Yachts For Sale In Westbrook

Westbrook in Middlesex County, Connecticut, is one of the towns that sprang from the early colonial settlement of Saye-Brooke (Old Saybrook). The coastal town of Westbrook is bordered on its east side by Old Saybrook, Long Island Sound is to south, Deep River and Essex is on the north, and Clinton is west. Over one quarter of the town’s area is water. Westbrook includes three uninhabited islands in the Long Island Sound, just offshore. Salt Island is the easternmost and smallest, not quite an acre. Menunketesuck Island is the largest at 4.6 acres and is part of Stewart B Mc Kinney National Wildlife Refuge, where it reaches into the Long Island Sound from the mouths of the Menunketesuck and Patchogue Rivers. Westernmost is the 3.6-acre Duck Island with 2 breakwaters extending west and north forming a safe 4-5 ft deep anchorage. The waters surrounding the three islands are great for boating and fishing, especially Menunketesuck and Duck Islands that are known for striper-bass, bluefish, weakfish, and blackfish on the deeper, south sides of Duck Island’s breakwaters.

United Yacht Sales can help you find the perfect yacht for sale in Connecticut. Give us a call today at 1-772-463-3131 about purchasing a new boat or listing your current yacht on the brokerage market.

To search for more boats for sale in Connecticut and narrow by city, you can begin here:

• Branford, Connecticut
• Bridgeport, Connecticut
• Clinton, Connecticut
• Essex, Connecticut
• Greenwich, Connecticut
• Milford, Connecticut
• Mystic, Connecticut
• Norwalk, Connecticut
• Old Saybrook, Connecticut
• Portland, Connecticut
• Westport, Connecticut
   

Salt Island is easiest to access as it is only 500 ft from shore; at low tide one can walk to the island, in fact, traded goods were transported back and forth by cart in the late 1800s when the island was a center of commerce for salt and fish oil. In 1871 a group of local businessmen organized and operated the Salt Island Oil Company to manufacture Menhaden Oil and Fish Guano on the island. They would net vast quantities of the oily menhaden (aka bunkers, in herring family) and process them to extract the oil. The fish by-product was sold to farmers as guano (fertilizer). Most of the oil was shipped to New York City. The business did well until 1886, when wealthy city dwellers who had built summer homes on Westbrook’s shores complained about the stench from fish processing on the island. Residents managed to get laws passed to shut the operation down. Salt Island is now part of the federal Stewart B McKinney Wildlife Refuge.

Menunketesuck Island (or Point) is a privately owned 4.6-acre island with low scrub and rocky/sandy shoreline about 700 ft from mainland shore. The island’s surrounding waters consist of tidal flats, shoals, and sandbars that are exposed at low tide increasing the island’s acreage to about 15 acres. One can wade to the island that is only 100 - 200 ft from shore, at low tide. The shoals and mudflats provide foraging grounds for birds and for recreational fishing. The island is part of the saltwater units of the Stewart B McKinney Wildlife Refuge and was also designated by the National Audubon Society as an “important Bird Area.” The island has become a prime nesting habitat for various species of water birds and coastal shoreline birds, especially egrets and herons and is closed to visitors, dogs, drones, kite-flying, etc. to prevent disturbance of nesting birds.

The Patchogue and Menunketesuck Rivers flow south through Westbrook becoming a confluence that empties into the Long Island Sound, forming a shallow bay. The bay is not a good anchorage because its lack of depth and many large boulders that cause rip tides to form in the channels between boulders. But Menunketesuck and Duck Island offer the best fishing spots of Westbrook.
Duck Island has an interesting history as a quarantine hospital for tuberculosis and smallpox patients. During Prohibition years the island was used by rumrunners to stash bootleg alcohol. Duck Island was privately owned from before WWII and developed as a family summer retreat with 7 cottages.

The island got its name from duck hunting. In the 1940s the island was a popular weekend anchorage for members of the New York Yacht Club—as many as 150 yachts and pleasure boats would moor behind the breakwaters that extend west and north from the island, during summer months. The island was eventually sold to the state of Connecticut to become a wildlife refuge and rookery for egrets and herons. Only the tall chimney and stairs of the main cottage remain, and poison ivy has overtaken the once-meticulous lawns, making the island’s interior hazardous. Today visitors can cross over in skiffs and dinghies and fish from its shores or boat. It is closed to the public during summer months as it is a sanctuary for nesting sea birds.

The main attraction of Westbrook, besides the islands and shorefront, is the Stewart B McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, a 960-acre wildlife refuge in 10 units across the state of Connecticut. Established in 1972, it was the first federally owned conservation land in Connecticut and has been designated an important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society. The Salt Meadow Unit is in Westbrook and spans 70 acres of coastline located in the Atlantic Flyway, a major north-south lane for migratory birds in North America, from Greenland, Coastal Canada, US Atlantic Coast, and south to tropical South America and the Caribbean.

The Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for 280+ species of migratory neotropical birds for nesting, feeding, and resting, and nearby waters are wintering habitat for species of waterfowl. The Refuge encompasses more than 800 acres of barrier beach, tidal wetland, and fragile island wetlands and habitats. It is often home to endangered species. The Stewart B McKinney Wildlife Refuge features two marked, well-groomed hiking trails through pristine forests, meadows, and salt marsh. There are look-out points in the salt marshlands. Points of interest along the trails are old stone buildings and historic ruins. Stewart B McKinney Wildlife Refuge is also one of New England’s top paddling spots and Westbrook’s salt marshes are wonderful to explore by kayak, canoe, or paddleboard.

Since 1959, Wetmore’s Marina has been providing boaters and fishermen direct access to the Long Island Sound from its protected facility on quiet Menunketesuck River in Westbrook. Wetmore’s is conveniently located in the center of the marina district with easy access to I-95 and is directly on the Boston Post Road. Voted “Best Marina,” Wetmore’s is currently undergoing a major renovation of its entire operation and facility to become a premier sportsman’s marine facility that is slated for completion in Spring 2021. The marina features floating docks and 140 slips for vessels up to 25 ft. and a section of jet ski roller docks. Amenities include new docks, restrooms/showers, parking area, clubhouse, picnic area, Ship’s Store with bait & tackle, and more. Wetmore’s Marina is within walking distance of many restaurants and entertainment. Wetmore’s has teamed with Black Hall Outfitters for paddling adventures in the salt marshes.

Safe Harbor Pilots Point (membership marina), located in the “charming town of Westbrook, is only moments from quaint coastal communities and boating destinations along Long Island Sound and Block Island.” The marina features floating docks with 540 wet slips for vessels up to 100 ft, 25 ft max beam, 12 ft max draft, unrestricted height, and 9 ft at dockside. Amenities and services available at slip include pump-out, cable TV and freshwater hook ups, 30 and 50amp shore power, WiFi, Internet, dock carts, and docking assistance. Amenities included bathhouses, BBQ grill, children’s playscape, pool, courtesy car and more. 40 transient slips are available with slip-side parking and access to a courtesy vehicle. The marina features a fuel dock with high-speed diesel pumps, ValvTect marine gas and diesel fuel, fuel additives, pump-outs, and ice. Ship’s Store offers ice, boat supplies, and more. Comprehensive marine services are available.

Pier 76 Marina, Westbrook’s first marina, is located next to famous Bill’s Seafood Restaurant on US-1 (Boston Post Rd). The marina has 80 transient slips for vessels to 25 ft and a total of 254 slips on floating docks. Dockside depth is 3 ft. Slip rentals are by day, week, month, or season. Amenities include restrooms, Internet access, ice, and Ship’s Store. Marine service, including engine and prop repair, is available.

Harry’s Marine Repair is located on the Patchogue River with quick access to the Long Island Sound. The full-service marina has been family-owned since 1965 and is a designated Clean Marina. The marina has 76 secured slips with 3 transient slips on floating docks for vessels 12 ft up to 45 ft LOA and 13 ft 10” max beam. Dockside depth is 8 feet. Transient dockage max length is 38 ft. Amenities and services offered include 30amp service ($10/day), water, pump-out, restrooms, showers, ice, Ships Store, BBQ grills. Fuel dock offers 89 octane gas only. DIY repair is allowed. Marine services available for engine and prop, 10-ton travel lift (max 13 ft beam), and crane for stepping masts. Pochaug Yacht Club & Clubhouse (members only) features a covered pavilion with gas grill, refrigerator, and hot/cold water. Harry’s Marine is convenient to I-95 and Rt 9, and boating supply stores; convenience stores, restaurants, and Westbrook Town Beach are within walking distance. The Essex Steam Train is a 15-min drive northeast. Reserve through Dockwa.com.