Can someone clarify the Poole lifting bridges for me..

wipe_out

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Thinking about launching the new boat from the slipway at Cobbs or Davis boat yard and I have the lifting bridge schedule from the website.. Question is do you have to contact the bridge operator to let them know you are waiting to come through (just before the scheduled opening time) or do they just keep an eye out and open when they see someone waiting?

Thanks..
 
Also depending on your air draft you may be able to go under it without them opening it as long as you have the right lights
 
Thanks.. Good to know.. So if we are alone making our way to the bridge one early morning I will know to give them a call..

I don't know what the air draft is yet but will measure it when we get the boat but I am guessing we would have to wait for the bridge more often than not.. Boat is a Merry Fisher 695 so at a guess I think the air draft is probably somewhere between 2.1m and 2.4m..
 
Also depending on your air draft you may be able to go under it without them opening it as long as you have the right lights
Bit curious on that if the bridges are down and you have the draught.. I've always just gone through anyway ?
 
The new bridge is 0.5m higher than the old bridge.
There are bright green digital read outs each side of each bridge giving the clear headroom so usefull to know your air draught.
As a guide, with our air draught of about 2.6m we can get under the closed old bridge if the tide is at a height of 1.7m or less (with 1 or 2 inches to spare).
It is unusual for us to need the new bridge lifted.
If your air draught is 2.1m, you will be OK for tides up to about 2.2m….which means you might only need the old bridge lifted at the top of some spring tides.
 
There is a traffic light system that includes a "stop" phase which applies even if you have air draught. They have a tannoy system and will shout at you if you disobey the lights.
Basically when it is lifting or lowering , and give way, I see. Guess I have never been impatient enough to try that !
 
The new bridge is 0.5m higher than the old bridge.
There are bright green digital read outs each side of each bridge giving the clear headroom so usefull to know your air draught.
As a guide, with our air draught of about 2.6m we can get under the closed old bridge if the tide is at a height of 1.7m or less (with 1 or 2 inches to spare).
It is unusual for us to need the new bridge lifted.
If your air draught is 2.1m, you will be OK for tides up to about 2.2m….which means you might only need the old bridge lifted at the top of some spring tides.

Thanks, That's very useful.. I'll measure when I get the boat in the water and make a note somewhere of the tide hight I can clear the bridges.. Will make planning trips a lot easier if I can get under the bridges most of the time..
 
I remember when I picked my boat up from poole and took it to Gosport, its fair to say that we were very close to scraping the roof :ambivalence: luckily we didn't :p
 
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