Draft limits for French Canals

[lessherry]

Hi. I just wondered if anyone has successfully taken a boat on the draft limit of 1.8m through the Canals du Centre to the Mediterranean. What I am not sure is if the minimum lock depth is exactly 1.8m or is there some tolerance. If the locks are exactly 1.8m I am likely to have problems because the boat will be a bit lower in fresh water. I would of course not try it during the 'dry' season.
Regards
Les Sherry <span style="color:blue"> </span>

 

[chrisc]

I have done it via Amsterdam through canal l 'est north and south -saone-rhone ,no big problems boat was a bav 34 propobaly 1.85 loaded.came back up the mosel, rhine .but advise you to stay in france (food is better) .Don't rush its much better than the Med when you arrive there.lowest point is usually downhill from the locks,where they dump all the sediment.

 

[chamac]

I did it last summer with an Oceanis 400 that draws 1.7. We touched the bottom in a couple of places but got through ok. Didnt hit any rocks just soft mud. The official draft limit is 1.8 and I heard that some barges load to 2 meters. The only problem is mooring to the bank at night but you can often get the bow in close enough to get off. Usually you will be at a lock at night and these tend to have deep areas close to the locks. If you need any more info you can PM me or gimme a ring. We had the mast with us. If you truck the mast you might float a small bit higher.

 

[alandee]

Hi. I understand your question. We did the trip in June and July last year. The sills to some of the lock gates were at a level of 1.9m. A Moody 40 which travelled with us part of the way and completed their trip at the end of the summer got through with a fin keel of 1.8m unladen, approx 1.85 fully laden. Also the fresh water can make a difference of an inch or two. If you want to talk to them I can put you in touch.

 

[KevB]

Have a look http://www.michaelbriant.com/ here for all you need to know.

 

[Sea Devil]

There is no real problem at 1.8mtres on the main routes between the Med and the UK channel ports - in fact this is the official limit. Commercial barges regularly exceed this limit and 'plow through the mud' - a yacht drawing 6foot will be fine. That is not to say sometimes you will run aground near the banks or some shallows outside locks but it is all very soft mud and you will get off...

 

[lessherry]

Many thanks. I will mug up on this route. We are currently based in Lelystad so this would be fine. What reading do you recommend for this route?

 

[lessherry]

Thanks Alandee. I would like to have an exchange with the Moody people. My email is les.sherry@ntlworld.com

 

[lessherry]

Many thanks chamac. I have done it both ways (canals du centre) drawing 1.7m so I know where you are comming from.

 

[Sea Devil]

Probably the very best info comes from Navicarte - There is an excellent map/chart No 21 which shows all the navigable waterways in France. Just useful for planning your route if you do not want to do the shortest and most direct.

From Lelystat you need to get to the big lock at Maastricht. From there you need Navicarte No 9 - which covers the route to the Saone. You then need Navicarte 10 of the Saone and Navicarte 16 the Rhone.

No s 9 + 10 + 16 are being revised and the new editions will not be available until March/April - very important in the case of 10 the Rhone as stopping places have changed and are hard to find.

You can find Navicarte from lots of places including my web site - I did your trip a few years ago and remember it as being lovely.. Left Monnikedam in late February and was in the Med for spring..