Planning to spend the night on the East River or NY Harbor to watch the
fireworks. Any one that can offer advice as to good spots to anchor and
enjoy the show, would be appreciated.
Also anyone that has done it in previous years, I'd be interested to hear
how rough it gets, as probably there will be a miriad of boats and quite a
few with more than enough drinks in them.

Thanks
AJ

Easynews wrote:
Planning to spend the night on the East River or NY Harbor to watch the
fireworks. Any one that can offer advice as to good spots to anchor and
enjoy the show, would be appreciated.
Also anyone that has done it in previous years, I'd be interested to hear
how rough it gets, as probably there will be a miriad of boats and quite a
few with more than enough drinks in them.

Thanks
AJ

Never done the East River in NYC, but if that show is anything like
Elliott Bay in Seattle
the greatest hazards are right after the show ends. It will be dark,
only 2/3 of the boats will have working running lights, people will
take off in every direction at once, and you will have 5 knot sailboats
mixed in with some guys impatient to get home (after all, have to work
in the morning), and who will speed out of there at 15-20 knots or
better. About the time you think you've picked a decent course, some
clueless huckabee out for his annual boatride will serve you a face
full of spotlight from the dash of his 16' Zoomalot and you will be
blind for a couple of minutes at least.

General tip for wathcing fireworks shot from a barge: resist the
temptation to get as close to the barge as possible, unless there's a
moderate breeze and you are definitely to windward. On a relatively
still night, the cloud of powder smoke will obscure a lot of the aerial
bursts if you find yourself looking up at too steep an angle.

wrote:


snip...
General tip for wathcing fireworks shot from a barge: resist the
temptation to get as close to the barge as possible, unless there's a
moderate breeze and you are definitely to windward. On a relatively
still night, the cloud of powder smoke will obscure a lot of the aerial
bursts if you find yourself looking up at too steep an angle.


Up here the police boats are constantly after boaters who drift in too
close to the barge on July 1. Just enough boats usually out to make it
interesting, but not enough to make it nutty.

Easynews wrote:
Planning to spend the night on the East River or NY Harbor to watch the
fireworks. Any one that can offer advice as to good spots to anchor and
enjoy the show, would be appreciated.
Also anyone that has done it in previous years, I'd be interested to hear
how rough it gets, as probably there will be a miriad of boats and quite a
few with more than enough drinks in them.

Thanks
AJ

The East River gets pretty rough just on any normal calm day with
little boat traffic.

richforman

wrote:
Easynews wrote:
Planning to spend the night on the East River or NY Harbor to watch the
fireworks. Any one that can offer advice as to good spots to anchor and
enjoy the show, would be appreciated.
Also anyone that has done it in previous years, I'd be interested to hear
how rough it gets, as probably there will be a miriad of boats and quite a
few with more than enough drinks in them.

Thanks
AJ

The East River gets pretty rough just on any normal calm day with
little boat traffic.

richforman

Have a good size anchor with enought chain, a crowded place like that
is not a good place for your anchor to slip, and hang up in everyone
elses anchor rope. Have plenty of rope, but don't put out a lot more
rope than everyone else. If the boats start to swing, and you have a
lot of rope out.....
A second anchor and rope on board is also a good thing to have. Best
bet on leaving, leave well before the show ends, or wait until it's
over and most people have left. When that show is over, it looks like D
Day all over again, "Damm the torpedos, full speed ahead". It can be a
scarey place. Make sure all your navigation lights work, your radio
works and the boat insurance is up to date.

I did the 200 year celebration in 1976 in NY, had a great time, I'd
never do anything like that again.

John

"Easynews" wrote in
m:

Planning to spend the night on the East River or NY Harbor to watch
the fireworks. Any one that can offer advice as to good spots to
anchor and enjoy the show, would be appreciated.
Also anyone that has done it in previous years, I'd be interested to
hear how rough it gets, as probably there will be a miriad of boats
and quite a few with more than enough drinks in them.

Thanks
AJ



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