Rhine, Danube, Black Sea

[hoppy1848]

My wife and I fancy a passage through the Rhine, into the Danube, out into the Black Sea and back via the Med.

Couple of preliminary questions:

We anticipated taking the Moody 31, steeping the masts in the Rhine and Danube. Is this possible given a keel of 1.8m- are there throughout the passage where keeled boats can stay? Is it possible to set anchor in these rivers?


Any other initial comments/advice? Is there a good pilotage book that could be recommended?

Thanks very much for you help

 

[Searush]

Tristan Jones wrote about the passage (Outward Leg?) while many don't believe a word he writes, it's probably worth a read. I seem to remember he tied up at jetties when he had to stop, but was in a tri IIRC. The barges have to stop somewhere (tho' they may not stop every night) so there will be quays & jetties - it is an ancient trading route.

The Rhine & Danube are VERY powerful rivers with strong currents. I would be very wary of anchoring, there will also be lots of rubbish on the bottom too, wrecks, old treetrunks, old jetties, wartime debris etc etc.

 

[sarabande]

Roger Pilkington, who died recently, was the outstanding author of a series of of "Small Boat through..." books, in which he took a motor cruiser throughout Europe, including the rivers you mention.

They are excellent reads with a plethora of information.

There may be some secondhand ones on Amazon.

 

[Fascadale]

Here is an interesting map

Reading the OP started me wondering what would be an ideal vessel for an extended cruise round the European waterways, say the Channel to the Black Sea then north through Russia to the Baltic.

Steel, displacement and mobo come to mind.