A hit with offshore fishers looking to hook striped bass, flounder or bluefish as well as those looking to explore some of the state’s most scenic waterfront vistas in their runabout, New Haven is a must-visit for boaters in New England.
Central to the boating scene in New Haven is the storied Pequonnock Yacht Club in City Point, an historic institution with 130 slips. This yacht club was founded in 1905 though only moved to its current location in 2009, and features amenities like an oyster bar and seafood restaurant, a BBQ Grill and a sociable club-house. The club also hosts regular competitions and races, including the PYC Striped Bass Tournament, the Tri-Club Bluefish Contest and the popular Kids Fishing Derby. The oldest yacht club in this town, however, is the City Point Yacht Club on the West River, an upscale retreat founded in 1895 with 182 slips. There’s also a couple of quieter facilities in New Haven up the winding Quinnipiac River, ideal for backwater cruising, including the 75-slip Quinnipiac Harbor Marina and the adjoining Waucoma Yacht Club, an historic waterside institution that has been operating since 1907.
Some of the largest marinas in this area sit just outside the city limits on the Branford River, where facilities like the Branford Yacht Club, the Freedom Boat Club, the Goodsell Point Marina and Safe Harbor Bruce & Johnsons offer a combined 572 wet-slips in a sheltered estuary setting. An affordable option for kayakers, rowers and sailors in town is the Canal Dock Boathouse, a community hub that promotes marine activities and wind-powered fun right on New Haven Harbor. Inshore boating and fishing is also available on nearby Lake Saltonstall, a freshwater body stocked with walleye, trout and carp, lined by forests and accessible via boat rentals.
The maritime sector in New Haven is based around commercial shipping and recreational marinas, while the leading boat-building company in this area is Leetes Island Boatworks, a traditional crafter of wooden-hulled yachts with a vintage flair.
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