Sailboats and bridges

[Andrew Hamilton]

I have a 41ft ketch. I have just purchased in providence to live on. I am planning to sail her around a half loop to Chattanooga. I will berth there while my sons go thru highschool. My question is where can I find water weight bags that can be used repeatedly for heeling my boat over to clear low hanging bridges upstream to Chattanooga . Commercial weight bags , retail.

[Orion Jim]

“can be used repeatedly”
It would be much safer to pull the masts and secure them in horses on deck till you are ready to make long term use of them.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

“can be used repeatedly”
It would be much safer to pull the masts and secure them in horses on deck till you are ready to make long term use of them.

Agreed! While the nice videos make the heeling process look easy, there are a lot of failure modes that could cost the rig or even the boat. I think counting on this method for routine bridge clearance, especially in waters strange to you, is foolish and dangerous.

Jim

[Andrew Hamilton]

The clearance issues I am anticipating are several feet. If I wanted to remove the masts ( which I consider drastic and traumatic) , I might as well ship the boat by truck. I am merely requesting any info on where to find a retail source for the robust water weight bags as an insurance policy on the upper inland rivers. I can play with the weight and adjust with respect to rigging load , engine cooling intake and a trigonometry challenge ( for my sons in highschool).Facilities for popping masts in and out of their steps are few and far between in power boat country. Sailing vessels are in the Chattanooga area and can make it to the sea.

[tkeithlu]

I agree with Jim Cate, of course. In addition:

We came downstream from Chattanooga to Mobile Bay. I don't remember ever having less than the usual 65' clearance on that route, although we need only 28' and possibly missed one. How tall are your masts?

[Andrew Hamilton]

tkeithlu that is wonderful info. My mainmast is approximately 58ft. The Market st. Bridge is about 60 something dependent upon water level maintained by TVA. I will probably have to be vigilant with some of these up river bridges. I would love to have a water bag as a quick option. As opposed to swinging my wooden Dory out.

[tkeithlu]

Look at it another way, Andrew. When you cant your boat 20 degrees, which will take a lot of weight to overcome the moment arm of your keel, your mast will still be 0.94 x 58' = 54.5'.

[Andrew Hamilton]

Mr. Cate, cool it with the hyperbole. We might have a difference of opinion. I am very cautious. I have service in the Coast Guard on a motor lifeboat, I had a commercial captain's license and I had the pleasureable challenging opportunity to own and live on a 57ft topsail schooner (single-handed). I am not a Newby.

[Andrew Hamilton]

Exactly, just the kind of calculations I would love to have my sons engage. They go to McCallie in Chattanooga. I have a 41 Island Trader I estimate I would need at least 1,000 lbs. to play with. I don't want to fool around with that kind of weight in my gorgeous 18ft nor'Easter dory (tender). So far no one has offered any info. about retail sources. I have googled wholesale industry outlets.

[skipperpete]

Floatpac Australia makes lift bags for underwater salvage and various collapsible tanks for water and fuel.
Do a search for salvage float bags and you will find some manufacturers in the US.

[TampaTom]

There are several sources for these industrial big bags used in the shipping business. It might work for you. Good luck.
FIBC Suppliers - Bulk Bag & Sack Distributor | Elway Industries Inc.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hamilton

Mr. Cate, cool it with the hyperbole. We might have a difference of opinion. I am very cautious. I have service in the Coast Guard on a motor lifeboat, I had a commercial captain's license and I had the pleasureable challenging opportunity to own and live on a 57ft topsail schooner (single-handed). I am not a Newby.

What hyperbole? There are a lot of failure modes that come to mind:

Halyard breaks.
Halyard winch or cleat fails.
Halyard shackle fails.
(After all, 1000 lbs of deadweight is a bit over spec for halyards on a 41 foot ketch)
Bag snags on unseen obstruction.
Bag simply ruptures
Bag "handle" fails
Unexpected wake rolls boat upright
and so on.

Should any of these mishaps occur whilst you are under the bridge and the boat immediately reverts to her normal posture a loss of the rig seems inevitable. In the event of the bag snagging a collision with a bridge support or other traffic isn't too hard to imagine.

So, I continue to believe that the process is potentially dangerous, and that deliberately putting one's boat in a dangerous situation is foolish.

I would have thought that your experience in the CG would have alerted you to the possibilities of things not going to plan, and that foresight was a good thing!

But from later posts it seems that there may not be a problem with bridge heights, and that's the best outcome of all.

Good luck with your trip.

Jim (not a newbie either)

[RaymondR]

Are your masts deck stepped or keel stepped?

[Andrew Hamilton]

Thank you for your concern, I too worship at the church of Murphy.

[cjdport]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hamilton

Exactly, just the kind of calculations I would love to have my sons engage. They go to McCallie in Chattanooga. I have a 41 Island Trader I estimate I would need at least 1,000 lbs. to play with. I don't want to fool around with that kind of weight in my gorgeous 18ft nor'Easter dory (tender). So far no one has offered any info. about retail sources. I have googled wholesale industry outlets.

First thought is check sport boat suppliers for bladder tanks for wake boats. They're built for filling/draining on demand, so you may find the sources give you the flexibility you seek.