What is the water depth requirements for getting people out of a canopy boat that is capsized?

The way a lot of the cockpits are setup, I would think you would need at least 10'. I grew up vacationing and did a lot of flounder giging in Biloxi Sound as a kid. The current race site is very shallow for racing 3-4' at low tide.

chart of race site

APBA had a world championship race there 5 years ago and everything was OK then. Not to say at low tide there couldn't be a problem in specific areas. No one ever said racing in these boats were safe. If you don't like the risk don't take it.
MD

Is this the same course location that APBA used?

St Cloud has some very shallow spots as well. When we raced there we took the canopy tops off so if we went over we could get out. Don't think there was ever a problem there.

That is definately not the same course APBA used. Based upon what I have heard locally both races are scheduled to be run at high tide giving a minimum depth of 6'.

Candy, you sound very angry in you post......you ok? Time for some good ol' fashion steam blow off......

the worry spot should be the old dredge spoil area. dredgers are lazy and don't like to move their discharge pipe much. it's possible there are high spots within the old spoil area.

be careful.

The course in 1997 APBA/UIM race was infront of the President Casino .It was out aways from the beach .It sucked for those spectators on the beach ,to far out.This race will be flat water. behind the island . Just some rollers coming of the sea wall from the race boats. All protected water.The course is between the Deer Island and the Casinos.It was a no wake zone thru most of it there . They just removed a 90 foot sunk shrimp boat there just spent 55k removing it . Its been there since I started boating there in 1990. We where there in August and they where dredging there . It needed it bad.I think they spent all summer dredging thru there. its going to be a narrow course with the Marinas sea walls and channel markers thru there. I have heard its not going to NOT be a Boat spectator friendly course.??


Just remember at the Point Cadet Marina and prob the rest of the the slips are around 4ft at low tide. Its was silted in at point cadet when we wher ethere in August

I would fallow the Chanel markers if you run out into the gulf. The water is real shallow prob 200-300 yards from the beach.Like 2-3 ft.

If you run out into the big water you will be able the see the Beau Rivage on the way back in.its 20 something stories tall..

I have been posting some info in my post in the General Discussion section. Maps


http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...threadid=72036

I thought there might be some criteria from race insurance, coast gaurd, etc.