Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 13-11-2011, 06:51   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3
Netherlands Through Rhine to the Med

I am in the very early stages of planing for me and my family, our plan was to start in the Netherlands and work our way down the Rhine and then to the Med. I was hopping to draw on your wisdom in making this plan. I understand there is a decent current on the Rhine and if I understand correctly it flows southern so starting in the Netherlands would be the easiest is that correct? Anywhere else you would recommend?

I have read about all the locks in Holland ect, how difficult are they really? We would be sailing a large 45 ft catamaran any troubles you think we may have? Any advice?

Lastly I know this may open a big can of worms but time frame, if we where taking our time, exploring along the way how much time would you plan on to go down the Rhine and then over to the Med and time to explore Italy, Greece ect? Any help on seasons and when to be somewhere and when to be away?

Thanks in advance for your help and your willingness to share your experience.
Wrirya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2011, 07:33   #2
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: San Diego, CA
Boat: Will be a 50' Cat
Posts: 382
Re: Netherlands through Rhine to the Med

Hi, There are a lot of great threads on this topic... go to the search window and enter Rhine...

I asked about this back in May... and got a lot of great info...

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ine-63202.html

This fellow was very helpful you might want to PM him...

Cruisers & Sailing Forums - View Profile: DJBLUELADY


Cheers
capcook is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2011, 07:54   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3
I have read all of them. They are missing the questions I am looking for,. Thank you for replying
Wrirya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2011, 08:35   #4
Registered User
 
Hydra's Avatar

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lorient, Brittany, France
Boat: Gib'Sea 302, 30' - Hydra
Posts: 1,245
Re: Netherlands through Rhine to the Med

Wrirya,
Welcome to Cruisers Forum.

Yes, there is a decent current in the Rine. But you misunderstood something: the Rhine is flowing from south to north, from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea.

On the website of "Voies Navigables de France" (the French authority for canals and locks), I have found maps giving the size of locks on the Franco-German part of the Rine:
http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/img/cms/Touris...0812051706.pdf
http://www.vnf.fr/vnf/img/cms/Touris...0812051706.pdf

They are wide enough for you. But I don't know how you would reach the Danube (the locks on the Rhone are only 12m wide, not enough). You should find some information on the Danube Commission website: Donaukommission - Commission du Danube -

Alain
Hydra is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2011, 09:54   #5
Registered User
 
Hydra's Avatar

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lorient, Brittany, France
Boat: Gib'Sea 302, 30' - Hydra
Posts: 1,245
Re: Netherlands Through Rhine to the Med

Wrirya,
I have found the map of European canals, to be downloaded from here: Le transport fluvial en Europe.

To reach the Med, you must leave the Rhine at Mainz, go up the Main and catch the "Main-Donau Kanal" (Main-Danube canal).

Alain
Hydra is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2011, 10:59   #6
Registered User
 
multihullsailor6's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Cruising in the SUN! Now hauled out in Malta for the winter.
Boat: 37' Oldenziel cat
Posts: 461
Re: Netherlands Through Rhine to the Med

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hydra View Post
Wrirya,
I have found the map of European canals, to be downloaded from here: Le transport fluvial en Europe.

To reach the Med, you must leave the Rhine at Mainz, go up the Main and catch the "Main-Donau Kanal" (Main-Danube canal).

Alain
There are in this context two ways to reach the Med:

1) As described above, connect to the Danube and exit into the Black Sea in Bulgaria.

2) You can also travel up the Rhine to Koblenz and then motor up the Moselle and connect to the French canal system and then follow the Rhone down to the Med, exiting at close to Marseilles.

Depends in a way at where in the Med you want to commence your Med experience.
__________________
Roger
Catamaran "Burnout"
multihullsailor6 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2011, 11:36   #7
Registered User
 
Hydra's Avatar

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lorient, Brittany, France
Boat: Gib'Sea 302, 30' - Hydra
Posts: 1,245
Re: Netherlands Through Rhine to the Med

Quote:
Originally Posted by multihullsailor6 View Post
2) You can also travel up the Rhine to Koblenz and then motor up the Moselle and connect to the French canal system and then follow the Rhone down to the Med, exiting at close to Marseilles.
It depends on the beam of the yacht: the locks are 11.4m wide on the Moselle but only 5.05m (16.5', probably not enough for a 45' cat) between Nancy and Saint-Jean de Losne. They are 12m wide between St Jean de Losne and the Med.

Alain
Hydra is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2011, 11:59   #8
Registered User
 
KatKokomo's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Caribbean
Boat: Beneteau, Oceanis 400
Posts: 79
Re: Netherlands Through Rhine to the Med

First of all, the current will be against you.
The current is strong and you have to stay close to shore to make any headway.
There are not many marinas or places where you can anchor for the night. Check out the Marinas before you go to see if they can accommodate the size of your boat.Traveling at night is not advisable. You have to un-step your mast for the bridges in the Netherlands.
In the spring or fall there is the danger of flooding which makes the Rhine River un-navigable.
To my knowledge the French Canals and their locks are not wide enough for you.
I did this trip coming from the med. on a monohull.
My advice is skip the idea and go offshore.
KatKokomo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-11-2011, 19:45   #9
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3
Thank you very much good info
Wrirya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-11-2011, 09:10   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 76
Re: Netherlands Through Rhine to the Med

I have gone from the Netherlands to Port Napoleon (Rhone Delta) in 2008,
however passing Givet in the North of France and not all the long way up the Rhine, so believe me, I know what I am talking.

  • The current on the Rhine is very strong, you would need a very strong engine.
  • There is a lot of traffic, one after the other, so it is stressing.
  • To go through the channels in France seems to me impossible for a Cat as commercial ships are passing and there is often only just enough space for two non Cats passing - independent from the with of the lockers. We never have seen a Cat on the whole route.
On my website there is a logbook about my route, however in German only, maybe you can translate it with some software.


The best !
Joefloki is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
netherlands

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Current on the River Rhine capcook Europe & Mediterranean 11 13-04-2020 11:40
Best Antifouling for Med ? Katiusha Europe & Mediterranean 8 02-03-2016 11:39
Crew Wanted: Long Med Cruise EAVG Crew Archives 21 06-12-2011 16:39
Crew Available: Med to the Caribbean or Further, Atlantic Crossing Smuth Crew Archives 3 27-09-2011 01:26
Anchorages in the Med Charlie Europe & Mediterranean 13 17-09-2011 09:33

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:30.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.