A first for us

[sailaboutvic]

After a non stop 12 years cruising the Med we taken the unusual steps of going in to the European Netherlands water ways.
Something real new to us .Locks, bridges and big fast moving ships on our bums in a narrow channel.
The stand up mast route as it's known to tho who done it .
Our starting point it Vlissingen .
Our Exit Amsterdam. Just over 100 miles give or take .
So any advise from them who have done this route be welcoming .

 

[johnalison]

I’ve done it many times. You are right about fast moving ships. The barges can come up fast and with so little freeboard it is easy to fail to see them. A good lookout at all times is essential. A few wrinkles:
Take it easy. There will be delays, sometimes unexpected, as when a bridge breaks down.
Think about how to deal with locks, which are not difficult if done with care. Our technique is to have my wife amidships with the loop of the stern line while I hold the tail. She puts the loop on the selected bollard, usually in a recess in the wall. I then motor on until she can put the bow line on as I angle the boat inwards to assist.
Slow down past built up areas, fuel stations and small passenger ferries.
Be ready to go when the bridges open. If confident enough, you can even go when the lights are still red-and-green, but don’t waste time. It helps to hold back a little and start moving slowly just before the bridge is fully open. If the light is single red it means that traffic coming the other way will be let through first.
You will have very little use for VHF. Some bridges will have a contact point on the waiting pontoon.
Gouda and Haarlem are lovely old towns and each is worth staying a day or two at.
Bridge opening times on Sundays are often limited, so check the times and plan around them.

 

[DanTribe]

Don't stress, relax and enjoy it, it's great fun. The people are [generally] very helpful.
It's worth getting the ANWB Staande Mastroute map or atlas, this also shows all bridge opening times.
You are supposed to carry Wateralmanak Vol 1 but I've never been asked to produce it.
Agree about Haarlem and Gouda. Prefer the town moorings in Gouda [Kattensingelgracht?] rather than the marina.
Some boring stretches but it's mostly fascinating.
Loads of other places to find by accident, especially liked Leiden.

 

[johnalison]

Don't stress, relax and enjoy it, it's great fun. The people are [generally] very helpful.
It's worth getting the ANWB Staande Mastroute map or atlas, this also shows all bridge opening times.
You are supposed to carry Wateralmanak Vol 1 but I've never been asked to produce it.
Agree about Haarlem and Gouda. Prefer the town moorings in Gouda [Kattensingelgracht?] rather than the marina.
Some boring stretches but it's mostly fascinating.
Loads of other places to find by accident, especially liked Leiden.

I have stayed at both in Gouda. The marina, actually a club, has been very welcoming over the years and I enjoy the short cycle ride into town. The last time we stayed in the town the bridge broke and we couldn't leave until the afternoon. We were offered a free night's stay in compensation but have been unable to take it up.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Well we made a start , only got as far as Veere doubt we done 10 Miles again unusual as are day run when cruising can be anything up to 90 miles , but hey who's counting
Only problem so far was something caught around the prop , sticking it in fro and astern seen to clear it .
Only down side is so far we found no where to anchor for the night or a free mooring , althought we have tied up to a bit of an old pontoon for the night .
so if you know of any please do tell .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Don't stress, relax and enjoy it, it's great fun. The people are [generally] very helpful.
It's worth getting the ANWB Staande Mastroute map or atlas, this also shows all bridge opening times.
You are supposed to carry Wateralmanak Vol 1 but I've never been asked to produce it.
Agree about Haarlem and Gouda. Prefer the town moorings in Gouda [Kattensingelgracht?] rather than the marina.
Some boring stretches but it's mostly fascinating.
Loads of other places to find by accident, especially liked Leiden.

We did look at the map but my Navionic chart on my iPad seen to give me more info , so we given it a miss , but thanks anyway

 

[DanTribe]

On the Veerse meer there are lots of stagings to tie up to. One of our favourites is Bastiaan de Langeplaat about 3 miles south east of you. No facilities, just a staging, grassy field, trees and a thunder box toilet. Love it.

 

[DanTribe]

We did look at the map but my Navionic chart on my iPad seen to give me more info , so we given it a miss , but thanks anyway

The map used to be free to AA members but that was 2002, I guess those days are gone.
I also use a phone app Vaarkart Nederland., quite handy but maps more diagram than charts but lots of info. Cheap enough or I wouldn't have bought it, about 8 Euros I think.

 

[johnalison]

On the Veerse meer there are lots of stagings to tie up to. One of our favourites is Bastiaan de Langeplaat about 3 miles south east of you. No facilities, just a staging, grassy field, trees and a thunder box toilet. Love it.

I think that nowadays you are supposed to buy a ticket in Veere to stay the night on an island. There are stopping places, and you are at liberty to stop in any piece of countryside. Sometimes there is an approach to a bridge which can be used. It doesn't matter much what the rules are, since the Dutch pay no attention to them anyway. There are many stopping places in the Frisian canals, but inland marinas are often handy and very cheap, as little as e5/night.

You were unlucky to pick up weed, but there is heavy contamination with weed on the western side of the Markermeer north of Amsterdam, if you find yourself going that way. Edam might be a nice excursion if you only have limited time in that area.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I think that nowadays you are supposed to buy a ticket in Veere to stay the night on an island. There are stopping places, and you are at liberty to stop in any piece of countryside. Sometimes there is an approach to a bridge which can be used. It doesn't matter much what the rules are, since the Dutch pay no attention to them anyway. There are many stopping places in the Frisian canals, but inland marinas are often handy and very cheap, as little as e5/night.

You were unlucky to pick up weed, but there is heavy contamination with weed on the western side of the Markermeer north of Amsterdam, if you find yourself going that way. Edam might be a nice excursion if you only have limited time in that area.

John you made me laugh , when where they £5 a night ?
The cheapest we seen is €2.50 mts but more are around 3 to 3.30 then ele and water on top .
That's what we found out so far , anyway looking good for a free night to night.
.
Our plain was to sail to Ijmuiden and go that way but the wind drop so we be motoring , so we tho if we are going to use fuel we. Take the inland route .

 

[DanTribe]

I didn't know that we now had to pay on the Versemeer, it's always been so on Grevelingen but it's good value.
We used to be allowed to overnight on the bridge and lock waiting pontoons but no more.
Last time it was still allowed at Voleraksluis and there are good anchorages North and South of the locks. Also free mooring buoys in Hollandsdiep opposite Numansdorp. A bit exposed but idyllic in settled weather, if you like solitude.

 

[johnalison]

John you made me laugh , when where they £5 a night ?
The cheapest we seen is €2.50 mts but more are around 3 to 3.30 then ele and water on top .
That's what we found out so far , anyway looking good for a free night to night.
.
Our plain was to sail to Ijmuiden and go that way but the wind drop so we be motoring , so we tho if we are going to use fuel we. Take the inland route .

I paid about that at the little place past the lock east of Amsterdam, and at the odd out of the way place that normally only gets a bit of custom from motor boats. That would have been a few years ago but they will can be very cheap.

 

[sailaboutvic]

What's the rules we just anchoring outside the channel unless there a clear sign not to?
Very quite night on the staging in Veere .

 

[MoodySabre]

If you like WW2 history then go to Steenbergen where there is Guy Gibbon’s war grave and a memorial in the park to the Dam Busters. The harbour master hands out printed guides to visitors. A lovely diversion from the main canals.

Dordrecht is a favourite of mine.

Between Gouda and Haarlem there were some free roadside moorings.

 

[johnalison]

If you like WW2 history then go to Steenbergen where there is Guy Gibbon’s war grave and a memorial in the park to the Dam Busters. The harbour master hands out printed guides to visitors. A lovely diversion from the main canals.

Dordrecht is a favourite of mine.

Between Gouda and Haarlem there were some free roadside moorings.

The free moorings were marked as little blue dashes on a set of charts in booklet form that we have somewhere. I’ll see if I can dig it out.

I have had some pleasant times in Dordrecht, though it is not my favourite place, maybe because of its rather forbidding river frontage. The most congenial moorings are at the little club which is the westernmost and approached through a small cut. There is, by the way, a waiting pontoon for the railway bridge on the west in a side alley to starboard. Dordrecht has a fine art gallery at the end of the town and the church has a new Bach organ with regular concerts, and a fine carillon.

 

[DanTribe]

The free moorings were marked as little blue dashes on a set of charts in booklet form that we have somewhere. I’ll see if I can dig it out.

I have had some pleasant times in Dordrecht, though it is not my favourite place, maybe because of its rather forbidding river frontage. The most congenial moorings are at the little club which is the westernmost and approached through a small cut. There is, by the way, a waiting pontoon for the railway bridge on the west in a side alley to starboard. Dordrecht has a fine art gallery at the end of the town and the church has a new Bach organ with regular concerts, and a fine carillon.

The little marina is WSV Maartensgat. Friendly club but right next Groot Kerk and the big bell BONG! Kept me awake.Does the man still come and wind the bridge by hand?
Mooring places are marked on the Staande mastroute map and on Vaarkaart Nederland phone app. Not all are free for visitors though.

 

[MoodySabre]

The little marina is WSV Maartensgat. Friendly club but right next Groot Kerk and the big bell BONG! Kept me awake.Does the man still come and wind the bridge by hand?
Mooring places are marked on the Staande mastroute map and on Vaarkaart Nederland phone app. Not all are free for visitors though.

I have stayed twice at the marina just north of there Haven - KDRZV accessed via the Engelenbergerbrug

 

[sailaboutvic]

We just drop our hook way out of the channel to night off Ooltgentdik,
Nice and quitev

 

[DanTribe]

We just drop our hook way out of the channel to night off Ooltgentdik,
Nice and quitev

I've been following your progress with interest. I'll soon be doing this route for the first time in 6 years.
Any update would be welcome.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Only think of any use so far is there a lot of floating weed which we managed to get on our prop a few times now .
Now in Gouda , bit tight to get in we actually ended up coming in astern ,
€17 a night inc ele and water .