Northern Gulf ICW Bridge Clearance

[Bill Edmundson]

I now have a 1983 Hunter 27. I would like to move up, and I'm interested in the 37-cutter. I'm interested in comments on Intercoastal Waterway bridge clearance problems.Richard Shelby,I'm about 12 miles from you at Sailboat Bay. Local knowledge and experience with your boat would be appreciated.Thanks, Bill

 

[Frank Walker]

50 Ft ICW Bridges.

Bill, starting from the west, Navarre beach bridge is about 49.5 ft in the center but is near 51 ft. two spans south of the center. To get this clearance you need to tuck up close to the north support.Brooks bridge in Ft Walton is about 50 ft.Destin bridge is about 49 ft.Hathaway Bridge in Panama City is 52 ft but will be 65 ft by this spring.Du Pont bridge at Tyndall AFB is about 51.5 ft.The bridge over to St George Island is about 52 ft but will be 65 ft by spring.The above clearances assume that you miss the bridge nav lights which hang down about a foot and average tides. The bridge markers indicate on the conservative side and I think include the nav lights.I have an 88 Hunter 30 with a mast top cleared I top out at a measured 49 ft. I get under all of them except the Destin bridge. My VHF whip is the measuring wand.

 

[richard shelby]

bridges

Bill:Frank's comments supercede any I could add. I have been down the ICW to Mobile and back to Pensacola, but I always leave the ditch at Pensacola, Perdido pass, or Mobile. You can easily get out Perdido pass if a fishing boat doesn't run you down. Also watch out for "tows" and don't be afraid to come up on the VHF any time you meet one. They actually appreciate knowing where you are. We're at Pirate's Cove (on weekends) ....come visit some time. richardshelby@belsouth.netRS

 

[Bill Edmundson]

Thanks

Thanks, Frank and Richard  This is the kind of information I was looking for. With a 40' mast it has not been an issue. At 50', by the charts you can't get there from here. I mostly sail in the bay. But, can't wait to get out deep enough to get out of the "ditch". I'm no fan of the barge traffic either. Their curtious enough. But,...RichardWe're weekenders also. Would love to come by sometime. I'll contact you at your e-mail.Thanks for the info, Bill

 

[Gene Gruender]

going west? No problem.

We've been from Corpus Christi to Pensacola in our H37 Cutter. No problem in that stretch. As mentioned in other posts, it gets a bit crowded under some of the bridges east of there, so we went outside from Pensacola on.And, although we haven't done that stretch, you can go on to Port Isbelle down next to Mexico with no problem.

 

[Bill Edmundson]

Thanks Gene

That covers pretty well the whole area.Again, Thanks to all.