Mobile River, Tombigbee, Tn River

[Daniel Avoures]

I have a 40' sailboat with a mast clearance of 58'. I would like to go up the Mobile River and the Tombigbee toward Pickwick Lake. I have not found good information as to bridge clearances up the waterway. Draft should not be a problem as the boat draws only 4' with the board up. Does anyone have information about the bridge clearances.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Daniel Avoures

I have a 40' sailboat with a mast clearance of 58'. I would like to go up the Mobile River and the Tombigbee toward Pickwick Lake. I have not found good information as to bridge clearances up the waterway. Draft should not be a problem as the boat draws only 4' with the board up. Does anyone have information about the bridge clearances.

Here is the Army Corps of Engineers Table:

http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Portal...av/bridges.pdf

Essentially 52' is the magic number. 14 bridges under your 58'

[sailrj]

Turner Marine on the Dog River in Mobile will step your mast down and ship it up to Pickwick and arrange to have it re-stepped when you get there.

[Daniel Avoures]

Thanks for that table. Very helpful

[Boatguy30]

You could make it up the upper warrior to the lake above Tuscaloosa. I took my boat there with the intention of having a hurricane proof wet storage for 18 months.

Ended up changing plans and was only for 6 months. A few months after I left the marina and parts of Tuscaloosa were destroyed by a tornado!

[valhalla360]

If the river is running low, you might sneak thru but probably better not to count on it as storm can raise the water levels overnight and then you may be stuck between low bridges.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Daniel,

Welcome to CF!

Waterway guide is invaluable... This edition covers more than you need...
Waterway Guide | Fuel Pricing

Stop by for a beer... Near Pickwick/Bay Springs

(edit: The link says fuel pricing, but is a link to the great lakes edition which covers the inland river system, and great loop)

[Boatguy30]

The ten tom is not a rive, but a canal. Water level is tightly controlled between locks. The clearance is the clearance. I do not have personal knowledge of how accurate the measurements are, but the water level does not fluctuate.

[W32PAMELA]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

The ten tom is not a rive, but a canal. Water level is tightly controlled between locks. The clearance is the clearance. I do not have personal knowledge of how accurate the measurements are, but the water level does not fluctuate.

The Tenn-Tom can have very variable water levels and is currently in flood.
Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: Birmingham: Tombigbee River at Demopolis Lock and Dam

Don't assume that the river is a canal with tightly controlled water levels. TUGBOATÂ* Do not try this at home

[FSMike]

The Okeechobee Waterway also has locks. The water level fluctuates there as well.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

The ten tom is not a rive, but a canal. Water level is tightly controlled between locks. The clearance is the clearance. I do not have personal knowledge of how accurate the measurements are, but the water level does not fluctuate.

And there most definitely is not a 6' difference which is what the OP would need to clear.

[Boatguy30]

The upper stretch is were the many 52' bridges are. At low water you can carry over 60' to demopolis. That is river. The upper is controlled canal.. Maybe is rises a bit in floods, but very little.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

The upper stretch is were the many 52' bridges are. At low water you can carry over 60' to demopolis. That is river. The upper is controlled canal.. Maybe is rises a bit in floods, but very little.

Yes, it rises, but the odds of it dropping to the point a 58' will fit are very slim. It may have done that once years ago when there was a severe drought, but I'm not sure it dropped that much even then as the lower Mississippi was not navigable and so commercial traffic was taking the TN Tom more than it had before.

[valhalla360]

Go back and read my post. I wasn't suggesting it was a good idea to try.