Air draft French canals

[jfletcher]

Can any one advise how excating the 3.5m air draft from Paris France to the Med is ? . I have a Sealine F33 and if I take down radar arch I believe I am around that air height. If not are there many bridges tunnels that are near that mark and if necceassary can the boat be lifted over ?. Any information appreciated. Many thanks

 

[Sea Devil]

In the canals it is exact... which is not to say if you got stuck that the lock keepers could not lower the water in the stretch you got stuck in but you should not rely on this... The width of the locks as posted for each canal is also exact. Not the max width of boats allowed rather the exact width between two bits of concrete.

One 'trick' round the problem is to carry a load of empty barrels in the saloon and when you get to a canal that has too little air height, fill the barrels with water so the draft increases and the 'air height' lowers.

In fact the only 'low bridges' section is just before Paris through to the Saone which only represents 1/4 to 1/3 of the entire trip to the Med.
Michael