Manhattan Bridge Clearances

[ChrisNorton]

A question for my fellow Long Island Sound/Hudson River sailors. The few times I have sailed from Stamford, CT down to New York Harbor, I always sail through Hells Gate, down the East River under the Brooklyn/Manhattan Bridges and into New York Harbor.

I am wondering if my X could clear the bridges with the mast up going north from Hells Gate up the Harlem River and directly into the Hudson. My charts seem to indicate it might be possible and last summer I took a circle line boat tour around Manhattan when family were in town and that boat cleared without problems and seemed to be roughly 25-30 feet tall. If I timed it with low tide, would this be possible?

Thanks,
Chris
'99 X 'Chameleon'

[Catigale]

Hello Chris - you missed that they opened the Van Spuyten Bridge at the top of Manhattan - I dont recall the clearance, but Im 99% you cant clear it Mast up... ITs a railroad swing bridge. Amtrak tells me that boats have right of way, and you can radio in and have it opened but I have never done that.

Hells Gate, btw, is no place for even an intermediate sailor - that is a nasty bit of water at running tide - currents can hit 6 knots and there are lots of rocks to open your hull on..

[ChrisNorton]

Thanks Catigale. I've eyed that railroad bridge many times from my car when crossing the Henry Hudson Bridge from Manhattan into the Bronx and it seems to be open about 50% of the time. Glad to hear boats have the right of way. There is no way even a medium size cabin cruiser could clear that bridge if it was closed. I was more concerned about several fairly low road bridges that don't move on the Harlem River. All had markers indicating about 30 feet of clearance. Have you gone that route before? If so, mast up or down?

You know, I've heard nothing but horror stories about Hells Gate and I've never had a problem in the Mac and I've been through it a number of times (always under power, never under sail.) My first time through, I was alone and noted several keelboats waiting for slack tide north of the Gate. But all the power boats just zipped right through so I said what the hull (ignorance is bliss.) As I went through, there were several standing wave patterns set up like rapids and even a few pseudo-whirlpools or more likely, swirling eddies. The Mac went through it without even a twitch. I went through under medium power (about 10mph) and was fine. I've since done it several times and never had any problems. I've also always had very good depth so I can't say I've ever seen any rocks (it is in a completely channelled area with breakwalls.)

Funny story about that area. You pass a huge prison barge just before hull's Gate that is part of Riker's Island Prison and is worth the trip just to check it out. Then you can sit at the end of the runway pier for LaGuardia Airport and have huge jets buzz your mast. Two years ago as I was admiring the planes landing while eating my lunch, a boat comes at me at high speed with men with guns in hand. It was the Port Authority police and I assumed they didn't like me there due to terrorism concerns (as if terrorists would actually use a Magregor sailboat to launch an attack). In actuality, they were concerned about my mast being in the flight path of landing jets (boats can actually be there, not just with masts, as my chart that I didn't reference until after clearly states .) Later in the same trip, I was however aggresively shoed away from the Statue of Liberty by Park Service Rangers due to terrorist concerns.

[k9piper]

Folks,
A lot of vessels travel under those bridges and a lot are commercial. When your mast is up fully I do not think your mast would even come close to the top. If for some reason that you think it might be a problem you could contact the USCG in NYC or the NYPD Harbor Patrol for the exact heights. The NYS DEC might have the data as well. I do not have the stated and requested measurements but I do think they are all in excess of 50 ft. If you took the Circle Line around and had room I feel that with your mast up you should have enough room as well. Some of the smaller RR and subway bridges might be too low but I think you will trave around that. Sail safe.

K9piper

[Catigale]

I count 5-6 lift and swing bridges from hull Gate to the Hudson that are clearance (at MHHW) of 24 to 27 feet.

With MLw charted at 0.2 feet , and MHHW at 5-6 feet, that gives you about a foot to spare if you time it perfectly.

Needless to say, not prudent seamanship to plan a trip with this margin.

I know the Broadway bridge lifts but requires 24 or 48 hours notice. The Van Spuyten might be the same for S/V traffic.

The NYC CG are really friendly and appreciate you calling them for info before you are on the water btw...