Draw Bridge Etiquette For Boaters

You have just bought that new 40' trawler and are prepared to hit the water. You are excited to get her out on the ICW and take her south. This has been your dream and it's finally coming true. You have previously invested some time learning about your brand new boat, her mechanical systems, her plumbing, her electronics; you believe you have it all covered. And what about navigating in the Intracoastal waterway? That 25 foot center console you upgraded from to your new yacht gave you adequate practice, didn't it?

Most of you new to boating might or might not understand there are certain regulations to follow when approaching a bridge. Even as a good number of the older draw bridges have been replaced with higher bridges of sixty-five feet, there are still a number of lower bridges to deal with on the Atlantic ICW. Some of these draw bridges are as low as eight feet. Before you get underway, there are, nonetheless, a couple of items to bear in mind. On that 25 foot boat, bridges were not an issue; you were not elevated enough to matter. But this 40 foot vessel will require bridges to go up permitting you to go by beneath.

So what are the rules when you are coming to a draw bridge? To begin with, check your chart to see what the vertical height is of the bridge. You should be familiar with the height of your vessel too. You can also read one of the cruising guides where they present bridge information. As you draw near the bridge, you need to look for the tide marker on the right side of the bridge at the water line to confirm if your trawler or motor yacht can safely clear the bridge at the midpoint without having it open. If you can, proceed at a slow pace and proceed through the middle of the span. Please note that you have got to lower antennas and outriggers if that will let you to safely pass under the bridge without an opening; many bridge tenders will decline to open if you have them raised.

If you can't safely go through the bridge without it opening, you have to then check to see if it will open on request or if there is a set schedule. Most draw bridges have the timetable posted if they have one. If there is a set timetable, you must linger. You can additionally come across this information in the Dozier's Waterway Guide. Don't delay until the last minute to formulate your plan; I would advise checking the waterway handbook ahead of time. This will allow you to time your arrival at the draw bridge at the scheduled opening time.

If it opens on demand, raise the bridge tender on your VHF radio. Bridges in many states monitor VHF channel 13 while bridges in South Carolina and Georgia monitor channel 9 and bridges in Florida monitor both channel 16 and 9. Only raise the tender when you can spot the bridge as he won't do anything until he confirms you will be present for the opening. The tender will also delay in opening a bridge if there are a few yachts traveling all together; he will delay until every single one of the vessels is prepared to go through without delay. When the bridge is wide open, go forward at a no-wake speed. If you are cruising underneath the draw bridge with other yachts, make sure to keep a safe distance from them; there are currents and turbulence near draw bridge pilings. Keep a no-wake speed until you have passed signage telling you to resume normal safe operation.

It is customary to call and express thanks to the draw bridge tender on the VHF for his help; some just wave as they go through.

By: Marinetrader

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Mike Dickens, the author, is a live aboard boat owner and owner/Broker of Paradise Yachts in Florida USA. Paradise Yachts offers used quality yachts to customers worldwide. 904/556-9431 Visit the Paradise Yachts website to view our selection of Used Trawlers, Used Motor Yachts, and Used Sailboats for Sale National and international sales. We ship Used Trawlers, Motor Yachts and Cruisers worldwide. Located in Florida, USA. 904/556-9431 Interact with us at the Trawler Blog