Spots in Southeastern Ct

[2spent]

Hello

Are there any spots in southeastern Ct for windsurfing

Thanks Andrew

[johngullotti]

Sure. Just about as southeastern as you can get is the Barn Island boat launch at the end of Palmer Neck Rd in Stonington. It's a great launch for all directions except northwest where it's a dead beat to windward to get back to the launch point. Can be done, but it's a nuisance. The sailing is in Little Narragansett Bay which is plenty big enough for mile long runs in most directions.

It's mostly flat water / bay chop conditions. Due south, if you can get there, are waves warping around Napa Tree Point and there are a couple of reef breaks between Napa Tree Point and Fisher's Island. It's tough to get to them, though. One needs to be aware of boat traffic too, but I've not found it to be a problem.

Watch the wind conditions. There are cases where the wind clocks around to the west and just howls down Long Island Sound and slams into Stonington for the best days. The best wind is in the Fall.

Stonington Point about a mile east of Barn Island as the seagull flies, which has a launch off the rocks gets about a half meter better wind, but it's more exposed. It can make a difference in the summer. After summer time, one can launch off the town beach which faces west.

Both launches have plenty of free parking although the Barn Island lot fills up with boaters on sunny weekends. Lucky that they start leaving as the wind picks up in the afternoon. It's rare that there's a parking problem.

Longboarders can launch at the Stonington Small Boat Association by the town docks in Stonington Borough. It's a beat to get out of the launch site, but I used to do it all the time in my Windsurfer one design.

I'm one of the regulars, so contact me if you like. I'll probably be there if it's windy.

John Gullotti

[jordanlt23]

Where do you rig up at the Barn Island boat launch? I don’t remember seeing any grassy patches or beach areas. Do you just rig up on the paved parking lot? I’ve been sailing on Ninigret Pond, but looking for an alternate location when the East Beach parking lot is likely full of beach goers. Barn Island would actually be closer for me.

[johngullotti]

Some rig in the parking lot, some on the gravel beach where kayakers land and some rig on the grass to the right of the boat launch.

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[joethewindsufa]

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Barn Island is about 1.5 hours from Fairfield/Bridgeport where i visit
is it worth the drive ??
if so, do i bring a longboard , wide free-ride (JPSLW) or is it small board territory ??

thanks in advance
joe

[johngullotti]

Well that depends on how windy it is. Occasionally we get strong winds here, but there's not a good thermal that drives the wind like Cape Cod, Buzzard's Bay or even Narragansett bay. My sail sizes go up to 9.5 but most folks who come here max out at about 7.0 or so. When the wind gets to be about 5.0 or 6.0 Little Narragansett bay gets a pretty good chop going which makes smaller boards that ride smoothly in chop somewhat preferable. (There is a speed venue though in the lee of a sandbar island where it can be flat even when it's blowing stink. Some speed guys come from far away to enjoy it!) My main board is a 135 liter Exocet wide style that works great at 6.5 to 7.5 and can handle the 9.5 OK too. i'm still looking for that sweet ride in a smaller board at 5.0 to 6.5 that will spare my old knees and ankles.

One local fellow sails a formula board out of the Stonington Small Boat Association launch by the Town Dock which gets him the harbor and much of Fisher's Island Sound in which to sail. And some of us sail from Stonington Point into the same piece of water but it's somewhat tricky if you're not capable of always coming back to the same place you launched. It is, however about a sail size windier than the Barn Island launch.

The Barn Island parking lot can fill up in the summer on weekends but many of the boaters leave as the wind picks up in the afternoon. There's lots of boating activity so it might take a while but spots eventually open up. The windsurfers often use a long spot to park several cars in the place where one car with a boat trailer would normally fit.

If you're looking for a spot closer to you, there are people who sail from the boat launch in Jordan Cove in Waterford and I think some folks sail out of Old Saybrook and Lighthouse Point in New Haven, but I'm not familiar with those spots.

There used to be a discussion in Yahoo Groups that called themselves the Lighthouse Point gang. I'm not sure if they still chat there though.

Good luck and get out there!!

[wynsurfer]

Harvey's Beach in Old Saybrook is open to the public year round $10.00 parking fee for non residents high season, no fee after labor day. I am usually the only windsurfer but sometimes a few others show up. A great spot to learn as the water is shallow with sand bars. Lots of kites, but they are a great bunch. Summer is usually very light winds of 5-10 almost every day, sometimes it picks up a bit very late afternoon always when I'm cooking dinner, so bring a windsup if you have one. Fall offers stronger winds with October and November being the best.

[joethewindsufa]

can one sail out of SeaSide Park in Bridgeport ??

[wynsurfer]

They do have a boat ramp on the north east end of the park, so it is possible. Launching from the south facing beach, probably not.