I have a sailboat with a 4 foot draft. How far up the sabine can I get without problems?
Answer A 4 ft draft boat should not have any problems in the Sabine River until approximately 10 miles north of IH10. However, mast height (or cabin height) will affect you very quickly. There is a Railroad bridge (Southern Pacific) just a few miles North of IH10 (near Echo) that is only 10-15 ft above the water line. While this is a swing bridge I believe it requires 24 hours notice to open. . Here is a Topo map showing the bridge in question. There are areas of shallow water in the Lower Sabine (Below IH10) that one needs to be wary of. If you are not familiar with this area I suggest you obtain a Nautical Chart that shows this area; please see Office of Coast Survey – Navigation Charts.
