Mast Height ICW

[RogueSailors]

Dear Friends,

We are thinking about some Atlantic ICW cruising as part of our adventures on our new to us Valiant 47. I’ve seen posts that a 58 ft mast is safe for the bridges, but wanted to understand what that is standing for. Bridge height minimums seem to be about 65 ft.

We’re more prone to offshore but thought some exploring on the ICW would be fun.

Specs say “I” is 58 ft for our boat.

Any experience at this height out there?

Thank you!

[Montanan]

https://www.soundingsonline.com/news...hts-on-the-icw

Bon voyage.

[Cheyne]

58 will be just fine with the exeption of the last bridge in Miami. Ours is 57ft airdraft and we have yet to come close to touching a bridge. We have taken the ICW all the way from Norfolk to Palm Beach.

Cheyne

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by RogueSailors

Dear Friends,

We are thinking about some Atlantic ICW cruising as part of our adventures on our new to us Valiant 47. I’ve seen posts that a 58 ft mast is safe for the bridges, but wanted to understand what that is standing for. Bridge height minimums seem to be about 65 ft.

We’re more prone to offshore but thought some exploring on the ICW would be fun.

Specs say “I” is 58 ft for our boat.

Any experience at this height out there?

Thank you!

If 58 is indeed the I value then your mast height to the water line is taller. The I is a good measure of the mast height to the DECK (if the headsail is rigged to top of the masthead which it looks like it is an on val 47) but that isn't your total mast height over waterline.

If you don't have a mast height value from owner's manual you can compute it by measuring the freeboard at the mast and add that to I. Then add however much height light/windex/VHF go beyond the mathead. So if I is 58 ft and you have 3 feet freeboard and the VHF goes 1 foot beyond the mast then your air draft is 62 feet.

You are likely under 65 but probably close. Note that at least in the VA/NC/SC section of the ICW there is no real tides but there is current surges which can raise the water level by a foot or so at time.

[kmacdonald]

Your air draft is too high. I know someone with a Valiant 47 that the previous owner shortened the mast to make it ICW friendly. Some bridges are only 63 feet.

[MicHughV]

I'd certainly get some clarification on the mast height.
ie, is that the actual lenght of the mast or does it mean measured from the waterline.

Then don't forget to add it mast lights, antenna's and the like.

Some internet searching would appear to indicate the length is measured from the waterline, but were it me, I'd check it.

Simple enuff to do, attach a long tape, if you have one, to a halyard and hoist it up, or another piece of rope, which you can measure laying on the dock, once it's down.

[kmacdonald]

Not all Valiant 47 are the same.