Salt water question

[TomB985]

Re: Salt water question

I have been boating on the CT river and sound for the last 6 years - have to say the Connecticut River is one of the nicest boating spots in the Northeast! You can put in at Hartford and have a 15 foot deep channel all the way to the sound. An earlier post mentioned Middletown - definitely nice. There is also a popular spot at an island about 3 miles downriver from Hartford for rafting up and partying on the weekend.

If you want to see the only best portion of the river, however, trailer your boat to Goodspeed (there is a State Park just North of the town on the East side of the river with a boat launch - fresh water easy on your trailer and boat there). Go South, visit Hamburg Cove for a nice spot to relax, grill out, or continue on to Essex (great old town with excellent eats). Just a bit further you are at Old Saybrook and the Sound. Lots of great scenery on the way. Check out the Blue Oar on your way back for great dock and dine (burgers and fish). Have fun!

Huh...sounds like there's more to Connecticut boating than I thought. I'll definitely be checking this out come spring time, thanks for the info!

 

[natsgrampy]

Re: Salt water question

I too use the CT river regularly, I mostly trailer to East Hartford from Vernon, which is just north of Manchester. I can leave my driveway and be in the river within 20 minutes. The launch in East Hartford is called Great River Park, right off the highway, and cost is $15 a day or $45 for a season pass. The ramp can be shallow at times, and care needs to be taken when using it. I have a 21 ft Sea Ray on a roller trailer and haven't had any problems.

The river is navigable from there south to the sound with well marked channels. It can take a good 3 hours to go from Hartford to Long Island Sound via the river. Beautiful trip!
From Hartford north the river is not marked at all. It can be very tricky in spots and extremely shallow. As an example, just north of the Rte. 84 bridge in Hartford the water is about a foot deep except for a narrow channel on the west side.

There are plenty of free launches on the river also. Go to ct.gov/dep and look up boat launches. There is a free one just north of the Goodspeed Opera House on the west side of the river, about 45 minutes from the Manchester area. It is called Haddam Meadows, plenty of free parking also. It is still fresh water there and cuts over 2 hours off the trip to the Sound. You can sail to the Sound and then go back up the river and in effect when you get back into the fresh water , flush out the motor.

See You on the water Tom. You'll have to PM me when you are ready to get out there.

 

[boltonranger]

Re: Salt water question

We spend all our time on the river;
Mainly around the cove in Old Wethersfield.
Put in there and motor down to the Rocky Hill Ferry launch.
There is a great patio place there called Mitchell's on the River.
Wonderful hot lobster rolls and sweet potato fries.

Returning at the end of the day; Main street in Old Wethersfield has an outstanding Ice Cream place called The Main Street Creamery.
A block over is a pizza restaurant that serves pizza on those elevated silver trays.(I forget the name of the place.)
Nice family atmosphere in both places. We park a little way down the street and put the rig the long way parallel to the street.
By end of day several parking places are clear. Area is pristine; like stepping back in time.

Used to want to go down to the Sound - - but tubing; fishing; relaxing so nice in that stretch of the river that it's
hard to get motivated for the longer trip.
Worth it to get a chart until your comfortable with the river.

Had a very exciting time out once on July 4th.
Got to watch fireworks and laze around just below heart of the City.
PM me if you'd like to hear more.
-br

 

[TomB985]

Re: Salt water question

Thanks boltonranger, it sounds like I may not be high and dry after all!

I know up north in NH much of the Connecticut river is no wake, is it like that from Hartford on south, or is it pretty much unrestricted?

 

[boltonranger]

Re: Salt water question

There is a no wake in a couple spots immediately south of the city; once you get past them, it's unrestricted until you hit Rocky Hill by the ferry; I've been south to Middletown but it was a while back. I'll have to check my chart and get back to you Tom
-br

 

[natsgrampy]

Re: Salt water question

There are a couple no wake zones once you are south of Hartford, which is ALL no wake zone. There are several marinas and a long no wake zone in Middletown. There are quite a few stretches to open it up along the way.

 

[TomB985]

Re: Salt water question

Thanks, looks like we'll have some good boating next summer! This summer was a bust, we only went through a tank and a half...