East River NYC?

[Expidia]

Came down the Hudson on Sunday and entered the East River. Wanted to cruise down the East side of Manhattan.

We traveled down about 1/2 mile and it looked pretty depressing. I looked on the GPS and it showed the length about 12 miles. No way I was cruising that length at no wake speeds.

So we turned around and as we were leaving I watched the bridge open at the entrance from the Hudson and even though the signs said no wake zone large boats entered and were going down the river at high speed throwing off huge wakes.

So my question for anyone familiar with that river . . . is most of it a no wake zone?

Signs said that at the entrance. How far does it go south at no wake speeds?

Is this river like the no wake Manatee zones in FL. Do they get ticked off if you hit any floating dead bodies in the East River at high speeds

Thx

 

[Mark42]

Re: East River NYC?

I haven't boated the East River, but I have watched it on a few occasions. Traffic can be moving very fast. So I don't think the "no wake" zone is for the middle of the river. Just my observation.

 

[Expidia]

Re: East River NYC?

thx for the reply, Mark!

 

[basspirate]

Re: East River NYC?

i think the restriction may just be to the triboro bridge area (damn politicons renaming it the rfk bridge) just watch that area (aka hells gate) as the currents are very fierce and it you have a smaller boat you can get thrown around quite quickly

 

[Expidia]

Re: East River NYC?

i think the restriction may just be to the triboro bridge area (damn politicons renaming it the rfk bridge) just watch that area (aka hells gate) as the currents are very fierce and it you have a smaller boat you can get thrown around quite quickly

Thanks for your response. Glad you alerted me to Hells Gate being only 1/2 way down the East River.

I think I'll scrap that future trip until I get my 2nd boat.

I was under the impression that Hells Gate was near the tip of lower Manhattan near the Battery Tunnel where the East River meets the Hudson and close to the ocean. I did not realize that it was where the Long Island sound flows near the East River.

I don't want to be anywhere near "Hells Gate" in a 15 foot aluminum.
We're adventurous . . . but not crazy

 

[basspirate]

Re: East River NYC?

i went through hells gate on a 16ft starcraft with a 40 hp engine. did it once never again.i thought i was gonna go into a rock or a piling. someone told me the currents severity depends on what tide it is but after that experience i never looked into it again

 

[electricjohn]

Re: East River NYC?

I have circled Manhattan many times in my Winner. There may be some no wake zones under bridges, but nobody observes them. Hells Gate area can get scary (in my 14 ft runabout), especially during peak tide change where the East and Harlem rivers meet. The further south you go the nicer. It sounds like you never got beyond the Bronx.

 

[LAWDOG2001]

Re: East River NYC?

I have been crossing Hell's Gate for years. Did it with only a jib once on a 27' sailboat. Today I have a much smaller 18' bowrider. Any competent kayaker or canoeist can cross it- even at it's strongest tidal flows. The biggest risk is not from the Gate, but from other, much larger boats. The wake they create slams back and forth between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island. When the East River, Harlem River and LI Sound Waters "collide", the water bounces. When it drains or fills- it will either help or hinder your progress through, so for underpowered boats timing can be important. During the 15 minutes or so of slack water, the water looks like glass.
Honestly, the only time I was nervous about going through the Gate was when I crossed through it at night, with a 9 knot current against me- behind a commercial vessel.
The absolute BEST days to go are on the weekends- when commercial operations are basically shut down. It's a great area to explore and shoot right down into the upper harbor and Lady Liberty!

 

[Expidia]

Re: East River NYC?

I have circled Manhattan many times in my Winner. There may be some no wake zones under bridges, but nobody observes them. Hells Gate area can get scary (in my 14 ft runabout), especially during peak tide change where the East and Harlem rivers meet. The further south you go the nicer. It sounds like you never got beyond the Bronx.

The nobody observes the no wake zones . . . You got that right!

I would have gone further, but I felt like I was going to maybe fall off the end of the earth as I got closer to the ocean.

I had a guest on board which was her first time on our boat, so I did not want to scare her if the waves increased in size if we hit big waves. The winds were picking up as we neared the financial district, so I turned around in order to assure her of a good memorable trip with us. I've already seen the movie the perfect storm

My Wife and our guest wanted to go by South Street Seaport, but I was not up for venturing out of the Hudson. Anyway, I thought the lower tip of manhattan was where Hells Kitchen was!

 

[Tommyfmu]

Re: East River NYC?

I'm pretty sure Hell's gate is where the ocean meets the East and Hudson rivers. We took the opposite route and drove through the ocean from Freeport Long Island up under the Verrazano to Liberty Island area in early September. What I estimated to take about 1 hour to get there, took about 2, and the chop was moderate getting there at 1-2 feet with us, but then the winds kicked up on our way out of NY harbor and let me tell you, it ain't called Hells Gate for nothing! 3-4 ft chop against us, white caps everwhere. Once we were in the ocean past Rockaway/Breezy point, it was much better.

 

[Expidia]

Re: East River NYC?

I'm pretty sure Hell's gate is where the ocean meets the East and Hudson rivers. We took the opposite route and drove through the ocean from Freeport Long Island up under the Verrazano to Liberty Island area in early September. What I estimated to take about 1 hour to get there, took about 2, and the chop was moderate getting there at 1-2 feet with us, but then the winds kicked up on our way out of NY harbor and let me tell you, it ain't called Hells Gate for nothing! 3-4 ft chop against us, white caps everywhere. Once we were in the ocean past Rockaway/Breezy point, it was much better.

Thanks for your reply. What you described is exactly what I had feared. Not ready to attempt it in my 15 footer but I'm in the market for a 24 footer and that will be the one I'll circumvent NY city with.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: East River NYC?

I circumnavigated Manhattan Island a couple of times in a 15 foot glass closed bow runabout, 55 HP. Last time I was following the fireboat by Roosevelt Island and was in "diamond-plate" water about 2 1/2 feet high. Some SOB cam blasting up the river in a 100 footer, throwing off a 5 foot wake. I took a 6 inch slug of green water over the bow and windshield. My mother was saying her prayers and it scared the livin' bejeesus out of my daughter. In the Hudson, the damn Jersey ferries tried to run me down. I would do it again in my runabout but I would not do it in a tin boat.

The whirlpools in Hells Gate look scary but they just move the boat around a bit--with decent power Hells Gate can be navigated safely.

As far as I know, None of the East River or the Harlem River is a no wake zone. Only the areas around the bridges to prevent damage. Coast Guard maintains a station near Hells gate. Why not radio them and ask?

 

[Expidia]

Re: East River NYC?

We started done the East River that day, but after about a mile in since it was such a beautiful day and the East River was so dirty and depressing looking I turned around and cruised further down the Hudson to about a mile before the V. Narrows bridge before we turned around for the 2 hour trip back to Newburgh where we launched that day.

Calm waters the whole trip. Took a bunch of pics . . . Check um out!

Click on a pic to enlarge it.

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa2/expidia/NYC 7-5-09/