[C320-list] Air draft?

[Jack Brennan]

The official air draft is 47 feet, 7 inches. A VHF antenna adds to that but, of course, it is flexible and will bend if you approach a shorter bridge slowly. 

A wind indicator, unfortunately, does not. For that reason, I use yarn on the shrouds to judge wind direction.

I have a particular issue because I am on the west coast of Florida and need to use the Okeechobee Waterway as a shortcut across the state to the Bahamas, the east coast, etc. A railroad bridge, at the normal water level has a 49-foot clearance.

I made it under at the start of May with no problem. Of course, it was the dry season, so the water level was a little low. There was probably 50 to 51 feet of clearance.

Some sailors get under by hanging the dinghy off the boom with some weight in it. A guy based at the Indiantown Marina has a small business tying water barrels to sailboats with higher masts so that they tilt over and clear 49 feet.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320, no. 528
Tierra Verde, Fl.
Dolphin Cruising Club of Tampa Bay.












Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Scott Thompson
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2019 12:19 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Air draft?

Can someone please remind me how much bridge clearance we need for a 320 with usual assortment of masthead accessories? Is 50 ft enough?  My recollection is yes.