The lake my boat is on, Ft. Gibson lake near Wagoner, Oklahoma, has a highway bridge that effectively divides the lake in half. They just completed a new span and tore down the old one.
I wasn't sure of the clearance under the old bridge, but deduced that it was about 32' above the "normal" elevation (the bottom of the flood pool, 554' above MSL) from the fact that there was about 4' clearance when the lake level was at almost 28' above normal last May. My masthead height is a shade over 35' above LWL so I was effectively cut off from the northern half of the lake.
The new span completed last month was about 8' higher than the old one so I figured the clearance would be about 40' or enough for me to get under.
On Sunday the lake was at 554.9' so I thought I'd have about 4' to spare, but I wasn't dead certain. Decided that I was confident enough to give it a shot, though, so I came in at a very shallow angle on a broad reach, barely any wind so I was moving at less than 2 kts - edged in closer and closer to the middle where the bridge is at its highest, figuring I could shear off easily if it touched, but I slid by underneath. As you all know, looking up from below it looks like you'll never make it when in fact there is still room.
Coming back from spending most of the day on the north side, I confidently sailed right under with a couple of speedboats behind me. They were looking at me like I was nuts heading straight at the bridge.
So now I have twice the lake! (As long as the water level as at 555' or less and not rising). I know exactly where 555' is on the bridge piers, so I can always tell if I have room.
I wasn't sure of the clearance under the old bridge, but deduced that it was about 32' above the "normal" elevation (the bottom of the flood pool, 554' above MSL) from the fact that there was about 4' clearance when the lake level was at almost 28' above normal last May. My masthead height is a shade over 35' above LWL so I was effectively cut off from the northern half of the lake.
The new span completed last month was about 8' higher than the old one so I figured the clearance would be about 40' or enough for me to get under.
On Sunday the lake was at 554.9' so I thought I'd have about 4' to spare, but I wasn't dead certain. Decided that I was confident enough to give it a shot, though, so I came in at a very shallow angle on a broad reach, barely any wind so I was moving at less than 2 kts - edged in closer and closer to the middle where the bridge is at its highest, figuring I could shear off easily if it touched, but I slid by underneath. As you all know, looking up from below it looks like you'll never make it when in fact there is still room.
Coming back from spending most of the day on the north side, I confidently sailed right under with a couple of speedboats behind me. They were looking at me like I was nuts heading straight at the bridge.
So now I have twice the lake! (As long as the water level as at 555' or less and not rising). I know exactly where 555' is on the bridge piers, so I can always tell if I have room.
