Planning trip - towing bridge low clearance info (VA/MD)

importmonkey

importmonkey

Opinionated Member
Jul 9, 2015
1,056
Space Coast, FL
Boat Info
2005 260DA (sold)
2007 44DA (sold)
1989/2015 Hatteras 65c
Engines
12v92TA
Going to tow the boat this weekend and trying to find problematic spots as far as low bridge clearances along the way. I've been chewing through the MD.gov route restrictions, but wondering if anyone here has found an easier/better way to do it.

Route will take me from Lorton, VA to Middle River, MD.

Measured the boat on the trailer and she sits 13'4" to the top of the TV antenna on the arch.
 
I you sure it is that high on the trailer? I am at 13'6". Out here everything is supposed to be 14'6" and higher.
 
My boat, sitting on a tandem axle aluminum trailer, is between 12'4"-12'-8". In our area, I find trees to be more of a nuisance. I have never found a bridge I did not fit under. We have pulled it all over the northeastern part of GA and down into AL earlier this summer. I do have to hold up the phone lines to get out of the driveway!

If yours sits that high, I would certainly look at lowering the bunks.

Bennett
 
importmonkey said:
Going to tow the boat this weekend and trying to find problematic spots as far as low bridge clearances along the way. I've been chewing through the MD.gov route restrictions, but wondering if anyone here has found an easier/better way to do it.

Route will take me from Lorton, VA to Middle River, MD.

Measured the boat on the trailer and she sits 13'4" to the top of the TV antenna on the arch.
Click to expand...

I don't have much advise, other than to stay off the GW Parkway south of Alexandria. There have been a number of vehicles that have hit that bridge at Alexandria Avenue.
 
Yeah. Use to live on the GW Pkwy. Definitely staying away from there.

Well, just saw the harbor tunnel restricts height to 13'6" and nothing wider than 8'.

To my op, there is a bridge not far from my house that is a well travelled route and has a low clearance of 13'6". Certainly lower than I'll risk. If I didn't know about it, I would be holding up traffic - as I've seen a number of truckers do who didn't know either.

The boat sits about two inches above the fenders (on the trailer). Not sure I can drop it much by lowering the bunks. Thought about removing the antenna, but not sure it's worth the hassle for an extra 10" of clearance.

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95 would be OK, and you can take 695 either way to access middle river area. May be a bit farther than tunnel, but I think bridge clearance is at least 13' 6" or higher on those routes. Also info should be easier to come by for the major routes. Good Luck.
 
Do you know anyone in the trucking industry that dies the eastern seaboard? Rig drivers are pretty savvy about posted heights and reality.
 
importmonkey said:
Yeah. Use to live on the GW Pkwy. Definitely staying away from there.

Well, just saw the harbor tunnel restricts height to 13'6" and nothing wider than 8'.

To my op, there is a bridge not far from my house that is a well travelled route and has a low clearance of 13'6". Certainly lower than I'll risk. If I didn't know about it, I would be holding up traffic - as I've seen a number of truckers do who didn't know either.

The boat sits about two inches above the fenders (on the trailer). Not sure I can drop it much by lowering the bunks. Thought about removing the antenna, but not sure it's worth the hassle for an extra 10" of clearance.

Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Be aware of the Hwy 1 train bridge in lorton just north of the hwy 1/I 95 interchange. We used to store our fifth wheel at Gateway Storage and it sat at 13'4". I don't trust that it wasn't repaved without being remeasured. I've also taken the fifth wheel at 8'6" wide through the chesapeake bay bridge tunnel and I have to say it was a nail biter. I just stayed behind an 18 wheeler and watched out for oncoming buses. I don't know of any other height issues though. If you pick up a truckers map book from your nearest truck stop you should be good. They run at 13'6" so just don't go where they can't go.
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is the key. I also sit at 13' 4 1/2". Follow the semi-trucks, they are 13'6".

Trees are my biggest problem and remember that limbs sagg 6 or more inches when wet.
 
I'd much rather see those signs that say, "flashing when overheight." Actually, I'd just rather just drive the boat up on the water. Thanks guys.

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Made it. No problems. Only thing that jumped out was a 5T limit in certain lanes.

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