Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

[Ssg Ken]

I am buying a boat and I need to know how much clearance there is at the bridge under Edgewater Dr. just west of Harbor Dr. in Port Charlotte. Can anyone help me out? If you know it at MSL that would be great.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Check a chart. It will (should) have clearance at low tide listed next to the bridge in question.

 

[shrew]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Check a chart. It will (should) have clearance at low tide listed next to the bridge in question.

Water Depths on charts are shown at MLW (Mean Low Water), However clearances for bridges and overhead cables crossing over waterways are shown at MHW (Mean High Water). This is the minimum average amount of clearance offered to pass safely under that obstruction.

http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/learnnc_bridge.html

You'll need to use a local tide table along with the MHW for the obstruction to calculate the amount of clearance for that time and day.

 

[shrew]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

BTW- here is a link to the NOAA chart for that area:

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11426.shtml

This chart doesn't show the data on that particular area. The bridge data is not available, however I suspect that is not a typically navigated area. They may have a more detailed chart at a lower scale, however I couldn't find one posted online.

 

[Ssg Ken]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Thank you, one and all.

My neighbors deep vee style boat cannot make it through some shallows without a tide above MSL so he tries to balance it to arrive on a high tide but not so high that he has to wait it out to fall some to get under the bridge.

I was hoping someone had put up one of the saw type charts that have a saw tooth design with an integer like 8,9,10 feet of clearance at MSL with a falling tide and 7,6,5 feet with a rising tide on the teeth. Then there is usually a half foot on the indentation.

Is there any type of measure there and has anyone here seen it?

 

[shrew]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

About the only things I can think of would be:

1) head out in a boat a 3/4 tide (rising or falling) and look at both sides of the bridge, as well as along the abutments and the bridge itself. I would expect to see a clearance number on there somewhere, though it's not guranteed. That number will be for MHW. There may or may not be a scale there. If there were a scale, the numbers would decrease the higher up the scale and increase the lower down the scale, indicating an increase of clearance as the tide fell and an decrease in clearance as the tide rose. however, if this is not a normally or heavily navigated area there is a good chance it has no markings at all. MOST should have at least a single MHW clearance on the bridge itself.

2) Contact the local Army Corp. of Engineers. I believe they handle a lot of this and might have the data on that bridge.

3) Go out to the bridge at high tide with a buddy and a tape measure.

Just a coouple of thoughts.

 

[Ssg Ken]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Thank you. I will give these some trys.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

About the only things I can think of would be:

1) head out in a boat a 3/4 tide (rising or falling) and look at both sides of the bridge, as well as along the abutments and the bridge itself. I would expect to see a clearance number on there somewhere, though it's not guranteed. That number will be for MHW. There may or may not be a scale there. If there were a scale, the numbers would decrease the higher up the scale and increase the lower down the scale, indicating an increase of clearance as the tide fell and an decrease in clearance as the tide rose. however, if this is not a normally or heavily navigated area there is a good chance it has no markings at all. MOST should have at least a single MHW clearance on the bridge itself.

2) Contact the local Army Corp. of Engineers. I believe they handle a lot of this and might have the data on that bridge.

3) Go out to the bridge at high tide with a buddy and a tape measure.

Just a coouple of thoughts.

Instead of a tape measure, tie a weight on a string and lower it until it hits the water. Mark the string, then measure from where you made the mark to the bottom of the bridge structure. Measure the string and subtract the distance from the mark to the bottom of the bridge.

You might get a clearance measurement from whatever agency owns the bridge or road. State, county, or city highway department.

Another option is to go to the bridge by water in a smaller boat and take a pole long enough to measure the clearance to the water.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Water Depths on charts are shown at MLW (Mean Low Water), However clearances for bridges and overhead cables crossing over waterways are shown at MHW (Mean High Water). This is the minimum average amount of clearance offered to pass safely under that obstruction.

http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/learnnc_bridge.html

You'll need to use a local tide table along with the MHW for the obstruction to calculate the amount of clearance for that time and day.

Thanks for catching that. In my head I was thinking 'lowest clearance", but it came out as low tide. :redface:

 

[Ssg Ken]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Thanks again.
Still looking for someone who has been there.

 

[LAC_STS]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Do you have Seatow? You can call and ask nav advice from your local capt. Boat us does the same thing imagine.

Try calling your local coast guard or CG AUX. they should know too.

 

[MRS]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

What type of boat are we talking about?

 

[Ssg Ken]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

It is a pontoon boat with a fixed top. The white stern light stands at 9.5 feet but that could be easily changed. The fixed top hits 8 feet. If necessary, I think that I can have the uprights shortened but that would cost real money. Both my wife and I are short so there is no head room problem.

 

[retire2disney]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

I kind of see two options. A) park car next to bridge with tape measure in hand and measure bottom of bridge to high water mark. Guesstimate should get you close. B) Stop and ask the people that live right there next to bridge. By the looks on http://www.bing.com/maps/ the house on the northeast side has an approx 25' walkaround and they for sure would know.

 

[mrcool]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

I am buying a boat and I need to know how much clearance there is at the bridge under Edgewater Dr. just west of Harbor Dr. in Port Charlotte. Can anyone help me out? If you know it at MSL that would be great.

I've been thru that bridge, I have a lot on Conreid and have to go under Edgewater. It seems to me it's pretty high and a pontoon shouldn't have any trouble. It's the shallow water that is more of a PIA. I beleave that canal go's past the Port Charlotte beach complex, stay CLOSE to the beach/boat lanching shore...it's deeper there. Are you heading out to Harpoon Harry's across the harbor????

 

[sasto]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Have a captain friend who lives on one of the several canals there and he says that bridge is appx. 11' at high tide. He also dosen't want to be quoted on that. That area is full of powerboats, hope you come up with the correct answer, maybe a local dock or marina. They always have an answer, although not always correct. Captains generally don't like giving advice on something such as this. Tides and wind direction have a huge effect.

 

[Ssg Ken]

Re: Boat clearance at a bridge in Port Charlotte

Have a captain friend who lives on one of the several canals there and he says that bridge is appx. 11' at high tide. He also dosen't want to be quoted on that. That area is full of powerboats, hope you come up with the correct answer, maybe a local dock or marina. They always have an answer, although not always correct. Captains generally don't like giving advice on something such as this. Tides and wind direction have a huge effect.

Thank you very much. I just called Public Works and they told me that it is a liability issue so they will not tell me. And no state, county or other will also.

Harpoon Harry's, here I come!