I am up north and my Hunter 306 sailboat is in Florida, could some one please tell me if the mast height stated in the specifications are from the Deck or are they from the water. I am planning a trip where there is a 45 ft bridge. Thanks Jim
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I don't know
Jim, I have cruised most of the Fla. ICW, and while I may be wrong, I cannot think of a single 45' bridge anywhere. And most of S.Fla. it's pretty easy to jump offshore and miss any single bridge. Are you thinking of the railroad bridge in the Okeechobee waterway. This bridge is listed at 49', not 45. Probably more than that now, since the water there is so low. And there is one on the St.Johns river, that I believe is listed at 48. Both places there isn't much tidal movement so you can't cheat much. Good thing about this board, if I'm wrong someone will certainly jump in and correct me.
Jim, I have cruised most of the Fla. ICW, and while I may be wrong, I cannot think of a single 45' bridge anywhere. And most of S.Fla. it's pretty easy to jump offshore and miss any single bridge. Are you thinking of the railroad bridge in the Okeechobee waterway. This bridge is listed at 49', not 45. Probably more than that now, since the water there is so low. And there is one on the St.Johns river, that I believe is listed at 48. Both places there isn't much tidal movement so you can't cheat much. Good thing about this board, if I'm wrong someone will certainly jump in and correct me.
Mast height is sually above the waterline
You can check your manual, too, because good manuals usually include the length of the spars and the rigging. If the spar length is about six or so feet less than the mast height (for deck stepped), you know you're using the right information. If you have a keel stepped mast, then the mast length will be only slightly shorter than the mast height.
You can check your manual, too, because good manuals usually include the length of the spars and the rigging. If the spar length is about six or so feet less than the mast height (for deck stepped), you know you're using the right information. If you have a keel stepped mast, then the mast length will be only slightly shorter than the mast height.
Mast Height specs
The spec mast height is from the waterline but DOES NOT INCLUDE: Mast light, Wind Instrument, Windex or VHF Antenna - it is to the flat mast light mounting surface. For my 03 356 my actual mast length to the flat part where the base of the light is mounted is 50' - 1" - unmounted to the deck. Spec height is 55'-3" and is from waterline for a lightly loaded boat. My actual measured height to tip of vhf antenna is 58.7'. Wnen my boat was less than 2 weeks old, I knocked my windex off and drug my vhf antenna under a 57' bridge. I was counting on 55'-3" spec height and didn't understand where that was measured from. I was very lucky I didn't do some major damage, but did learn how to interpret the specs!
The spec mast height is from the waterline but DOES NOT INCLUDE: Mast light, Wind Instrument, Windex or VHF Antenna - it is to the flat mast light mounting surface. For my 03 356 my actual mast length to the flat part where the base of the light is mounted is 50' - 1" - unmounted to the deck. Spec height is 55'-3" and is from waterline for a lightly loaded boat. My actual measured height to tip of vhf antenna is 58.7'. Wnen my boat was less than 2 weeks old, I knocked my windex off and drug my vhf antenna under a 57' bridge. I was counting on 55'-3" spec height and didn't understand where that was measured from. I was very lucky I didn't do some major damage, but did learn how to interpret the specs!
Not always
The previous owner on my boat told me the bridge clearance was 48'. Thats what the manual said also. To my surprise, this was the height above the deck, and I soon found out that I needed 55' of bridge clearance. Found this out by knocking the antenna off at Cape May. Luckily I was on a dead low tide, or would have probably been dismasted. It's pretty easy to run some light rope up the halyard, measure that distance to the deck, and add the distance to the water from the deck to be sure.
The previous owner on my boat told me the bridge clearance was 48'. Thats what the manual said also. To my surprise, this was the height above the deck, and I soon found out that I needed 55' of bridge clearance. Found this out by knocking the antenna off at Cape May. Luckily I was on a dead low tide, or would have probably been dismasted. It's pretty easy to run some light rope up the halyard, measure that distance to the deck, and add the distance to the water from the deck to be sure.
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