Chrysler Sailors Forum

Saftey Tip:
Most of us know exactly what our boats draw but how many of you know the maximum height of your boat? Knowing the height of your boat and knowing how to read a chart can save you! Many areas have bridges, tressels, wires, and drawbridges that may cross over your sailing area! One day I went down to the boat and spied a nice 27' Catalina with its mast folded in half and laying length wise on the deck of the boat. Being the curious sort I asked the owner what had happened. He attempted to sail under a bridge with a following current. Unfortuantely he was about a foot to tall to go under.The following current made it impossible for him to stop the boat in time and sure enough, he hit! The repairs to his boat cost just about what he had paid for his boat.


Question:
Lets say you are aproaching a draw bridge. Of the many methods to use, you decide use sound signals to request the bridge to open.

Using your air horn what sound signal should you use to request the bridge to open?


1) 1 Short blast
2) 1 prolonged blast
3) 1 short blast followed by one prolonged blast
4) 1 prolonged blast followed by one short blast
5) 5 short blasts in rapid succession




Since I missed last week,
Extra credit:


The bridge will respond with one of two answers.

What sound signal will the bridge operator respond with if he is to open the bridge?

What sound signal will the bridge operator respond with if he can not immediately open the bridge for you?

Ok Scott I'm not gonna Google this one.
I'm going to go on memory.

I'm going with 1 long and 1 short to open.
I think you get two short bells for agreed to open (that could just be the warning that its going to open).
And, I think the standard applies for 5 short blasts for danger, or not going to open.

Anyway thanks,

This may be a little off the queston and answers. In Co. the lakes levels rise and fall during the year, Most of the bridge pillers are make of concrete. When forming them , they used plywood forms. either 8' or 4' When it looks
close, I take a pass and count the marks left from the forms. The drawbridge signal to open is one long blast, followed by one short blast. The bridge operater will respond with the same signal if he is going to open it. If not, he will sound five short blasts. Mainsheetmike

ANSWER:

Using sound signals to request a bridge opening.
The correct method is:

4) 1 prolonged blast followed by one short blast



Extra credit:
If the bridge operator can open the bridge for you almost immediately he will reply with the same signal. 1 prolonged blast followed by one short.
If the bridge operator can not open the bridge immediately he will signal with 5 short blasts in rapid succession. The bridge operator should continue sounding the 5 short blasts until you acknowledge.


However in my experience, the bridge operator generally only responded with 5 short blasts once. As soon as I hear the 5 short blasts I immediately turn my boat away from the bridge so he can see that I have understood.

Please remember it is a balancing act for the operator. As soon as you safely can pass when the bridge opens you should. Do not dally around. be ready to pass through swiftly and efficiently. Know your currents. If you have a following current it is harder to maintain your position so keep a little extra distance. Don't request an opening from a 1/4 mile away. You'll not likely get it.

Also remember that while you are dancing around on one side of the bridge wishing to pass, there is likely another boat on the other side doing the same thing!

Always remember though Safety first.

Good refresher, thanks Scott.

Scott, great info.
Another question conserning maximum height.
We have high tension power lines that cross over Lake St Croix.
Origionally I was paranoid to sail under them even though I was sure they are way up there, I finally just followed another sailboat under them that I knew has a taller mast.

Q. Is there a resource where a boater can find out clearance info?
Q2. Any special conserns about sailing or anchoring around high tension power lines.

I anchored at dusk on the St Johns in a cove and woke up the next morning to find power lines about 200 yards away running about 20 yards off the shore parallel to the river with no lights on the piles or poles.. They were marked on the charts as a dotted line and the height was given as 38 ft which is to close for my comfort. Not sure how they get away with out lighting the piles at least because I saw bass boats racing up the river pretty close to them, looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Capt. Bondo wrote:Scott, great info.
Another question conserning maximum height.
We have high tension power lines that cross over Lake St Croix.
Origionally I was paranoid to sail under them even though I was sure they are way up there, I finally just followed another sailboat under them that I knew has a taller mast.

Q. Is there a resource where a boater can find out clearance info?
Q2. Any special conserns about sailing or anchoring around high tension power lines.

Hey Capt Bondo, Q1 CHARTS
Try this chart,
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14991.shtml

I'm not familiar with the area at all so I hope I got the correct chart . . . .
Find the area you are sailing in where the wires are and I bet you find the height above water.

If you need help, and this is the correct chart, guide me to your area on the chart and I'll find the wires on the chart for you. There it will tell you the height.

As far as anchoring near wires? I'm not sure of any specific rules but I simply stay clear. I know some folks that were in a 16' Hobie sailing the lake I grew up on. They hit power wires over the lake. Neither survived. DEFINATELY WORTH AVOIDING. Rember all the "what ifs". You know, the chart shows you have two feet of clearance! YEAH! But bubba and his infinate knowledge of boating decides to zoom by in his 24' power cruiser creating a substantial wake. Suddenly you are riding 3' waves with only two feet of clearance . . . .

I once went under a bridge with minimal clearance. I forgot to add for the antenna, anchor light, windvain, etc. Yup. Shaved the top of my mast clean of all accessories! Now, I simply expect 15' of clearance or I don't go under. LOTS of room for error. Period.

I never anchor UNDER anything. I am simply not comfortable with it.

Hope this helps!
Scott

Being from the same area as Capt Bondo I have yet to find any decent charts much less anything with clearances. Capt. Bondo sails on the St. Croix River and I have never seen any NOAA charts for the area. The lake listed in the link is Lac La Croix which the USA side is in the Boundary Waters Canoe area so no sailing there

After poking around a bit I have yet to find a consistant good place for charts of waters not covered by NOAA.

My suggestion though would be to start with the local Sheriff. I believe in most of not all the states th Sheriff is the primary law inforcement for local water ways.


Without specific local knowledge I would not go anywhere near power lines over water.

No reason to take a risk. Remember you will likely have company and you are risking them too.
Scott

Good point Scott,

Has anyone measured the freeboard on their c22?
We would have to measure the height from the rail to the top of the mast step then add it to the freeboard. Then taking this measurement add it to the mast height (with accesories) to come up with a waterline height for the rig.

this could be fun math for when the snow melt!

If math can be fun.

Thanks, Alan
Just a matter of symantics - the freeboard is the heighth from the water to the lowest point of the hull wherein water would come onboard. I've been on ships where the freeboard was 30 - 40 feet, and I haven't actually had my c-22 in the water yet, but I'm guessing our freeboard as closer to 40".

See you got me there on terms.

Okay, approx. 30 feet from the water line to the top of the mast on the average C-22.

Thanks for the terminology correction, I needed that.

Thanks
Alan

Thanks for all the hard work Alan. I indeed have the tall rig on mine, so in my log book I'm going with a min of 35', until I get my antenna installed.

Great info, thanks!

Just an FYI:

Freeboard is NOT the maximum height of the boat.

It is the measurement from the water line of the boat to the upper deck.
Please note the upper deck on your Chrysler 22 IS NOT the coach top ( cabin top) but the actual deck you walk around on.



I smell another Monday question coming on . . . . . .

Scott

Doh,

Now that I read further I see that freeboard was already corrected . . .

heh heh!

My mouth usually is just THAT much ahead of my mind . . . . LOL!
Scott