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Requesting a bridge opening?

C

Come Monday

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Sarasota FL
I can't seem to find the correct etiquette on this and I just got into an argument with the bridge tender denying me an opening over the radio. I just moved to a home on the water but there is a bridge about a mile away that has a low clearance. I have two bimini tops, that do come down, BUT, I had two 8" tubbies (speakers) mounted under the main top. Folding this back is ridiculous because it doesn't come all the way down or fold correctly. It's meant to stay up - that's why I had the speakers installed.

At any rate - this bridge tender denied me an opening and was a jerk. He said he would open it but will report me. I explained I had undercounted accessories and he said he didn't care. I docked my boat and walked up to the bridge house to talk to him and he was still a jerk. Not sure where to go with this. Who's right? It's a hassle to take down my top but is it considered a hassle enough to open a bridge?

I called the police department and he said, without seeing it, that he would never write me a ticket for that and to request an opening when I need one.

It's annoying to be inconvenienced with these tops, especially when I'm going to be going under this bridge all the time. I could wait for a larger boat and request passage after them but I'm not sure I like that idea.

Anyone have any advice?
 
Personally, I think you should find a different place for your speakers.
 
We boat on Lake Michigan and rivers connected to Lake Michigan, which is federally navigable and subject to federal law. For us, it's not an issue of etiquette, it's simply federal law. I'm not sure if your bridges are subject to the same regs, but if they are, then you are probably going to be in for a speaker-location-adjustment. Opening a bridge is done on federally navigable waterways for navigation of vessels with immovable structures only. Never for convenience. Regarding structures aboard a vessel, if they can come down, they must come down. There isn't much room for interpretation. If you are not on federally navigable waterways, then YMMV. 

If you are on federally navigable waterways, then the local police are not your issue. USCG is the law on those waters. And they are not law enforcement (though that is their primary purpose on the water). They are...US Military. We're blessed to have them patrolling our federal waterways. But they have no sense of humor that they know of.

Link to federal regs is here.

§117.11   Unnecessary opening of the draw.

No vessel owner or operator shall—

(a) Signal a drawbridge to open if the vertical clearance is sufficient to allow the vessel, after all lowerable nonstructural vessel appurtenances that are not essential to navigation have been lowered, to safely pass under the drawbridge in the closed position; or

Signal a drawbridge to open for any purpose other than to pass through the drawbridge opening.
 
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Good Info JeffS. We don't have any drawbridges on our lake but I was interested in following this thread to see the outcome
 
We have a nearby " Swing Bridge "

I have never had a problem .

I also have a permanent arch .that does not lower .

Short Video of the bridge .

 
So how do they open it for you Jack, On Demand? Do you call ahead or perhaps it is always manned and they open it?
 
All you have to do is give a short toot on the horn .It is not manned  24 / 7 .You have to watch the schedule 
 
I thought I had read about every topic possible on this forum.

I think I have now.
 
kaydano said:
I thought I had read about every topic possible on this forum.

I think I have now.
Click to expand...
Well then ,let me tell you about --------------------------------------------- :D
 
I received a call from the sheriffs dept and he called over to that house and requested they allow me through until we meet so they can look at my boat. This is a catch-22. Being the top is designed to fold down, but I have modified it to stay up - if they determine its too much of a hassle to take down, they will grant me access like a fixed top. I suppose all I need to do is fix it. The argument is that the bridge tender thinks by "modifying" a collapsible structure to be fixed should not deem worthy of an opening. Who are you??? The sheriff says you're on a boat and if your boat cannot get under the bridge without a quick modification, it opens for you. Who has more clout - the sheriff or the bridge tender??? I think the decision is nearing in my favor.

The only reason I didn't purchase a fixed top is because I had a full camper enclosure built and it wouldn't flow with the fixed structure.

Stay tuned..
 
ComeMonday, exactly which bimini do you have, is it the standard double bimini
 
Just a final thought from me...

I don't know where the bridge is, nor what kind of traffic is on it. Every time you need the convenience of opening a bridge, you are creating the inconvenience of traffic on the road stopping. If it were me, and I could in any way modify the rig so that bridges did not have to open, that's what I would do. In the past, I have made decisions on boats and accessories specifically with the consideration of bridge clearance. Example - I chose a radar system on one boat with a lower profile closed array (vs. a bigger an better open array) just so I could clear bridges without having to open them.

I also want to defend the bridge tender just a little bit. I don't know much about the situation, but the rules are very, very, very clear. If a structure can come down, it must come down. If the boat can clear with the structure down, then the bridge doesn't open. From what I read, you didn't modify the structure so that it is permanent. You modified it so that it is inconvenient. There are huge differences between permanent and inconvenient. 

If all of that is accurate, I suppose you could have the hinges welded so that they are indeed permanent. But you could possibly also do a smaller modification so that, though inconvenient, you could drop the bimini quickly and easily to clear the bridge. 

I'm a fan of the regulation and not a fan of unnecessary bridge openings when I'm on the road nor on the water. In all my years, I've never asked myself "what can I do to my boat so that I don't clear bridges". I'm not trying to start anything. But the bridge tender is doing his job and getting blasted a bit in my opinion. The regs are what they are. And they are the way they are for a pretty good reason. Just my $.02.
 
To each his own. I designed my boat for my pleasure, not for bridge clearance. I didn't plan on having a home on the water right next to a swing bridge I can only clear on an extreme low tide when I designed and built my boat. I recently moved to the water and now I have to deal with this bridge. It is what it is - it's a hassle. There are flats boats that have folding towers and they are not required to fold them because it takes too long. They do, though, fold down. There are big boats opening that bridge all the time and when there is one in sight, I don't mind consolidating, requesting passage, and waiting a few minutes. I'm in no hurry. This situation happened on a Sunday morning, about 7:30am when there is no traffic - on the road or the water. This bridge goes to an island of gigantic vacation homes of which most of the traffic are tourists taking a peek at the big waterfront homes.

I do have both the standard front and back bimini's, but I had them redone with a thick sunbrella canvas, a 2" Velcro strip across the entire top of the canvas where it zips the two together for waterproofing when I have my camper panels on, and the fixed speakers. Try taking this down by yourself and putting it back together, twice a day, with a fast moving current and other boat traffic. Not even remotely safe.
 
I have found that when favors are desired, a bottle of whiskey goes a long way.

If he doesn't drink, perhaps gift cert. to a steak house etc?

Everyone appreciates a token of acknowledgement.
 
Not a bad idea BillN.  After the final decision has been made a bottle of booze may go along way to showing no hard feelings
 
Your right. A small token can sometimes have a positive effect. Also a quiet conversation can also work wonders. If your going to use this bridge a  lot and the tender is set in his ways and he holds the KEYS to the bridge. You better think of re-modification or your FUN DAYS on the boat will NOT BE SO FUN. It'll eat at you the whole time your out just thinking of what you'll go through to get back home. Takes the joy out of boating and pleasure. That's not how I'd like my day to go.

Just had to say it.
 
What about taking some pictures of your setup and just stopping by there showing them what your situation is?  If they still have a problem then keep the tools close!!
 
Great ideas. This is why this forum is so awesome. I think some pictures to start and a bottle of whiskey to end will be a good effort.
 
Curious as well if there was a positive resolution

Maybe he listened to that old "convoy" song and rammed the gate going 9.8!!
 
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