Here's my question, what would you do? Our hunter 380 has a special mast and boom and mainsail. We are 48'6" out of the waterline "empty". On 11/01 we were fully loaded crusiing east on the Florida ICWW. That day we are headed under two bridges marked on a new chart to clear 50': The Navarre Bridge and Ft. Walton Beach Bridge. We planned the day so that we would reach the second bridge at low tide and still make our next anchorage before dark. We creep under Navarre with room to spare. As we come towards the Fort Walton bridge, all eyes are up… The chart says 50', reports in guides and beer-enhanced local knowledge say this bridge is anywhere from 48’ to 50’. We know we can get under, especially because the tide is going out. It is .8 feet down from high tide We are staring through binoculars at the blaze on the bridge, 100 yards away and approaching at slow speed. The tidal flow is coming in, right straight at us, and so is the light wind 5-10 mph. We can really, really creep up to her. There are no other boats, no wakes. With binoculars we see number (48!) at the waterline of the blaze! At the slowest speed possible, with current coming at us, we watch as the mast creeps ever so slowly at the highest point I could find, nothing hanging down. Our whip radio antennae sticks up 14" above the topmost fixed item on the mastehead. It now scrapes the underside of the bridge's first beam and bends about 25% as we pass under with out breathing! No more touches underneath until the opposite side beam, when again, the tip of the whip scrapes and modestly bends. What would you have done?
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Here's my question, what would you do? Our hunter 380 has a special mast and boom and mainsail. We are 48'6" out of the waterline "empty". On 11/01 we were fully loaded crusiing east on the Florida ICWW. That day we are headed under two bridges marked on a new chart to clear 50': The Navarre Bridge and Ft. Walton Beach Bridge. We planned the day so that we would reach the second bridge at low tide and still make our next anchorage before dark. We creep under Navarre with room to spare. As we come towards the Fort Walton bridge, all eyes are up… The chart says 50', reports in guides and beer-enhanced local knowledge say this bridge is anywhere from 48’ to 50’. We know we can get under, especially because the tide is going out. It is .8 feet down from high tide We are staring through binoculars at the blaze on the bridge, 100 yards away and approaching at slow speed. The tidal flow is coming in, right straight at us, and so is the light wind 5-10 mph. We can really, really creep up to her. There are no other boats, no wakes. With binoculars we see number (48!) at the waterline of the blaze! At the slowest speed possible, with current coming at us, we watch as the mast creeps ever so slowly at the highest point I could find, nothing hanging down. Our whip radio antennae sticks up 14" above the topmost fixed item on the mastehead. It now scrapes the underside of the bridge's first beam and bends about 25% as we pass under with out breathing! No more touches underneath until the opposite side beam, when again, the tip of the whip scrapes and modestly bends. What would you have done?
Exactly what you did
You did extensive research, checked local custom, and proceeded at precisely the right time with all due caution. The view from the deck is deceiving. I teach a modest sailing course for adults and they're always agasp to go under a bridge when there's 10 feet of clearance. The problem is that we are not used to making this calculation, since the only time we do it is while reaching for the paprika over the stove. Now then, can you sail back under the bridge?
You did extensive research, checked local custom, and proceeded at precisely the right time with all due caution. The view from the deck is deceiving. I teach a modest sailing course for adults and they're always agasp to go under a bridge when there's 10 feet of clearance. The problem is that we are not used to making this calculation, since the only time we do it is while reaching for the paprika over the stove. Now then, can you sail back under the bridge?
Exactly what you did
You did extensive research, checked local custom, and proceeded at precisely the right time with all due caution. The view from the deck is deceiving. I teach a modest sailing course for adults and they're always agasp to go under a bridge when there's 10 feet of clearance. The problem is that we are not used to making this calculation, since the only time we do it is while reaching for the paprika over the stove. Now then, can you sail back under the bridge?
You did extensive research, checked local custom, and proceeded at precisely the right time with all due caution. The view from the deck is deceiving. I teach a modest sailing course for adults and they're always agasp to go under a bridge when there's 10 feet of clearance. The problem is that we are not used to making this calculation, since the only time we do it is while reaching for the paprika over the stove. Now then, can you sail back under the bridge?
I'd Have Told You You Would Clear the Brooks Bridge
Forget about the Marler (East Pass) Bridge. The good news on the way back is if you clear the Brooks Bridge the Navarre Bridge is no problem. I have a freind who is at 51' he makes it with no problem if he picks his days and times. This weekend it looked like 52' or maybe even 53' to the top. Did you notice the clearance height boards on the bridgeshow a different height headed east than they do west?
Forget about the Marler (East Pass) Bridge. The good news on the way back is if you clear the Brooks Bridge the Navarre Bridge is no problem. I have a freind who is at 51' he makes it with no problem if he picks his days and times. This weekend it looked like 52' or maybe even 53' to the top. Did you notice the clearance height boards on the bridgeshow a different height headed east than they do west?
I'd Have Told You You Would Clear the Brooks Bridge
Forget about the Marler (East Pass) Bridge. The good news on the way back is if you clear the Brooks Bridge the Navarre Bridge is no problem. I have a freind who is at 51' he makes it with no problem if he picks his days and times. This weekend it looked like 52' or maybe even 53' to the top. Did you notice the clearance height boards on the bridgeshow a different height headed east than they do west?
Forget about the Marler (East Pass) Bridge. The good news on the way back is if you clear the Brooks Bridge the Navarre Bridge is no problem. I have a freind who is at 51' he makes it with no problem if he picks his days and times. This weekend it looked like 52' or maybe even 53' to the top. Did you notice the clearance height boards on the bridgeshow a different height headed east than they do west?
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