You will probably have to negotiate a variety of bridges on boating holiday. Negotiating bridges is safe as long as you follow a few common sense rules:
Make sure you know the height of your boat and also the clearance for the bridge. On some boats you will need to tackle the bridge at low tide. Many bridges have depth guages at the side so you can see the height of the river. If your boat has windscreens that can be lowered you should do this if you are close to your height limit
Follow the directions given at the bridge. Some bridges will have warning lights indicating when it is safe to pass, others tell you where it is safe to go.
The bridge pictured shows that it is safe to pass under it only between the red arrows.
Busy shipping lanes can be hazardous. Its important to take extra care in busy areas or where the waters are tidal.
Navigate the bridge slowely. You should avoid having people on deck is you are passing under a bridge. If you really need people on deck make sure they are wearing life jackets you should never use a part of your body to protect the boat
Narrow Bridges - Boats travelling downstream on rivers have the right of way at bridges and narrows.
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