Daft idea 3. Are any of the Swiss-italian lakes accessable from the sea or canals?

[Bertramdriver]

Just recieved my cruising orders for the new season from SWMBO. Included in there is a request to take our 47' mobo up onto the Swiss or italian lakes. My immediate response of "No" has been over ruled with an instruction to make the enquiry of older? and wiser heads. Is it possible and if so how?

 

[jaba]

Swiss lakes: forget it (rules and regulations in practice forbid it AFAIK).
Main Italian lakes: you could take the boat there. You would not be able to reach them on your keel, though. A part, maybe, somehow, Garda, the main Italian lake. You could reach Cremona through the Po river (via the Adriatic Sea) , but from there you would need to go 70 km by lorry to Desenzano on Lake Garda. Worth doing it, though.
best
j

 

[BrianH]

Swiss lakes: forget it (rules and regulations in practice forbid it AFAIK).

The only bit of Switzerland you can reach is Basel after navigating the Rhine river for its entire downstream length ... against the flow. No waterway access to any of the lakes from there. And if you did ever reach them there is unlikely to be any spare moorings - waiting lists everywhere and astronomical prices. Licences needed and regulations abound.

There have long been plans to connect Lago Maggiore (20% Swiss, 80% Italian) to the Po with the Navigli Lombardi through Milan ... but don't hold your breath.

http://www.european-waterways.eu/e/info/italy/navigli_lombardi_ticino_po.php

 

[macd]

"Daft Idea 3"
I'm intrigued. What were the other two?

 

[AndrewB]

There can be some snags. This is Lake Geneva, last time I was there ...

 

[Hardmy]

Lake Geneva

Not directly related to the Swiss Italian lakes as you asked, here is my input for Lake Geneva. You can navigate up the Rhone to Lyon on your own keel and put your boat on a truck for the last couple of kms.

Re red tape, etc. As experienced everywhere else, it helps a lot to show up at the relevant authority and engage a dialogue. There is a "Service de la Navigation" for each Canton. Believe me, nothing is impossible when you speak to the people.

Re berths. Sure the situation is not easy. But I know 1-2 places in the upper Lake Geneva where solutions may be found.

The lakes of Neuchatel, Bienne, Morat (which are all connected together) could also be more hospitable for your boat than in the Ticino. But at the end I wouldn't do it since it doesn't need much time to discover every single corner of those lakes and it would be sometimes challenging to squeeze your boat in our small harbours.


Alinghi in le Bouveret (2009)

Montreux

Rhone upstream near le Bouveret

Some little chop

@home in Montreux

 

[macd]

You would not be able to reach them on your keel, though.

He has a mobo.

 

[Bertramdriver]

"Daft Idea 3"
I'm intrigued. What were the other two?

DI 1. Was to fit a set of sails on the Bertram to cut down on the fuel bills. See previous threads
DI 2. Was to take the boat up to the French Canals. Worked out the boat is too tall to travel 50% of the canals and even too tall to put on a road trailer. Compromise is that we're now heading north and Taking two or three years to get there.
If nothing else SWMBO keeps my brain active.