Speed of Gota Alv river

[roger]

Can anyone tell me what the speed of the Gota Alv river is likely to be at various times in the sailing season? It affects the ability of little boats with feeble engines to get up to Trollhattan and so across Sweden by the Gota Canal West to East
thanks for help

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[Richard_Woods]

In 1989 we did this trip in three 24ft Strider Club catamarans, each sailed single handed. We only had 4hp engines. However we did the Gota Canal the other way, ie from east to west (Stockholm to Goteborg). That was because we were sailing from Plymouth through the Baltic to the USSR via the Kiel Canal. We returned home across Sweden.

Before leaving the UK Swedish friends advised us to go up the east coast of Sweden first, and to return via the Gota Canal as the weather was more favourable that way. We also found it left the scary Trollhaten locks till last and we went down them not up.

So if you are doing a circumnavigation of Sweden my advice is to follow the route we took. If it is a one way trip then as I recall the current is about 2 knots and its quite feasible to go through the locks and down to Goteborg in a day.

We made a video of the trip, A Day Sail to Russia, which you can get by going to my web site

www.sailingcatamarans.com

I hope this helps

<hr width=100% size=1>Richard Woods of Woods Designs for quality sailing catamaran designs
www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

[mpprh]

Hi

I've been up as far as Lilla Edet. It was running at 2 - 3 knots.
Not sure if this varies significantly during the year since there are plenty of locks between Lilla Edet and the lake.

Peter


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[ponapay]

Agree with R Woods

The best way is from E to W. I came down two years ago after three years in the Baltic. We came down the Trollhattan in one day to G'burg but had up to 3.5 knots behind us at times.

The worst of the trip to the east is from Falsterbo to Kalmar, after that it is a doddle and even the first bit can be split into easy sections.

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[chrisc]

Well looking out the window ,at the moment it is flowing at about 2 Knots,in Gothenburg.

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[roger]

These replies are most interesting. I should come clean. I'm revising the CA Guide to Sweden. I've only come down the Gota Alv and then in 2000. It seemed to be running quite fast to my anxious eyes as we approoached each of the opening? bridges.
What I'm trying to establish is how practical is it for smallish sailing boats to get up the river. For such boats, if anywhere on the river the speed is 5 kts. then it just isnt on. If the speed is 2 kts. as most of the forum think then its just a long drudge up the river. If it rises to 3.5 then its going to be a real hard slog. Then the question of where you can stop for the night becomes important. Theres Lilla Edet quite close to Gothenberg and the lock about halfway down. Further up we passed rather quickly past some little inlets wher one might be able to get in for a rest but the river chart was ambiguous.
In general its bound to be easier going E - W but some people will want information to show if they can go W - E
Thanks for all replies received. They are much appreciated.

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[chrisc]

I just looked at websight www.gotakanal.se doesn't give flow rates
i am afraid and is in swedish .I looked at the prices !!!! it apears to cost
6.100 SEK for a one way trip and 7.600 SEK for return.Thats about 450 and
600 pounds.pretty expensive considering that I have been from north sea to
Med by canal for total cost of ,about ,150 pounds in canal tolls.

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[pandroid]

It depends if you are including the Gota Canal. The Trollhattan Canal (Goteborg to Vannersborg) cost us £66 one-way in 2003 for a 36 footer. The Gota Canal, which gets you across the rest of Sweden to the East Coast cost another £330 one way.



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