42DS ... ICW ... air draft

[hockeybill]

The end of the season here in the Chesapeake and a friend’s current adventure down the ICW has me dreaming about doing the ICW in my 2008 42DS down to Florida in the next year or so. Finding a confirmed air draft for the 42DS is not easy as it is not in the manual. Questions ... Does anyone know the confirmed air draft for the 42DS? I think it’s 63’ but looking to verify. Has anyone traveled the ICW with one and did you have any challenges with bridges along the way?

[Tafika II]

The spec sheet is 63'2", but to be on the safe side we use 68' as a minimum. I've done the ICW earlier in my life, but now live on the West Coast, so someone else will need to chime in with their experiences.

[hockeybill]

Thanks Brent. Much appreciated! 63’2” it is.

[Don Reaves]

Don’t forget your antenna and wind instruments!

[ds42]

Just went under several bridges in my 08 42DS.  FT Myers and the keys.  Both at 65’ listed on the boards as I went under.  I believe my antenna tickled the underside of the keys bridge.  I know i was puckered going under.  It was REALLY close! 

[cayoloco]

Don't forget that the charted heights of all those bridges are at high tide.  So depending on the tide, you'll have more height than listed on your plotters or paper charts.  Good luck!

[Syrah]

I normally allow 20 metres (65ft). At that height, even when you have a bit of space (I go under a bridge marked as 25 m from time to time), it is very hard to judge that you are going to fit until you are directly underneath the bridge.

[hockeybill]

Thanks to all for your replies. You have convinced me that I can make it under a bridge marked at 65’ at low tide ... with a bit of angst. Just purchased an ICW planning guide from Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Would still appreciate hearing from anyone who has done any part of the Virginia to North Carolina part of the ICW on a 42DS.

[mxrsail]

I just came up from Marathon FL to Palm Beach. In early December. 
My DS42 requires 63.5'. 
We needed to go outside from Miami Governors Cut to Ft Lauderdale because the Julia Tuttle Bridge at 56' is famous for being too low for a fixed bridge on the ICW. 

There was one other very unpleasant surprise: 
    At the south end of the Palm Beach airport is a Bridge "Southern Blvd" that goes to Mar a Lago. 
    It was a bascule bridge. 
    It is being rebuilt and there is a temporary lift bridge that is supposed to be 65' Mean High Tide like the others.
    It is NOT!!!
    It is 64' at Dead Low Tide. 
    We waited at anchor for 3 hours and literally cleared by a few inches. 
    It would not have worked after heavy rain, or with traffic that produced swell. 
    The only alternative would have been to go outside From Ft Lauderdale to Fort Worth unless you want to risk Boca or Hillsboro Inlets. Both require good weather and local knowledge. 

EXTREEM Caution is advised! 

Maurie 

[Mistroma]

I got the following measurements from my 2009 42DS.

Antenna->mast top	0.9m	2'11"
Mast top->base	17.0m	55'9"
Mast base->water	1.9m	6'3"
Total height	19.8m	65'

Actual waterline will obviously change with amount of equipment, fuel, water and whether afloat in fresh or salt water.

I'd say that a maximum of 20m (65'8") would be a good figure to use. Allow a bit more for any small waves and a little safety margin and you'd get 20.7m (68') which has been mentioned by others.

Jeanneau leaflet indicates 19.25m 63'2" This probably does not include the VHF antenna, but likely to include the mast head light and possibly a windex. That wouldn't be far from my figure as I measured to the top of the mast without including the light.

The biggest problem is getting the bridge height accurately. Even when an accurate figure is quoted, the water level will change for many reasons (pretty obvious).

I have a standard 42DS, not the performance version. My 19.8m measurement agrees with the other posts (see 4ds comment about touching a bridge and Syrah's about 20m).

Last time I had to go through a bridge I heeled the boat even though another 42DS owner confirmed it was OK. I couldn't guarantee identical barometric pressure and water level at lowest tide height.

Heeling was easy. I simply put 3x20 litre cans of water on the cockit table and tied them to the end of the boom with some rope. Just a matter of winching the topping lift sligthly before swinging the boom out to one side and tying the excess line from the end to a cleat. 60kg weight on the boom end was easy to control and lowered the height significantly. Individual 20kg containers weren't too bad to handle.

[hockeybill]

Again ... many thanks for the great insights. Anyone actually take a 42DS on the ICW from Virginia to Florida ... clearly avoiding the stated low bridges in a Florida? Thanks!

[saileasy]

Sailed our 49DS from Annapolis to Hollywood, Florida Jan., 2017 — Feb., 2017 via the ICW — had we not been hampered by some nasty winter storms, we would have done most of the voyage offshore. Our boat draws 5’ 5” and we allowed 65’ for the height of the mast. Keep a close watch on depths with your charts (paper and electronic), and monitor Active Captain constantly. There were times when we had to wait for the tide to drop enough to get under some fixed bridges. Our mast mounted VHF radio antenna tickled the underside of a few fixed bridges and one clipped off our bird spike. We did not take the Dismal Swamp and, because of the height of the Umstead Bridge over Croatan Sound, took the east side of Roanoke Island (thru Roanoke Sound) — overnighting at a marina in Manteo. It’s shallow and the channel is marked but it’s prudent to radio the Manteo Marina dockmaster for local waterway updates and advisories.

[hockeybill]

Many thanks for sharing the ICW adventure on your 49DS. 

[Meshuggana]

I went up and physically measured to the top of my wind instruments. I figured my VHF antenna would bend if its tip hit a bridge. I measured 63’-11”!

I am heading to the ICW this comming Fall .
Allen

[Mistroma]

Jan 28, 2020 18:36:30 GMT Meshuggana said:

I went up and physically measured to the top of my wind instruments. I figured my VHF antenna would bend if its tip hit a bridge. I measured 63’-11”!

I am heading to the ICW this comming Fall .
Allen

Ties up with the measurements I made and quoted in an earlier post.

Antenna->mast top	0.9m	2'11"
Mast top->base	17.0m	55'9"
Mast base->water	1.9m	6'3"
Total height	19.8m	65'

I measured to the tip of the antenna as I have a wind indicator half way up the antenna.

I imagine my total would drop by about 0.2 (8") if I only measured to the top of the anemometer sensor.

That gives about 19.6m (64' 4") to the instrument top vs. your 19.5m (63' 11"), close enough to keep me happy with my total figure.

To be honest, if it ever gets close to that I'll be heeling as I go under in case the bridge gauge is out or there's an unexpected wave.

Have a nice trip next autumn.