The light bar extension from my new radar pedestal, along with the all around nav light attached to the end, gives my boat on the trailer a vertical height of 14.83 (14ft./,83in.). I checked on the minimum vertical on federal highways and found it to be 16ft.. The minimum for state is 14ft.. I want to trailer the boat from Jacksonville, florida to Portland Maine. Do you folks think I can do it with out taking off my light bar extension?
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vertical road clearance
- Thread starter triton1
- Start date
I can't speak to a specific route, and perhaps heights are getting ever "bigger" as widths seem to be, but for years the "standard height" you could be reasonably assured of on many highways is (was?) 13'6". That's not to say that many overpasses etc. might not be lower, but if you were on a truck route then I believe they would be marked as low clearance. In other words, they would "expect" 13'6" high vehicles to be coming through.
When I've arranged transport for overheight boats (has been a few years), if they were over 13'6" they could usually still go (although they sometimes had to skip a certain marina or whatever due to a certain low powerline, overpass, etc.), but the truckers would often have to take a longer or different route, and perhaps get permits and/or adhere to certain hours of operation, etc. (that last might only be for overlength or over-width). I think for the permits and hours, it can vary state to state.
Although there are probably digital ways to do it now, there are special trucker's atlases (they are available on Amazon) that show this sort of info (plus grade percentages, etc.). I think some Garmin-type mappers do now too (if you get a trucker or RV specific one?).
So that's a long, rambling reply to say I don't know, specifically. I'm actually surprised to read that federal highways are 16'.... maybe 13'6" only sticks in my mind because most boat deliveries involve secondary roads at either end of the trip?
When I've arranged transport for overheight boats (has been a few years), if they were over 13'6" they could usually still go (although they sometimes had to skip a certain marina or whatever due to a certain low powerline, overpass, etc.), but the truckers would often have to take a longer or different route, and perhaps get permits and/or adhere to certain hours of operation, etc. (that last might only be for overlength or over-width). I think for the permits and hours, it can vary state to state.
Although there are probably digital ways to do it now, there are special trucker's atlases (they are available on Amazon) that show this sort of info (plus grade percentages, etc.). I think some Garmin-type mappers do now too (if you get a trucker or RV specific one?).
So that's a long, rambling reply to say I don't know, specifically. I'm actually surprised to read that federal highways are 16'.... maybe 13'6" only sticks in my mind because most boat deliveries involve secondary roads at either end of the trip?
potter water
New member
IT isn't removable?
Interstate highways are 16' in rural areas, In urban areas only 14'.
Expect a lot of 13' 6" when off the interstate.
We towed our old houseboat at 13' 6" from Texas to Minneapolis and to Lake Powell and it was a constant pain in the rear.
Might make it with a lot of planning.
On a long trip like that all it takes is a few minutes of non attention while you are looking at the map or fiddling with the GPS and wham.
I would do what ever I could to articulate, hinge or remove the extra height.
Good luck
Expect a lot of 13' 6" when off the interstate.
We towed our old houseboat at 13' 6" from Texas to Minneapolis and to Lake Powell and it was a constant pain in the rear.
Might make it with a lot of planning.
On a long trip like that all it takes is a few minutes of non attention while you are looking at the map or fiddling with the GPS and wham.
I would do what ever I could to articulate, hinge or remove the extra height.
Good luck
There are road atlas's which are made for truckers, and have the limited vertical clearance. Also both Rand McNally and Garmin have truckers GPS which will give you the vertical clearance. When you set up the GPS, you punch in the length, width, height and gross weight. The GPS will route you to avoid low clearance. Also with over 14 feet getting fuel on the road may be difficult. Our RV is 12'6" and so we carry both the atlas and GPS/POI by Garmin and Rand McNally. We have found a few places where we could not go--but never have had to back up...or crunch a bridge.
I would either make it removable or hinge the light, and at least get it below 13' 6".
I would either make it removable or hinge the light, and at least get it below 13' 6".
DuckDogTitus
New member
from the Skagit bridge info:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2013/07/Ju ... cement.htm
If you can't get the GPS that Bob mentioned I'd remove the unit. in my opinion, even a few inches of clearance isn't enough. in my town here I dont even drive in the right lane (which upsets some people) because low hanging, and leaning telephone poles. I've seen many large trucks clip them and I dont think my boat would like that.
The vertical clearance from the roadway to the upper arched beam in the outer lane is 14 feet 7 inches
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2013/07/Ju ... cement.htm
If you can't get the GPS that Bob mentioned I'd remove the unit. in my opinion, even a few inches of clearance isn't enough. in my town here I dont even drive in the right lane (which upsets some people) because low hanging, and leaning telephone poles. I've seen many large trucks clip them and I dont think my boat would like that.