by-country maps of inland waterway limits on beam/draft?

[black_sails]

Curious about something that i've done some google searches but cannot find quite what i'm looking for...

I'm trying to find maps based on the limits of beam and draft covering how far inland one can navigate various rivers from the ocean. Both within the US to start but also for other countries. I have this idea in my head of wanting to have a boat that starts inland, does some ocean journey, and then goes deep inland in another country. Since i'm just kind of mentally dreaming i'm looking for 'big picture' type maps or information easy to just contemplate the big picture of what future journeys might be possible. Ie not so serious that i'm only looking for one river's info to where i'm calling up ports along the way. This is very very early in the process/making the bucket list.

One of the examples I want to do at some point in my life is the Great Loop. (the run along the Mississippi River through the Gulf of Mexico, along the Atlantic, back in along the Great Lakes to where you started) I was curious how far up the Mississippi I can go (past where it runs up to the GL), as well as other rivers in side trips (the Missouri) which then had me wondering what can be done in other countries, which of course all depends on the size of the boat, especially if it's the kind of dream journey that starts in the US, does ocean passages to get to the other country, and then goes deep in the waterways however far I can.

Right now it's kind of the reverse thinking of "if I have a boat of say 20ft beam and 5ft draft, what ocean-connected rivers on the planet does that give me potential access too" vs what it would be with a 24ft beam and 7ft draft. (ie which would not access all the Mississippi apparently, being a 23ft beam and 5-6ft draft limit) Some of this is just for the purpose of realizing if something really interesting in the future could be accessed by a small enough boat, maybe that makes me counteract the tendency to 'go big' for ocean passages if I later want to go inland.

[UNCIVILIZED]

If you can afford boats that are 20'+ wide, with drafts of 5'+ then it's highly probable that I would consider letting you adopt me I'm house trained. Well, mostly.

As to what you're looking for, not to be flippant, but the Army/Army Corps of Engineers, the Navy, USCG, USMC etc. would have that info. Ditto on the military in most countries. But as to getting it from them, that might be a bit problematic. Though with some searching doing it's not implausible. And I'm guessing that there are more than a few navigational programs which let you configure them to choose routes based on such criteria.

Also, for journies like you're talking about, beam could be trickier than draft. Since some river & estuary channels are really narrow. Narrower when you account for silting in on many. But shallower draft would be safest. Such as 5' & under, as there are lots, & lots of places on the Great Lakes that have thinner water than that.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

f places on the Great Lakes that have thinner water than that.

True, I do wonder if the draft is measured in Saltwater, because its going to be different in a freshwater canal.

Guess he is looking for something like this:

http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/m...of-England.htm

[black_sails]

Originally Posted by Pete7

True, I do wonder if the draft is measured in Saltwater, because its going to be different in a freshwater canal.

Guess he is looking for something like this:

Inland Waterways of England & Wales Map

Bingo, though perhaps with more shades of color and covering larger sizes, for more 'big picture' levels. Maps covering shipping may actually do the job if there are convenient since they they tend to make well researched compromises already - like I know the specs for a Great Loop run.

I'm aware boats with a 20 ft beam sound like multimillion dollar territory but what i'm specifically wanting to do is to build a large catamaran which is unusually light (for the size) which is as large as possible to handle the ocean yet small enough to access interesting places without being left behind. (ie continuing 1000 miles upriver with a tender after you hauled the big girl from another continent to begin with defeats the point for me) How interesting the destination vs how small is the question i'm trying to answer.

Since the journeys are still years off, I can dream and plan for awhile yet. It just will really suck to say lock in a size of say "18ft beam" just to find some place I absolutely gotta go with a 17ft limit!

[sammyo]

Don't forget bridge clearances, big cat, tall mast!

[capnjack.morton]

FWIW, for the part of your great circle from Chicago to the Gulf, I did that run some years ago in a drought year - very low water - with 6' draft using the Illinois Waterway and the Mississippi. Beam was never an issue, but I only had 12'.

[Kelkara]

I don't know why you're worried about draft - if you're building a boat from scratch and planning on travelling inland waterways, just make it with lifting keel(s) and solve the draft problem almost completely.

Lots of info on European Rivers and Canals: These guys seem to have the skinny:
DBA The Barge Association - Where can I cruise?
Basically your choices in Europe will be pretty limited with bigger than 5m (16ft) beam ... and that won't leave any room for fenders between you and the lock sides. You will of course have to unstep any mast.

[varkpilot]

Originally Posted by sammyo

Don't forget bridge clearances, big cat, tall mast!

For Europe, you really need to pay heed to the above, Black Sails. They have a zillion quaint bridges that you could only motor through after stepping your mast. Maybe not even then with the width of a cat. I am forever barred from most of the rivers over there because my flying bridge needs almost 16 feet of vertical clearance. Those folks use 'narrow boats' for river travel.

[NV US]

...what a big silly question....

....every single canal system has information on water draft, air draft, widest & lock max lengths.... here on the canal du midi everyone knows the lowest brige, the shallowest place ( usually after a lock where silt bulids up)...places where you can turn a long boat around ( cuts into the bank that widens the canal) ..some of the barges have hinged wheelhouses that are dropped when needs arise...sometimes this info is eff all use as the people who should don't dredge when its needed... I personally would not plan to build what sounds like an ark & imagine that it will go anywhere you fancy...floods are on thing but some of the bridges here would leave scrape marks on a canoe !...

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by black_sails

I'm aware boats with a 20 ft beam sound like multimillion dollar territory but what i'm specifically wanting to do is to build a large catamaran which is unusually light (for the size) which is as large as possible to handle the ocean yet small enough to access interesting places without being left behind. (ie continuing 1000 miles upriver with a tender after you hauled the big girl from another continent to begin with defeats the point for me) How interesting the destination vs how small is the question i'm trying to answer.

Since the journeys are still years off, I can dream and plan for awhile yet. It just will really suck to say lock in a size of say "18ft beam" just to find some place I absolutely gotta go with a 17ft limit!

Given the above, one of the other big sticking points with wide boats is the availability of Travel Lifts which are capable of handling the boat. Which is why so many of the bigger multihulls aren't wider than they are. Given that relative to their smaller siblings, they're narrow as compared to their length.

Also, finding slips or side ties can at times be challenging for beamy (or deep) boats, not to mention expensive. And on the Great Lakes at least, many harbor entrances are incredibly narrow. Making them a challenge to enter even in 10' wide monohulls. Not that the entrances are 12' wide, but they don't leave much room for error in anything but a canoe.

[Dave22q]

The good news in the US is that NOAA charts are free to download. Sadly they cover 'navigable waterways' and I suspect the definition is more for commercial craft. You will have to do the work of examining the charts and checking approximate width and depth. I think you will find nothing to eliminate your looking at charts and making you own decisions. If you are down to a few rivers you might try calling marinas or yacht club near where to going seems iffy. Local knowledge is hard to beat.

[Dave22q]

Originally Posted by varkpilot

For Europe, you really need to pay heed to the above, Black Sails. They have a zillion quaint bridges that you could only motor through after stepping your mast. Maybe not even then with the width of a cat. I am forever barred from most of the rivers over there because my flying bridge needs almost 16 feet of vertical clearance. Those folks use 'narrow boats' for river travel.

well said. Your house boat/cat is not well suited to rivers or canals in Europe.

[valhalla360]

Unless you get massive, it won't be a significant issue on USA waterways. Even the Erie canal locks are wide enough that we could easily go two abreast with a 14' beam. The commercial locks on the river system are significantly wider and yes, you can get into the vast majority of ports on the Great Lakes (getting a slip may be more questionable at extreme beams.

Air & water draft are you major concern.

In Europe, beam is much more of an issue due to the age when most were built. On the Continent, 15-16' is typically the limit outside of the major commercial rivers. Many of the UK's canals allow up to 7' beam, so they are out for anything but specially designed boats. (Air & water draft are still an issue and probably worse than in the USA)

[captlloyd]

Ocean crossing, European canals, you need a helicopter.

[fatherchronica]

I read a book a few years ago called something like " The Voyage of Jack de Crow" where a guy takes a boat from the middle of England, down canals built originally to haul coal, to the sea, across to France ( France), up a river, into the canal system, into the Danube, to the Black Sea. He was in a Mirror boat, the 11' 6" version. I cannot envision a cat being able to use European canals. I also read a kindle book once about a family doing the Loop in a smallish cat, and they used the Erie canal. So that is at least possible.