Pinellas Bayway Structure 'C' Bridge

Comment by: Mark Dresser on Jul 25, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 41'
Draft: 5.5'

Our 2014 Oceanis 41 is about 61' 10"air draft not including our VHF antenna. It is about 64'6" with the antenna. At a +3 tide hugging the west side of the design channel we clear but our antenna will flip off the underside of the bridge. You can get about 6 more inches if you use the channel west of the main channel. We measured 19' of water at a +2 tide. Stay east of center.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer

Comment by: Greg Hathorn on Aug 23, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.7'

IMO, this bridge does not provide 65' clearance at high tide. I have the 63' ICW-friendly rig on my catamaran, and dragged my VHF antenna. We passed under on 8/16/23, one hour before high tide, and held very close to the western guard railing. Water was at +2.19, and I've see it at +2.91 many times. Others have reported the best path is to hug the eastern bridge piling, immediately to the west of the intended channel. I'm told there is always plenty of water. With the naked eye, it is clearly the highest part of the bridge. Otherwise, this is a LOW TIDE bridge for me.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer

Comment by: William OBrien, At Last, on Apr 4, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 48'
Draft: 6.0'

Funny but you go to west side of the “middle’ of the bridge to get highest point. Our 64’ mast got through 2 hours before high tide. We went under a total of 3 times and was ok.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer

Comment by: Darren on Jan 31, 2019
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 45'
Draft: 6.0'

Made it under with my hunter 45ft.... Scary. 3 hrs before low tide

• WG Editor Comment:
  

  Waterway Guide has requested air draft of vessel.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer

Comment by: Timothy Harris on Sep 28, 2017
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 35'
Draft: 3.0'

The clearance in the channel under this bridge is closer to 50'. We just barely made it in with a 47' mast and waited for low tide to leave. We also asked our guest to move to the port side to lean the boat over a bit as we went under.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer