Boating from Longboat Key: Two Passes, Two Counties, and Year-Round Gulf Access

Longboat Key is a 10-mile barrier island stretching from Longboat Pass in Manatee County to New Pass in Sarasota County. Its position between the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay gives boaters the rare ability to choose between protected intracoastal cruising and open-water Gulf fishing on any given day. Here is the complete boating picture for Longboat Key.

Getting to the Gulf of Mexico

From the north end of Longboat Key, Longboat Pass puts you in the Gulf in approximately 5 to 10 minutes. From the south end, New Pass near Sarasota provides access in roughly 15 to 25 minutes depending on your starting point and speed. There are no locks or lifts on any route.

Bridges and Clearances

Longboat Pass Bridge (north end) — Bascule drawbridge with 17 feet of clearance when closed and 45 feet of horizontal clearance. Opens on demand 24/7. Monitor VHF Channel 09. FDOT has selected a preferred alternative to replace this bridge with a 78-foot fixed span, but it is in FDOT's 2050 long-range plan with no construction funding yet secured.

New Pass Bascule Bridge (south end, between Lido Key and Longboat Key) — Bascule drawbridge with 23 feet of clearance when closed. Opens on the hour, at 20 minutes past, and at 40 minutes past from 7 AM to 6 PM. Requires 3-hour advance notice for openings between 6 PM and 7 AM.

Channel Depths

Longboat Pass has a NOAA-reported 5 to 6 foot shoal near green daybeacon 1. A NOAA pilot study found the current chart depiction on Chart 11425 to be inaccurate, and the pass has caused vessel groundings. New Pass at the south end carries 4 to 7 feet and shifts constantly. Aids to navigation are uncharted and frequently moved by the Coast Guard. A dredging project was completed at New Pass in early 2026. The ICW along Longboat Key has a federal project depth of 9 to 10 feet, with actual depths ranging from 6 to 12 feet depending on location and dredging schedule.

Closest Public Boat Ramp

North end: Coquina Beach Boat Ramp near the Longboat Pass Bridge in Bradenton Beach, just across the pass.

South end: Ken Thompson Park Boat Ramp at 1700 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota, on City Island on the bay side.

There is no public boat ramp on Longboat Key itself. Most Longboat Key boaters use private docks.

Fuel and Repairs

Cannons Marina at 6040 Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key offers 89-octane gasoline including non-ethanol options. They specialize in Grady-White and Yamaha with routine maintenance, engine work, electrical, warranty service, and custom rigging. Hours are 8 AM to 5 PM daily.

The Boating Lifestyle

Longboat Key offers barrier island living with both Gulf and ICW access. The north end puts boaters minutes from Longboat Pass and open water. The south end connects to Sarasota Bay and the broader ICW system. Waterfront homes range from bayfront estates with deepwater docks to Gulf-front properties. Many residents keep their boats on private lifts or at one of the island's marinas.

The fishing is exceptional: snook and tarpon around the passes, seatrout on the grass flats, and grouper and snapper within a short offshore run. The ICW along the island provides protected cruising to both Sarasota and Bradenton. For boaters who want daily access to both calm and open water, Longboat Key delivers on that promise.

John Belt, REALTOR® | Keller Williams On The Water | 941-720-1200 | johnbeltrealtor.com