoteague.

Not many optionas to pull in.

 

[Karen7330]

Thanks for your reply, will let the captain know. BTW, he told me the Grand Banks has a 3 foot draft, not 4 foot. We got into some pretty shallow areas traveling through the ICW , grounded once in Ablemarle Sound but lived to tell about it, lol!

 

[FF]

"Be prepared for green fly's and big hungry mosquitoes inside."

These are the NJ State Birds!

 

[hmason]

Having owned a GB 36 for 14 years I can tell you that running at 10 - 12 knots is an unnatural act for that boat. You'll be pushing a wall of water ahead of you, burning a ton of fuel and stressing your engines way above their comfortable load. If time is an issue you should fly/drive home and leave the boat someplace for pick up later. Trying to meet a schedule on a boat is a recipe for trouble.

I am not being negative, just realistic. Good luck.

 

[Karen7330]

Thanks for the warning!! Bug spray is on board as a staple supply. Not happy to hear about the state bird but guess it comes with the territory .. lol!!

 

[Karen7330]

Howard, thanks for your reply, greatly appreciated! We actually did drive home and are trying to plan a window of time to go back down to bring it back home . We are planning on making a few trips at a time to bring it back a little closer and will be leaving it docked for at least a week or longer depending on weather since we both have job obligations. We realize the weather factor and time of year is not the best of worlds and is something we have to contend with. We just want to get it back before the snow flies!

 

[psneeld]

You can make Jersey easily in 4 days up the Chesapeake ti Jersey.

Then another 4 all the way to Montauk if needed unless you hit very unusual weather before Thanksgiving.

Assuming long days arent a problem and that is based on my 6.3 knot average.

Now without planning tidal currents, you could be adding a big chunk of time if you hit them wrong in the canal and Delaware and East River.

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: I'm normally an outside kind of girl, but....

I'd go inside for the Chesapeake to Delaware to Cape May. The outside option we take but in faster boats is Cape Charles to Ocean City to Cape May. From Cape May on up I prefer outside. Perhaps a stopover in Atlantic City. Then from there, it's a matter of where in Long Island. If the LI Sound, for most areas in your boat, I'd go to the city and take the East River. Protected and shorter.

 

[smitty477]

Patchogue NY is typically a direct run outside from Atlantic city given a good weather window. We have made that run a number of times in either direction but choose the weather before committing. South from Atlantic city we have only traveled a few times and elected to stray inside for the trip and safety it afforded.
With the storms this year you are likely to get some really rough weather followed buy days of calm seas - if you have flexibility in planning your trips you will be fine.

 

[BandB]

Patchogue NY is typically a direct run outside from Atlantic city given a good weather window. We have made that run a number of times in either direction but choose the weather before committing. South from Atlantic city we have only traveled a few times and elected to stray inside for the trip and safety it afforded.
With the storms this year you are likely to get some really rough weather followed buy days of calm seas - if you have flexibility in planning your trips you will be fine.

Wifey B: Did I miss where she said where in Long Island? Makes a huge difference. My way obviously wouldn't work for Patchogue, but I didn't see Patchogue mention before you said it. Maybe I just missed it.

 

[smitty477]

Wifey B: Did I miss where she said where in Long Island? Makes a huge difference. My way obviously wouldn't work for Patchogue, but I didn't see Patchogue mention before you said it. Maybe I just missed it.

In Karen's Post #1 -

"Since we both have work obligations, we are planning on taking a few separate weekends , weather permitting, to bring it home to Patchogue, NY."

 

[BandB]

In Karen's Post #1 -

"Since we both have work obligations, we are planning on taking a few separate weekends , weather permitting, to bring it home to Patchogue, NY."

Wifey B: Duh

 

[Marlinmike]

Having gone outside and through the Chesapeake I'd say stay in the Chesapeake especially if this is a new to you boat, not much places to pull into outside until you get to NJ. From Cape-may I would go to Atlantic Highlands or anchor around the back of Sandy Hook, then shoot to Fire Island Inlet.

 

[Karen7330]

Thanks for your vote, I'm tending to agree. That was the original plan and I think we should stick to it. I guess if I heard back from a lot of people that the outside route is easier, quicker and fewer problems it would be a no brained, but that's not what I'm reading.

 

[FF]

Rather than just pass New York City , you might consider going thru Long Island Sound.

It might be a bit longer than offshore along the south shore of LI , but there are loads of fine protected free anchorages on the way.

Reeds or a tide table is a great help in transiting the Sound.

 

[rwidman]

From where you are, I would not backtrack to Norfolk, I would continue up the Chesapeake Bay and through the C&D canal and the Delaware Bay to Cape May. From there, make your choice to take the NJ ICW or the Atlantic.

And don't try to go 11 knots. Stay at or below hull speed, maybe 8 knots or so.

 

[Karen7330]

To FF

We are going to Patchogue which is on the south shore of Long Islsnd. The bay is shallow but my husband is very familiar with it, has been boating there for almost 40 years.