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Roy M · 03-09-2008, 08:58

I have a recurring fantasy that may get fulfilled. I'm leaving, in about a year, for a series of quick trips into the South Pacific (my Searunner 40 does San Diego to Hilo, Hawaii in ten days). After these trial runs, I want to cruise to Europe via the British Isles, as soon as the weather becomes tolerable in those northern climes. My dream is to enter Sweden at Gothenburg and take the canal through the lakes to Stockholm, exiting into the Baltic, dipping down and out back to the North Sea in time to escape to the Carribean for winter. I've rowed the lakes of Sweden and this is what hooked me. Can anyone direct me to info on transitting the Gothenburg Canal, specifically beam restrictions (24 feet) and bridge clearances (53 feet). My draft, with the centerboard up is only about 3 feet, and I have a good diesel with alternate power available.

csiunatc · 03-09-2008, 09:26

Max length is 30 Meters

Max Beam is 7 meters

MAx height 22 Meters

Draught 2.8 meters.

It looks like only your beam of 24 might be on the borderline. the rest should be fine.

Here is the direct link to the boat restrictions.
GÃ¶ta Canal - Canal facts for pleasure boats

You have the full information here.
GÃ¶ta Canal - Pleasure boats

cagney · 03-09-2008, 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roy M

I have a recurring fantasy that may get fulfilled. I'm leaving, in about a year, for a series of quick trips into the South Pacific (my Searunner 40 does San Diego to Hilo, Hawaii in ten days). After these trial runs, I want to cruise to Europe via the British Isles, as soon as the weather becomes tolerable in those northern climes. My dream is to enter Sweden at Gothenburg and take the canal through the lakes to Stockholm, exiting into the Baltic, dipping down and out back to the North Sea in time to escape to the Carribean for winter. I've rowed the lakes of Sweden and this is what hooked me. Can anyone direct me to info on transitting the Gothenburg Canal, specifically beam restrictions (24 feet) and bridge clearances (53 feet). My draft, with the centerboard up is only about 3 feet, and I have a good diesel with alternate power available.

Sorry Mate, it looks like your Searunner is a touch to beamy.
The official max beam for transit is set to 7.0m. 24 feet ~= 7.4m.
Check this site for info http://www.gotakanal.se. Click on UK flag in the upper right corner for an English version.

Roy M · 03-09-2008, 13:40

There still may be hope! My beam is actually a touch smaller than 24', 7.2 meters at the very widest. Can anyone suggest a contact e-mail address for the canal authorities? They mention that vessels exceeding the 7 meter size must get approval first, hinting that there may be a way to be the first Searunner through the canal. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

cagney · 03-09-2008, 14:39

You're right, there might be a possibility for you to transit the canal.
This is the name and address of the canal company.

AB Göta kanalbolag
Box 3
SE-591 21 Motala
Sweden
Phone: +46 141-20 20 50
Fax: +46 141-21 55 50
E-mail: info@gotakanal.se

Good luck with your venture!

freetime · 03-09-2008, 15:07

GÃ¶ta Ã¤lv - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hi, the gota kanal is from soderkoping to lake vanern, after that it´s trollhattekanal or gota alv. From Goteborg to lake vanern is no problem with your boat. But it´s heavy trafic, or atleast for sweden. All ships to lake vanern take that way. And the most beautiful part is gota kanal from soderkoping to lake vanern.

If you want to see the beautiful archipelago of stockholm you can always go around, stay at bornholm(danish) island and gotland with a nice little town visby.

Trollhätte kanal About the channel from goteborg to lake vanern. Use translate google....

Google Translate#

Nordic cat · 03-09-2008, 15:23

You can yake a short cut from the North sea to the Baltic by using the Nordostsee kanal:
Nord-Ostsee-Kanal - MSN Encarta

This is around 10 hours of motoring across the bottom of the Jutland peninsula, a bit boring but saves alot of time and comfortable if the weather is bad.

If you decide to come up this way, drop me a line, if you need maps, ideas etc. The Swedish Archipelago on the West coast gets very busy in july, but is lovely. There are also some very nice areas in the Oslo Fjord, and in Southern Denmark (ideal multihull territory with lots of shallower areas). The Stockholm archipelago as well as the Gôtakanal and lakes is also very nice. A friend has now done it 4 times on his Havkat 27. The guy on the boat next to me did it this year on his Iroguois cat.

The weather is normally reasonable from may to October. Lots of boats from the end of june to first week of August.

In our marina we have around 250 guest boats in the peak periods, now it's less than 20 a day.

Hope to see you up here.

Regards

Alan

freetime · 03-09-2008, 15:50

And if you take the way to stockholm....

Last map.

sodertalje kanal - stockholm (upper right corner). Then i will see you from my house, so you have free anchoring and dinner on your way

Eniro kartor visar adresser & vägen till företag & personer

hitta.se - hitta företag, personer, mobilnummer och kartor (var?)

2 sites if you want to search on maps in sweden.(if you want to see my house pm me!!)