Sailing through the FL Keys

[svforever]

I am going to sail a 42 Hunter Passage (5' draft, 65' mast) from Ft Myers to Daytona Beach. Is there a cut I can safely take that keeps me from going around Key West?

[svHyLyte]

Moser Channel, just west of Marathon, has a fixed bridge with 65' clear that you should be able to make at low tide depending upon what's sticking up above your mashead (see Chart 11451). You'll have to tip-toe through Florida Bay from Cape Sable a bit but with only 5' of draft, thats not a problem. From the Shark River to the Bridge is about 40 miles which you should be able to do during daylight.

[seadaddler]

I sailed down from FT Pierce down Hawk Channel and under channel 5 bridge up to Punta Gorda with 5 ' draft and never hit botom but I have 55 mast with other things to give me about 58 ' so just double check the height of your mast before going under a 65' bridge with your 65' mast.

[xort]

Is it really 65' or is it 62' or 63'. Perhaps you are counting an antenna up top too?

[drfreddie]

I will second that route to channel 5 bridge and then up Hawk Channel.