Bay Bridge Clearances

[Boasun]

When you read your chart of that area. Remember that Bridges and high wires vertical clearances are from the Mean High water or Mean higher high water of the tides in that area. The depths are from MLW or MLLW. The L is Lower or Low.

[badsanta]

There was a guy a few years back that had just bought his power boat, set the auto pilot and promptly ran into one of the bridge supports. Sorry for the hijack I just thought it was funny.

[speciald]

My wife will never let me forget it, but I hit the bridge with my 85 ft mast. 2 boat bucks later, all better.

[painkiller]

At 2 boat bucks, I'd say you got off easy, speciald. I would've guessed that to cost quite a bit more.

[painkiller]

Hey, this may be a dumb question that one of you smarter folks can answer, but does the charted bridge clearance consider any of those lights that hang down a few feet from the bridge? I swear I nearly dinged one in Cape May. Seems like it wouldn't be right to declare a bridge to clear 55 ft only to hang a light on a pole 3 feet below that.

[HerbDB]

I would be more concerned with the depth and possibility of submerged objects or cables between the spans on the uncharted sections, than the vertical clearance.

[chef2sail]

Painkiller,

We grazed one of those lights with our anteenae hanging down on the Cape May Canal Bridge. We should have had three feet to spare at 52 feet.

Dave

[painkiller]

Originally Posted by chef2sail

Painkiller,

We grazed one of those lights with our anteenae hanging down on the Cape May Canal Bridge. We should have had three feet to spare at 52 feet.

Dave

Wow! Yeah, I had a severe pucker going. I wasn't sure which to be more alarmed by: the reading on my depth gauge or the sight of my masthead instruments nearing that light. I think we startled a few fishermen on shore with our cheer as we cleared the bridge.

On the return trip, I was doing the same rapid look up - look down - look up - look down routine as we went back under the bridge. One of my crew (and favorite cousin) thought he would be funny by making a "ping" sound by banging some metal things together just as we passed under the bridge. I almost had to clean out my shorts.

[painkiller]

Originally Posted by HerbDB

I would be more concerned with the depth and possibility of submerged objects or cables between the spans on the uncharted sections, than the vertical clearance.

That's a great point, Herb. Do you know if there are any cables near the surface? The bridge cables seem to go into the "islands" on either side of the main span and I've always assumed that they are anchored underground at that point. Are they actually in the water? Powerboats don't seem to pay much attention to them.

[TAK]

If the Eastern Channel is only 58 feet, then I have to assume the spans between Main and Eastern channels are somewhere in the 40s ..

speciald, do you recall which section you were attempting? What was your speed?