Port Milford

Connecticut DEEP’s minimum operating age depends on vessel type. To operate a motorboat over 10 horsepower alone, an operator must be at least 12 and hold an SBC or CPWO; under 12 requires an onboard certificate holder age 18 or older. Under 16 without a certificate, a person may operate a non-PWC vessel only under direct supervision of someone 18 or older who has held a boating certificate for two years. A PWC operator under 16 needs onboard supervision by someone at least 18 who holds a CPWO. At 16, that supervision requirement ends. Confirm the rental operator’s minimum when booking.

Source: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (portal.ct.gov)

Yes. Connecticut generally requires a boating certificate rather than a license, with no birth date cutoff. Connecticut residents, real property owners and operators of Connecticut registered vessels need an SBC or CPWO for motorboats or sailboats 19½ feet or longer. Personal watercraft operators need a CPWO or an accepted reciprocal certificate.

Children under 12 cannot operate over 10 horsepower without a certified adult onboard. Operators under 16 need adult supervision onboard a personal watercraft; for other vessels, they may operate uncertified under a qualified adult. Non-PWC rentals from a boat livery for 14 days or less are exempt. Temporary certificates are available to qualifying new boat owners. Connecticut DEEP administers the program.

Source: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (portal.ct.gov)

From Milford, you can boat through Milford Harbor into The Gulf and Long Island Sound, or launch separately onto the Housatonic River. Start at the city ramp at the head of Milford Harbor; the harbor is the lower Wepawaug River, with a marked, low-speed channel leading into The Gulf. The Gulf offers sheltered anchorage except in southerly and southeasterly winds, while Long Island Sound is the open-water choice. Near Charles Island, use caution around The Bar, rocks and shoals. For the Housatonic and Nells Island channels, use the year-round state ramp on Naugatuck Avenue and observe the slow-no-wake areas.

Source: City of Milford (milfordct.us)

From Milford, boaters head to The Gulf anchorage off Charles Island, Outer Island in the Thimble Islands, and Port Jefferson Harbor. The Gulf offers a recognized Long Island Sound anchorage, with caution needed around Charles Island’s reefs. Outer Island draws small-boat visitors with granite outcrops, boulder and cobble beaches, wildlife, and a floating dock. Port Jefferson welcomes transient boaters with marina access and shops, restaurants, cultural attractions, and Harborfront Park within a short walk.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)