Canal du Midi - recent experience please

[Erico]

Its so difficult to an informed opinion about the true navigable depth of the Canal du Midi. I’d be pleased to hear from anybody who has been through recently in a keel boat.

I plan to go through in the Spring (when I imagine depth is greatest) and draw 1.4m with a long fin keel. What are the odds?

Thanks

Erico

 

[Col]

I went through in March. Boat draws 1.2mtr. Depth sounder showed depth consistantly 1.8mtrs+.


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[pugwash]

It\'s the sills that matter

Your keel can plough through the mud but the concrete sills at each lock are another matter. When we went through in a Hillyard years ago the "official" depth guaranteed I think 1.52 (check on this) and we needed 1.48 but we got 1.47m A big problem is this. Your deep keel can cut along splendidly in the middle of the canal but then you meet a socking great peniche coming the other way and it gives way to nobody. So then you take a dive to one side of the other, the keel runs into the shallows, you tilt towards the oncoming monster and its bow-wave effect sucks your stern outward. We were twice dragged sternfirst down the canal by barges that snagged the end of our mast which was on trestles and overhanging the stern. The next problem was getting the barge to stop. It was mighty scary and we were lucky not to be greatly damaged. I wouldn't do it again in a boat that pushed the depth limit.

 

[pugwash]

One more thing...

But it's a wonderful trip. Do it if you can!

 

[colin_jones]

We did 8 down and backs in the season with 1.40 draft. You will touch in a number of places, but is generally not serious. In the beginning of the season some locks have 'un toc' - a sort of scour bank of leaves and silt on the down side. If you ground, the lockie will usually do a 'chasse d'eau' by opening all gates and literally washing you off the hillock. When you have another go, make up your mind either to charge it and then go into neutral just before where you have marked it, or glide up slowly, so that the boat does not squat and increase her draft.

The bigger problem is hire boats, driven too fast by inexperienced people and pinching in the bow in the lock, instead of first catching the boat with a stern line. However, you soon learn to look after yourself and it is a great trip.
If I can tell you anything about stopping places etc, PM me and I'll give you a number for a chat.

 

[Sybarite]

The following is from the official notice to sailors :

Air clearance at Pont Marengo = 3m48 in the centre (axe) and 2m38 within 2m50 of the 'axe'.

Draft : normal limit now due to silting is about 1m50.

(In times of drought this can be considerably reduced)


6°/ CONDITIONS DE NAVIGATION

Tirant d’air : le tirant d’air le plus contraignant (Pont marengo à Carcassonne) est de 3,40 m dans l’axe de navigation et de 2,38 m à 2,50 m de l’axe de navigation.

Tirant d’eau : l’envasement conséquent du Canal des Deux Mers, le tirant d’eau effectif est réduit. Il est recommandé la prudence pour les bateaux de 1,50 m et plus de tirant d’eau. ( se renseigner auprès des subdivisions)

Vitesse : La vitesse est limitée à 8 Km et 3 km / heure au droit des zones de stationnement, ports et haltes nautiques ainsi qu’à l’approche des ouvrages.

 

[steveh]

Do you know what the maximum beam is for this canal?

 

[Erico]

Thanks for these replys. Looks as though I have to expect a few problems on the way but that we'll get through assuming no unusal water shortage.

I'll let you know what happens.

Eric

 

[Twister_Ken]

Fresh water

Good luck, and don't forget she'll draw a few centimetres more in fresh water.

 

[alant]

Do you have to book in advance? What are facilities like for getting mast down/up either end? What are the 'costs'?

 

[Col]

Get yourself one of the guige vignon, the green ones, much better than navicarte(No11 I think is Du-midi) It shows where all facilities and locks are, along with phone nos. You also need a VNF licence, payable in advance if you like.You will also need Icc/cevni and all boat documents, If you make the run before Easter, you need to give VNF 24 hrs notice, for passage through locks (ecluses)
Also before Easter much quieter, no hirers, And the eclusiers work together, so you can ask them to adjust sluicing slightly, to allow more water into a pound.
As for mast step / unstep no idea of cost as i'm a stinkie. Don't think it's too dear though. Ring The yard West side of canal at Bordeax, they have cranage there.
You will enjoy the expirience, Just look out for plastic bags as you go through Toulose, put someone on the bow ( i'm serious, I picked up several )

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[LadyInBed]

I did not book in advance, I was not sure when I be at any particular place.
Coming from the Med in 95 this is what I put in my log:-

The Garonne

<pre>*5 Aug. Castets en Dorte - Bordeaux pk 5 56 km 5 hrs 15</pre>


The lock wasn't due to open until 15:00 (HW Dover was 17:20 GMT) but a peniche was due so we didn't get into the lock until it had gone through. We finally got out onto the Garone at 16:00. The current was going like a train, at times we managed 8 knots + over the ground. The wind was against us, which created some very choppy water. We arrived at the marina at Pt de Lormont at 20:15, (make sure you start your turn to port in good time, to get the feel of the current as you will have been out of tidal waters for some time), to be welcomed by the (over) helpful Y.C. Resident / Barman. Keep some forward drive on until you have some lines made fast, as I kid you not about the current. The Y.C. showers are good and its the cheapest place to get your mast up.

<font color=purple>When I came through in 98 I found that the marina at Pt de Lormont on the South bank no longer stepped masts, but a club on the North bank (exactly opposite) did.
I would suggest using the main port in Bordeaux, as having the mast up to make use of any wind coming up the Garonne can only be to the good.</font color=purple>

<pre>*7 Aug. Bordeaux - Pauillac pk 50 45 km 2 hrs 45</pre>

<pre>*7 Aug. Pauillac - Royan pk 100 50 km 4 hrs 50</pre>


HW Bordeaux was 04:39. We left at 06:45 so as to arrive at LW Pauillac (10:00). A good trip with a following wind. Had a look around town, a visit to the Intermarché and had a thunderstorm, then left at 16:15 (HW 16:00) for Royan (LW 21:00). Make sure your fenders are stowed and everything is secured as for the sea, we had a F4 head wind and a very rough trip. You can do the full trip in one tide but I didn't fancy the 04:40 start.