Which Baltic, North Sea or inland sailor with their own keel yacht has not dreamt of this after a rainy summer: a whole season of sailing in the warmth, Mediterranean ambience and crystal-clear water. If you decide to change area, you need to properly prepare a route of around 2,000 kilometres and almost 200 locks.
And the aspects of planning are complex: there are definitely different routes that have their own character, for example when it comes to the question of whether or not you want to skip the Rhine with its current. The duration is also difficult to estimate for many owners, especially those inexperienced with inland waterways. Three weeks, four, or even longer? And what can you actually expect in the locks, and above all - how many? How expensive is such a transfer compared to transport by lorry or as deck freight with a standing mast?
Of course, numerous cruising guides offer the most important information in every form, listing harbours, sections, locks and petrol stations. But what you won't find in them are tips from sailors who have completed the route. We interviewed five crews who have attempted the crossing in recent years, some of them several times. They tell us, for example, that almost all crews drastically underestimate the duration of the trip. Or that the majority recommend shipping the mast by lorry - which is not that expensive, by the way. And that the water depths of some canals vary greatly. Or tips on how to complete the lock marathon in the Vosges Canal as quickly as possible.
We have summarised the most important key data and insider tips in the new YACHT No. 5/10.
Andreas Fritsch
Editor Travel
