Navigating on the Navesink & Shrewsbury Rivers

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pequad1

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Joined
May 12, 2009
RO Number
31246
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We were looking at nautical charts of the Navesink & Shrewsbury Rivers (by Sandy Hook) and we noticed the channels are very narrow and there's a lot of shallow areas (1 -2 feet). We wanted to ask folks with experience on these rivers and with the Rumson boat ramp the following questions.

Before we purchase the $100 season ramp permit for Rumson, we wanted to know:
1) are the rivers realistically navigable with our 18 ft Bayliner which has a 2 ft 11 inch (really 3ft) draft with the drive down? We have a fish/depth finder, but we don't know if it is really worth it.

2) how is the ramp at low tide? Is it usable at low tide?

3) how's the parking situation on weekends? Borough Hall says we can park our car and trailer on the streets and in the empty lot next to the municipal complex? Is that true?
 
As to your first question - I navigate these rivers with my 22' walkaround with an I/O. The only real tricky part is the stretch on the Navesink between the Oceanic Bridge and near where it meets the Shrewsbury River - there are a few s-turns and a dogleg in the channel. You just need to go very slow the first few times you do it, preferably at high tide. I see very large cabin cruisers go through there all weekend long - you can always just follow them until you learn the channel.

My boat is kept at a marina on the Shrewsbury, so I don't have any experience with the Rumson boat ramp.
 
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