Mast height and the ICW

[Russ]

I have done ICW top to bottom with 63' 4". Back in 2000 I didn't go under Wilkerson but around. Now in FL I go from Cape Canaveral to Ft Lauderdale all the time never a prob till last year when Wabasso Bridge cleaned my tricolor even though the sign for water height/ air draft was fine! Go figure I had just been under the bridge heading N an hour before and turned around as the next bridge N was showing a bit too low. No idea whAt I hit but ended up with a 6 " rusted bolt with concrete on it falling on my deck. First time in 15 years of going up and down. You can do it just don't ignore the bridge signs!

[charliegrau]

I have done the ice several times brown Norfolk and st Augustine, and twice as far as Miami. Hunter380 with a 63ft air drag to neck antennas. Watch the gauge boards found on most bridges. Ithe Wilkerson bridge is only 64ft, so wind driven tides can be a problem, though I never had to wait. The bridge at snow's cut can also be converted se with wind driven 'tides. The Atlantic Beach bridge at Morehead city has the same issue, and I once had to wait an hour there for the tide to recede. Julia Tuttle bridge in Miami Beach is 56ft...so I went outside at Ft Lauderdale and back in at Miami. I wouldn't hesitate to do again...not a big deal. The Gulf ICW however has lots of bridges around 50ft or even less, so if you wanna go that way, you will need a much lowered mast.

[MIRELOS]

I'll have the same problem this fall, sure would like to know the specifics of available entries once we leave Norfolk.

[CarlF]

I have a 63' 3" height and have done four roundtrips of the ICW from Norfolk to the Fort Lauderdale without trouble. Observations:

South of Beaufort NC there is plenty of tidal range. We try to arrange our day to not go under a "tight" fixed bridge within two hours of high tide. We're especially careful when the tide charts show higher than average tides due to the moon.

Between Norfolk and Beaufort, there is no real lunar tide and but offshore storms or lots of rain can raise the water level enough to be a problem. It doesn't happen often but when it does, you just have to wait for the water to go down. We once waited two days to get under the Pungo Ferry bridge (I have personally found Pungo Ferry tighter than Wilkerson).

As mentioned, skipping the Wilkerson by going around is easy. That route is also shorter, prettier, you can sail part of it, and has two great stops at Manteo and Ocracoke.

Measure your air draft. Best to take a long measuring tape with you on a bosuns chair. Measure down to the boom gooseneck. Next put a pole or extending boathook across the boat at the gooseneck and measure from the pole end to the water. Average the two pole end measurements to compensate for any heel.

Go up the mast and take the windex off before doing the ICW. You aren't going to be sailing much. Also consider taking the tricolor or anchor light off too. You won't be sailing at night in the ICW so would use the steaming light (and you are unlikely to power at night either). Rig a portable anchor light lower down. A whip VFH antenna will bend fine and serves as a good measuring stick. It will also give a butt clenching "twang" as it pops under each bridge girder. This will amaze guests especially if you appear to be calm.

The height boards are quite accurate except in Florida. In Florida they often show the height lower than it really is. This is especially true near Daytona Beach where I measured over 66' with my VHF antenna when the boards read 62'. There's argument as to whether the measured height is just to the bridge light, the lowest curved spot of a curved span, or is just conservative. Here is a great site for bridge heights from a boat with a 63' mast: STM 801-900 | ICW Cruisers Guide


The first time you do the ICW, take a picture of the height board of each bridge and record whether the VHF antenna touched (and if so how much it bent). The next trip you can compare the picture and know how much room you've got.

[Cotemar]

Maybe this ICW Bridge Height List will help.
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[SVRocinante]

Others have already said it, but I'll add our personal experience to the list.
64' mast... no issues VA, FL

1. I did take everything down other than the VHF antenna and yes, it did clack, clack, clack on a couple of the bridges, but mine is a simple spring loaded whip antenna, so no harm no foul!

2. Watch the tides, especially when they are wind driven - Just pay attention to the water level markers at the base of the bridges... we would use binoculars on approach. It was only an issue once as we approached the bridge just north of Jekyll Island... dropped the hook, had lunch, read a book, et.c and waited for the tide to drop.

Enjoy!

[timbenner]

Originally Posted by NormanMartin

Gary: Some years ago while working for a sailing school I did a study for an ICW based series of courses using a catamaran. There are two big problems: dockage and air draft.

Not being a wise guy but the ICW is perfect for a nice trawler type or, my fav, a Maine lobster boat style motor vessel.

Not sure about your "two big problems: dockage and air draft"?? Cats are easier to dock because of the two engines. I've had my cat for 12 years and never been charged extra dock fees for being a cat. 99% of the time higher dock fees is a myth. However, with a 21' beam, I usually end up on a face dock, not in a slip.

Air Draft?? Deep Draft?? It's one or the other!! Air Draft gives you better visibility from a vantage point, versus sitting in a hole in the water, but more windage. Assuming you're on a tack, the windage helps, it's more sail area.

Conclusion, trade-offs, can't have everything, but the live aboard comfort on a cat is beyond reproach. The most stable position for a cat is upside down on the surface, when the most stable position for a monohull is lying on the bottom of the sea.

[hellosailor]

A lot of software will let you "redline" areas based on water depth. It might make a nice (and very feasible) feature request to ask some of the software companies if they would add a similar feature for overhead clearance, i.e. you put in your air draft, and they pop up red circles wherever the chart clearance is going to be less than that.

[MIRELOS]

thanks Cotemar you are a valued source of information

[captstu]

I've done a number of trips on the ICW with tall sailboats.

My Voyage 43 was 65' tall and got under all bridges including the controlling bridge: Wilkerson.

I hit the antenna on every bridge with no damage. At the Wilkerson, the tri-color light brushed the concrete but there was no damage.

Do not attempt to cross when any boat is in the area - the slightest wake will destroy your mast head.

I did several deliveries with boats in the 65' range. One boat measured 65'5" and would not clear the Wilkerson. The owner was on board - a big mistake for a delivery skipper - and he insisted on trying. After sending the antenna, windex, and tri-color into low earth orbit, he let me swing out the boom, attach the halyard to the dinghy and put some water into the dinghy. This leaned the boat over far enough to clear the bridge by about a foot.

I think heeling will only work with a monohull, seems I would need a much larger weight to heel a catamaran, especially one with a 25' or larger beam.

Beyond Ft. Lauderdale, the controlling height is 56' at Julia Tuttle bridge in Miami. The only choice is to go out Ft, Lauderdale and back in at Government Cut.

The two high bridges further South and West in the Keys (Moser and Channel 5) are both listed as 65' but I hit them both with my Voyage. I never learn.

There is NO TIDE in the ICW in Virginia and S. Carolina (the Northern part). The area is controlled by a Lock and Dam on either the Dismal Swamp or Great Bridge.

People who tell you about the tide might want to read the appropriate chapters of the Coast Plot - liberally describing the ICW.

[sainted]

Originally Posted by iliohale

We will be heading south from NY to Florida during the summer season and want to take our time and experience the East Coast. We will be on a 50' cat with water draft of 3.8' and air draft of 80'. Any recommendations on a good cruising guide for boats with higher air draft?

Gary

Gary, I've been up and down the ICW a number of times, once with my Stevens 47, which has an air draft of 65', and that was before the Wilkenson bridge was built.

You have no chance getting a vessel with an air draft of over 65' under most all of the bridges on the ICW, especially on a cat, which cannot be heeled. Plan on going out side. And note that all of inland North Carolina waterways will be inaccessible to you.

Have a good cruise!

[Tingum]

Originally Posted by iliohale

We will be heading south from NY to Florida during the summer season and want to take our time and experience the East Coast. We will be on a 50' cat with water draft of 3.8' and air draft of 80'. Any recommendations on a good cruising guide for boats with higher air draft?

Gary

OK I'm curious, what 50' cat has an 80' air draft?

[iliohale]

Originally Posted by Tingum

OK I'm curious, what 50' cat has an 80' air draft?

ITA 14.99 Air Draft of 77.4" and I allowed for the antennas. Here is the website: ITA CATAMARANS - SAIL INTO A DIFFERENT WIND

Gary

[brucep2100]

6 years ago we went from Norfolk to Georgetown, SC on a Little Harbor 44 - couple of tense moments but no problems.

[doublewide]

We have seen tall yachts heeled by means of huge water bags swayed outboard on a halyard. Sway them out by making a sharp turn. Recover them and control the degree of heel by control lines led to deck level. There are youtube videos of boats doing just this thing to get under bridges.