Chelsea
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Club

Out on the Sound

Passage-making on the Sound is pretty straightforward. Aids to navigation are in abundance, but there's a lot of commercial and motor yacht traffic toward the Long Island side and mine fields of lobster trap floats all over the place. Given the prevailing wind is southwest, consider favoring the Connecticut shore going east. In midsummer, the Sound can turn into the Dead Sea, so expect to spend 60% of your time under power. There can be fog in the early morning, but it usually burns off by 1000. Maintain a plot, taking half-hourly positions, even on clear days, and more frequent ones if the weather closes in. It's always good to know where you are and to practice manual navigation in case your LORAN or GPS fails. Also maintain a log to record where you've been (reading your log in the dead of winter can be an inspiration) and to note destinations and restaurants to be added to this guide. Before entering a harbor, study the chart first so you'll have a mental picture of what's ahead and will be better able to recognize the aids to navigation as you enter.

Itinerary and Schedule

Equipment and Supplies

Getting the Boat Ready

Transiting the Hudson and East Rivers

Out on the Sound

Places to Go - Notes on the Good, the Bad and the Rest

Special Topics

List of Yacht Clubs With Which We Have Reciprocal Privileges