Approach Draw Bridge

[Five O'Clock]

Could you guys/gals go over proper procedure/etiquette for approaching or asking to open a bridge?

I believe all outbound (heading towards open water) traffic have the right of way and all inbound traffic (heading towards land/up river) must wait for outbound traffic to clear.

Do I call the bridge to ask if there is any outbound traffic coming through, or any inbound traffic coming through, if I cannot clearly see any other boats?

How do I call to a bridge if I don't know the name of the street or the bridge name? I attached an image I found of an example of a sign on a bridge that has some info about the times and the phone numbers. It has the name of the bridge, but most of the bridges I encounter up here in MA don't have the bridge name on them, or don't have any VHF call signs.

Can you all give me some pointers?

 

[Boatist]

Re: Approach Draw Bridge

I do not know your area but out here I would call the bridge on channel 9 with one watt. Your Chart will show the bridge. It is really important to know the area.

As an example where I live there are two bridges about 1/2 mile apart. The down river bridge can be raised on Channel 9 but the up river bridge has no radio. If going thru the area you call the down river bridge and he will telephone the up river bridge for you. The up river bridge does not always swing right away. This is a railroad bridge with a 2 lane car deck. Trains have priorty over over boats so he may tell you to hold up as a train due in 5 minutes and he will open after it passes.

I think all bridges also respond to sound signals at least all the one I know do.
Important to have the charts or know the area.
A accident that sunk a 30 foot sail boat points this out to me. A sail boat approched the bridge and called the bridge tender to ask for a opening. Bridge tender said ok but requested how much height he needed. The bridge does not lift but insteads swings or rotates on a center piller. The boat just responded with I been thru here many times and the bridge will need to be opened. The bridge did open and the Sail Boat headed down stream thru the bridge. When he got even with the bridge the top of the mast hit a power line that crosses the river at this point and is also attached to the connection on the top center of the bridge. When he hit he tried to back up against the current but the current was too strong and turned the boat over where it sunk. After all the law suites the ruleing was that the skipper should have know the clearance or ask the clearence before passing under the bridge. The chart gives the clearence above mean low water but this was winter time and the river was 31 feet above mean low water.

Lift bridges will always ask how much clearance you need and some will require you to lower you antennas if it will allow you to pass with out a lift.

Another thing is many bridges are only manned durning certain hours and you will need to find a different root or wait.

 

[marine4003]

Re: Approach Draw Bridge

Get a chart for your boating area,it will show both the name and hailing channel,down here on the ICW the general rule is tide, go with the flow.(harder to keep boat at station with following tide) most bridges will hail on 16 &13.But the important thing is to know your waters.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Approach Draw Bridge

sail boat have priority.

 

[Intuition Gloucester]

Re: Approach Draw Bridge

VHF Ch. 13 in MA. Get close and you'll hear bridge chatter. All low power so "draw bridge" will usually work.