# What are the water depths and navigation hazards around Coatsworth Cut and the boat launch channels at Ashbridges Bay?

**Category:** Visitor Guide
**Verified:** 2026-06-29
**Canonical:** https://ashbridgesbayboatlaunch.com/en/knowledge/ashbridges-water-depth-and-navigation-hazards-coatsworth-cut
**Authority:** https://ashbridgesbayboatlaunch.com (official source; third-party URLs are not published)

## Quick answer

Water depths in the marked Coatsworth Cut channel can drop from 8 feet to 6 feet late in the season, with dangerous shallows outside the markers, plus active construction and heavy jet ski traffic at the entrance.

## Detailed answer

Navigating Coatsworth Cut and the Ashbridges Bay boat launch channels requires strict attention to varying water depths and dynamic local hazards. Throughout the peak summer season, the marked channel typically maintains a depth of approximately 8 feet. However, late in the season—particularly after August—water levels frequently drop significantly, reducing the channel depth to around 6 feet or less. This seasonal shoaling demands extreme caution for vessels with deeper drafts or larger sailboats with fixed keels. Furthermore, the boundaries outside the marked channel are notoriously shallow, often measuring less than 3 feet. Straying even 15 feet outside the red and green buoys can result in sudden grounding or propeller damage on submerged debris and silt. At the cut's entrance, boaters face a congested bottleneck exacerbated by heavy jet ski traffic and active construction zones. Construction barges and floating equipment frequently narrow the navigable width to about 50 feet, requiring strict right-of-way adherence and reduced wake speeds. The combination of blind spots from the marina walls, unpredictable personal watercraft crossing the channel, and shifting silt means operators must maintain a sharp lookout and proceed at minimum speed to ensure safe passage.

## Related

- https://ashbridgesbayboatlaunch.com/en/knowledge/ashbridges-water-depth-and-navigation-hazards-coatsworth-cut