Went through with a 58' mast this time last year, it didn't seem anything of an issue. I would guess it offers a full 64' at normal water levels, only one less than the the ICW standard of 65'. We'd been stuck at nearby Belhaven for a couple of weeks, if the tide was 6" there I'd be surprised, though the water did back up with a strong southerly wind.

The real problem in that area was the shallow spit that has extended into the line of the ICW at the northern exit of the Alligator River. The local marina was making a lot of money towing off yachts that had gone aground. Go slow and stick to the eastern side of the channel.

-----------------------

PS SimonJ, you actually saw the yacht using water balls to get under ICW bridges? I've seen the picture of it at Vero Beach, looks photoshopped to me (see below). I can't see how this arrangement could possibly be stable. Even if the boom was used to hold out the balls, its hard to believe this would work.