Northeast - Can someone educate me on Sag Harbor coming from RI?

So someone invited us to go to their house in Sag Harbor for a weekend in August. They mentioned nothing about our boat. They assumed we would drive there, so no expectations.

But I was thinking, how difficult would it be to take a boat there from Narragansett Bay and get a transient slip there.

My questions for those who know the area:
1. Best place for a transient slip?
2. Could I do it on my Contender rather than the YF? The YF eats up the miles, and it would give me a little security as far as weather goes. But the fuel cost is more than double, almost triple. I could even trailer the Contender to CT to make run shorter, but I do not know where I would launch from and where I could leave truck/trailer for wkd.
3. When I am there, these people do not really fish. It would be two other couples, assuming we dont do more than casual fishing, is there a beach nearby to sandbar at?

Thanks for any info.

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Joey, I went there for a night with the family a couple of years ago. From block it's about a 25mi run so tack on whatever your distance to block is more or less. We stayed on a mooring. They are pricey at like 1.50/ft. Dock space is expensive. Sag Harbor Yacht Club is the niceest with the most amenities. But plan to spend $5+ per foot. I think the town also maintaines dock space which may be a bit cheaper. But overall it's an expensive place. Think Nantucket without the charm.

In the end we did not love it there as a cruising destination. Too expensive for what you get. I know you said you were going to see friends. That will be a different picture.But there is plenty of beach outside the breakwall where we dinghyed. I'm sure you could beach a CC.

And as another thought, you might consider Greenport. By car or boat it's really close, maybe 10min. And the town docks have a ton of very protected space right in the center of a nice town. And it's cheaper.

Contender to CT to make run shorter, but I do not know where I would launch from and where I could leave truck/trailer for wkd.

If your coming to CT I reccomend that you use this boat launch, http://ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2686&q=382854&depNav_GID=1620 It's safe, the cops are always hanging out there, not bad to get get to and it's the closest to your destination. My marina is the one you see in the photos.

Its a straight shot out through the Race, Gardiners Bay and on to Sag.
Check out active captain https://activecaptain.com/X.php. The marinas names, numbers and comments are listed.

Have a good trip:thumbsup:

I have run there in my boat a couple times from westerly it is a easy trip. I never docked but there are appears to be a lot of moorings and docks I would try the harbor master. I believe there is a sandbar people go to on the back side of gardiners island. It's a nice trip there will be plenty of nice boats so bring your camera. I guess you could launch in westerly and make the run niantic ct would probably make it a shorter boat ride though.

Watch the rocks in front of Sag Harbor entrance.

Joey,

I would second the suggestion to call the harbor master. We were there the week of the 4th and town slips are $4.50 a foot a night plus power. We stayed across the street at the Waterfront Marina in front of B Smith's restaurant. She charged $6.35 a foot a night plus power. The docks were dirty, no internet or cable. We left after two nights... Never again.

As Prospective suggested, take a look at Greenport even though your friend's house is in Sag. Transient moorings/dockage is surprisingly scarce in Sag, as well as being really expensive. Greenport has an excellent municipal marina, as well as two Brewer's yards. Plenty of good restaurants and bars, and it's much less "hamptons" than Sag, which used to be a funky little town before it got overrun. There's now a water taxi between the Greenport marina and Sag's Long Wharf, for $20.00 round trip. You could leave the boat in Greenport and take the ferry to meet your friends. If you want to take them out on the water, it's a 20 minute ride from Greenport by your boat. Out by Cedar Light, there's a State Park where you can anchor right off the beach and have no one near you.
The ride from Rhode Island is easy, weather permitting, either outside via Block or inside via Fisher's Island Sound to New London then Plum Gut. Catch the incoming tide around Pt. Judith and you'll fly through the Race. If you plan on the whole weekend in Sag, drive down to New London and take the ferry.

IMHO, I wouldn't hesitate to do the run in a 25' Contender, especially with radar. But that is just an opinion, not a recommendation.

Another option is Shelter Island, which is between Greenport and Sag Harbor; Coecles Harbor is very well protected with a big chunk of land on the south side owned by the Nature Conservancy and a good place to anchor, either for the day or overnight.

Three Mile Harbor is just East of Sag with several marinas.

Cedar Point is a long sand spit with a lighthouse that you will be on your port side entering Sag Harbor Bay (leaving Shelter Island to starboard) - it is a decent beach.

Sag Harbor lost a lot of its charm over the years at the Hamptons crowd slowly filtered in; havent been there for more than a few hours since the early '00s so can't speak to current situation. However, my last few years there (kept my J44 on a mooring) were increasingly harried due to the influx of inexperienced and/or indifferent boaters. I would also strongly suggest that you presume that ALL the other boaters around you (1) don't know the rules of the road (2) lack any common sense (3) dont care (4) are extremely aggressive and (5) have a real sense of entitlement.

thanks for the info! i'm waiting to see what they tell me about what we were supposed to do there. if our hosts have plans for us all weekend, the point maybe moot.

i know i would rather bring a boat and take them out on it though, rather than them take us walking around and shopping or whatever they do over there.

i've been trying to find pics of these sand bar spots you guys mentioned. robin's island, cedar point, just outside of the breakwater at sag harbor....any of these nicer and more sandy than the other?

thanks again!


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rather than them take us walking around and shopping or whatever they do over there.:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Now that is funny. Who are you visiting, the real housewives of sag harbor? :roll

While Sag has become much more Hamptons-like over the past two decades, it still is a nice (though expensive) town. Dockage will be basically the same (expensive) whether you dock in Sag or nearby Three Mile Harbor which is part of East Hampton. I much prefer Three Mile Harbor -- it is beautiful, clean, and low key whereas the dock area in Sag Harbor is bustling and jammed with mega-yachts and tourists. What to do down there? Hit the ocean beach in East Hampton -- one of the finest in the world. Great biking too. Fishing is very good in Gardiner's Bay, the Gut, the Ruins. Easy run from RI through the Race if sea conditions are good. The Race can be hellish if wind against tide. You can also run through Fisher's Island Sound for a more protected run but passing Watch Hill Reef is a bit tricky. Kudos on Greenport, but how are you going to get to Sag from there? Enjoy.

thanks for the info! i'm waiting to see what they tell me about what we were supposed to do there. if our hosts have plans for us all weekend, the point maybe moot.

i know i would rather bring a boat and take them out on it though, rather than them take us walking around and shopping or whatever they do over there.

i've been trying to find pics of these sand bar spots you guys mentioned. robin's island, cedar point, just outside of the breakwater at sag harbor....any of these nicer and more sandy than the other?

thanks again!


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The best sand is going to be he beaches on the Atlantic side but it will be much easier to go by car. While most are public access, parking is limited without a local beach sticker for your car.

The beaches around Sag tend to be predominately made of small quartz's pebbles.

Here are two links that provide more info on Cedar Point:

http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=XGP034-046

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Parks/Parks/CedarPointCountyPark.aspx

The most picturesque beaches accessible by boat are off limits, I'm afraid.
Robins Islland is privately owned and the southwest third of Shelter Island is the Mashomack Preserve. Both prohibit coming ashore and they are patrolled. Cedar Point beach is sandy. Another option is West Neck Harbor on Shelter Island, which has a real nice anchorage with a nice beach. Coecles Harbor, also on Shelter Island is great for anchoring and swimming off the boat, but it is ringed by the Preserve and private houses with no real public beach. East of Sag is Sammy's Beach at the entrance to Three Mile Harbor, fronting on Gardiner's Bay. Google Map or Google Earth Sag Harbor and zoom out a little and you'll get a good idea of the layout of the coast in the area. The local chart is Peconic and Gardiner's Bay, 12258 I believe.

I haven't been in a couple years but not a bad run from mystic. Wild bill tackle shop has a boat ramp at spicers marina in noank. Easy in and out, no problem leaving truck and trailer there either. There are a couple of nice marinas under the bridge in sag not sure of the names though. Docking the boat for a couple nights can't be much more than taking a car round trip from new London to orient pt. You will enjoy having your boat right there enjoy your trip to Sag harbor.

There is a new passenger ferry service this summer between Sag Harbor and Greenport - www.peconicjitney.com. Its $20 round trip and takes 45 minutes so you could take advantage of the greenport rates and still get to Sag pretty easily.

i have a slip in sag that is currently vacant due to having to pull my engine to replace the y pipe . It can handle your yellowfin . its in the redwood area of sag if interested shoot me a pm, and i can also point you in the right direction as to were to fish or have a cocktail.