Zuiderzee and standing mast routes for 2m draft

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Ningaloo

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After 3 years in the Baltic I am planning my return to the South Coast UK this spring.

After the Kiel canal I intend to head towards Den Helder where I would like to enter the Zuiderzee and make my way to Amsterdam and then use the standing mast routes to Ijmuiden or possibly further south.

My draft is 2m and mast height 18.3m which will impose some limits.

Can anyone advise the best way through the Zuiderzee and beyond?
 
I don't think there will be any restrictions as the standing mast route uses opening bridges.

The Zuidersee is the Ijslemeer and Markenmeer with a road across and locks each end. Whilst it is not very deep we had no issues at 1.7m

If you want to go further south from Amsterdam then you either join the night convoy or go through Haarlem which is worth a visit.

Buy the Staandmast Guide and all will be clear.
 
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It is now known as Ijsselmeer, then Markermeer. Where there are shallows the channels are well buoyed. Locks can be packed with boats - nevertheless hang back and be cool to avoid stress.

Once into Amsterdam the navigation can be busy. Carry on direct for Ijmuiden. Or, to tick off that item on the bucket list, take the 'midnight convoy' through W Amsterdam heading for Rotterdam. Rotterdam traffic will give you a heart attack - but afterwards you'll have a larf about it.

Carry on all the way to Vlissingen.

My boat was a beneteau 331.
 
We found the most northern part of the Staandemastroute, Ems to Harlingen, to have shallow spots. Although we only draw 1.4 metres we were churning up lots of mud and found some of the small marinas to be too shallow for us. I don't think there would be any problems from Den Helder south.
 
From the Ijsselmeer down to Vlissingen you will have no problems with either you draught or your air draught. We have done it numerous times with 2.1 and 18m respectively. Most bridges open, so present no problem. In locks such as the Volkeraksluizen or the Krammersluizen, air draught is variable and indicated on the bridge over the lock. If you will not fit under it, you can go through the big lock with the barges, where there is an opening bridge. If you want to go out into the North Sea via the Roompotsluis (Oosterschelde), you will have to take account of the tide, as the bridge over the lock is fixed. I think you may have to avoid HW +/-2.
 
I think that Friesland would be problematic with 2m draft, but south from Harlingen should be fine. There are air-draft limitations at the Willemstad locks and the locks whose name I can never remember before Bruinisse. In each case, it will be necessary to go through the commercial locks. If you want to leave via the Roompot, there is also a problem and you will only be able to leave at low water, which will then be wrong for the next section, when you will be countering tides of 3kn or more. Otherwise, Holland is straightforward, or would be if there weren't so many Dutchmen.
 
Regularly traversed Ijmuiden to Sneek via the Ijsselmeer and Markemeer in 2004 to 2010 with no problem drawing 2.2mt. . The route you are planning, I can't remember any bridges except just before Amsterdam and just after the Ijmuiden lock on the way to sea. Some of the shallow parts of the Markemeer I only had half a metre under the keel, this was from southern Markemeer to Hoorne, the rest is deeper and ok for you. No problems in the canals from Lemmer to Delfzil. which is part of the mast up route.
 
eastlands said:
After the Kiel canal I intend to head towards Den Helder where I would like to enter the Zuiderzee and make my way to Amsterdam and then use the standing mast routes to Ijmuiden or possibly further south.
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Should not be an issue to enter the IJsselmeer through the locks of Den Oever (rather than Den Helder; Den Helder has no access to the IJsselmeer) and go via Amsterdam to IJmuiden. You might have to stick to the buoyed channels in some places, though. Air draft is no problem at all - the relevant bridges all open.
 
BoyBlue49 said:
Regularly traversed Ijmuiden to Sneek via the Ijsselmeer and Markemeer in 2004 to 2010 with no problem drawing 2.2mt. . The route you are planning, I can't remember any bridges except just before Amsterdam and just after the Ijmuiden lock on the way to sea. Some of the shallow parts of the Markemeer I only had half a metre under the keel, this was from southern Markemeer to Hoorne, the rest is deeper and ok for you. No problems in the canals from Lemmer to Delfzil. which is part of the mast up route.
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You are ok from Lemmer up to Sneek, via the canal which is a mixture of commercial and leisure. It's named after some Dutch royal, Wilhemina or some such, but after Leeuwarden the commercial traffic goes East its own way and the yacht canal via the Lauersmeer and Groningen is shallow in places, more so in winter I believe. It is very attractive west of the Lauersmeer but the Groningen bit is a bit dull, though the town is pleasant and has a fine gallery.
 
Your dimensions are fine for the route you propose from Helder, via den Oever, to Amsterdam and onwards west to Ijmuiden. You can also pass right through west Holland from Amsterdam via Dordrecht to Vlissingen. Air draft only becomes problematic if looking to turn east off this route where fixed bridges limit height to 9m. Depth is no problem anywhere along this route.

PWG
 
As Peter say's.

We draw 2.1m
We went to Amsterdam last year via Ijmuiden and took the mast up route through Amsterdam down to Gouda (average) > Dordrecht (lovely) > Willemstad (a must) > Veere (another must) > and out via Vlissingen.

There is the odd place it gets tight on depth, usually in the smaller harbours and quays like at Goes and Outdorp but apart from my depth alarm going off I never actually stopped.
 
Javelin said:
As Peter say's.

We draw 2.1m
We went to Amsterdam last year via Ijmuiden and took the mast up route through Amsterdam down to Gouda (average) > Dordrecht (lovely) > Willemstad (a must) > Veere (another must) > and out via Vlissingen.

There is the odd place it gets tight on depth, usually in the smaller harbours and quays like at Goes and Outdorp but apart from my depth alarm going off I never actually stopped.
Click to expand...
I have been to Dordrecht numerous times and although I have always enjoyed it, I find the town itself a bit dark and dull.
Last year we stopped at the WSV Maartensgat, which was delightful. I enjoy Gouda more, as the place seems livelier and more picturesque. The church is very interesting and there is an excellent museum. The cheese is quite good too. You can get local boeren cheese not available elsewhere.
 
Thanks for all your input and apologies if my post used some obsolete place names. I am trying to plan all this in Perth (West Australia) without any real charts or pilot books which I will have to source once I am back in Europe.
Great to know that my plan sounds feasible and looking forward to the trip in late May / early June.
 
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