Sailboat as a "Summer Home"

[Sal Farina]

I'm seriously contemplating moving my Hunter 30 from Manhasset Bay to Greenport, and using her as a summer "weekend home". Will most likely dock her at one of the Brewer yards and gunkhole the entire East End and beyond over the next few seasons. There appear to be infinitely more anchorages and "nooks and crannies" within easy reach (3-6hrs.) of Greenport than those available to me in the Western LI Sound area. Also much less crowded and far more serene.

Has anyone in this group done this? If so, any advice?

Thanks.
Sal

[Michael Cioffi]

Hi Sal
you are so wright about greenport. Tina and I spent a few days there last year and loved it. my brother in law kept his boat there for two seasons and swears its the best place to keep the boat on LI. I have another friend that has a 36' Catalina and he always keeps it there. he drives out from smithown on weekends and several nights during the week. you have so many options and it feels like your some where else then LI when you are there. and lets not forget being able to go to Block and NE coast.
sounds great

[Sal Farina]

Hello Michael and Suky,

Thanks for your thoughts and I'll be addressing them in a detailed reply as a post to this discussion, hopefully within the next 24 hrs. I'm time pressed right now - but wanted to take a moment and sincerely thank both of you.

Sal

[Suky Cannon]

Sal,
I totally agree with Michael. Greenport is a terrific place to be. I lived in East Hampton for 5 years and sailed there all the time. There are great anchorages all around Shelter Island for short hops ~ you have Gardiners' Island as well as Fishers Island & Montauk. I'd skip crowded Lake Montauk, and instead anchor in Ft Pond Bay ~ perfect for sunset views. It's just west of Lake Montauk. Right on the beach there is a fun spot; the Sunset Saloon, for good food and drinks ~ some Aussie's own it. It's much closer to walk to Montauk village & the ocean beaches as well, than Lake Montauk.

BTW, many people think you can't anchor at the many spots along the shore at Gardiner's Island. You can, you just can't go ashore. It's also the only place I know of that you cannot even go ashore, below the high water mark. Going back to the Donegan Patent in 1639 and the King of England, their property line extends out underwater ~ it is the height of where the water would reach the top of a horse's neck ~ about 50 feet from high water on most of the shore. The caretakers are nice guys, but they'll come chase you off. Former home of Captain Kidd too !
It's also not far to Mystic and the Connecticut River. The water's pristine, the fishing is always good, the restaurants in Greenport are great with a lot of variety & the prices are cheaper than most of Long Island. For provisioning you have wonderful farmstands all the way there, and if you don't know about Briermere's farm GO.. ~ http://www.briermere.com ~ 5 min. north of Riverhead, it is the best spot for amzing pies, jams & jellies, especially the cream fruit pies. sigh.
I have lots of friends in Greenport and it's a great waterfront town.
You'll never run out of gunkholes and find special ones to return to again and again.
I'll be cruising there starting on August 15th. Are you going to start this season, or wait til next ?
The pic is Gardiner's Island.
AND the wind is GREAT !

[Sal Farina]

Hello Michael and Suky,

Thanks for your thoughts and I'll be addressing them in a detailed reply as a post to this discussion, hopefully within the next 24 hrs. I'm time pressed right now - but wanted to take a moment and sincerely thank both of you.

Sal

[Dan Goldberg]

Hi Sal. We sail out of Mamaroneck, and spend lots of time on the East End in the summer. It's awesome out there. A couple of considerations for you:

1. You actually have tons of places to go within a day's sail on the western sound. From Manhassett, you've got City Island, Mamaroneck, Sea Cliff, Oyster Bay, Northport, Huntington, Port Jeff., Milford, and a few other nooks and crannies, all within a day's sail of you, all offering stuff for sailors, and all great for weekends. Just a thought.

2. That said, the east end, and particularly from Greenport, you also have tons of places to go. I'll also submit that they places out there might be a tad nicer, if only because the water will be cleaner.

3. The major negative with your plan, as far as I can tell, is that you'll have to drive over 2 hours to get to your boat, and then another 2 hours home, in some of the worst traffic known to man -- NYC to Hamptons weekend traffic. If you do choose to keep the boat out east, query whether you'd rather keep it on the Connecticut side so that you avoid the Hamptons traffic (not that you won't have traffic running up 95, but it won't be as bad).