Railroad Bridge
The railroad bridge, near the west end of the land cut, is normally kept in the open position, but is lowered twice a day for the "Trash Train" and occasionally for other rail traffic and for maintenance. Patrol boats generally appear when the bridge is down to keep boats well clear. If closed in fog, the bridge sounds 4 short horn blasts every two minutes. A sailboat waiting for the bridge to open should turn and motor bow-first into the current.
Regulations
Complete regulations are on the Canal website; Eldridge prints a summary. Below are some highlights of particular interest to sailors.
Vessels are required to pass through the 7 nautical mile land cut portion of the Canal in under 2 hours 30 minutes, a speed over ground of 3 knots.
Canal Traffic Control monitors the waterway 24 hours a day via cameras and radar.
Vessels under 65 feet do not require clearance from Traffic Control; vessels over 65 feet do. The traffic lights at the east entrance and on Wings Neck at the west end apply only to vessels over 65 feet.
In order of priority: Vessels under 65 feet must give way to vessels larger than 65 feet. Recreational vessels must give way to commercial vessels. Vessels travelling against the current give way to vessels going with the current.
Vessels must monitor VHF 13 while in the Canal. Traffic Control uses 16 as a hailing frequency for non-emergency calls, and 12 or 14 as working frequencies.
Sailboats are required to have and use auxiliary power. {Winds in the Canal are often light and fickle, so negotiating it under sail is generally impractical anyway. ed.} In addition, vessels must not obstruct navigation by unneccessarily idling at low speed, and vessels are expected to stay on the right hand side of the channel.
Vessels are required to notify Traffic Control if an emergency develops, and may be required to take assistance from a helper vessel. Patrol boats are manned 24 hours a day.
Vessels planning to anchor outside the channel are required to notify Canal Traffic Control. {Small boats occassionally anchor alongside the Hog Island Channel to wait for a fair current, but the incessant traffic makes for an uncomfortable berth. ed.}