Every year, a considerable number of sail and motor cruisers take their boats into the European Inland Waterways. However, finding accurate and up-to-date information about what is involved is not always easy.
Falling foul of rules and regulations in unfamiliar waters can be expensive and inconvenient. Few resources detail all the necessary information, such as locks, bridges, and water depths in one place, and is not always available in English. Preparing one's boat for the inland waterways also requires a different approach to conventional coastal cruising.
The European Inland Waterways Section (EIWS) of the Cruising Association has stepped in to address these challenges with the launch of 11 free Guidance Notes to cruising on the European Inland Waterways, authored by EIWS member Machiel Lambooij. This initiative not only bridges an information gap but also ensures cruisers can now access valuable insights essential for a smooth and successful journey.
Among these is a new and comprehensive guidance note on Trip Planning on the European Inland Waterways. This resource provides detailed advice on preparing for Europe-wide cruising, covering specific requirements for navigating in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and The Netherlands.
Other free Guidance Notes feature:
- Sources of information on the European Inland Waterways
- Planning for long-term cruising
- Wintering in the European Inland Waterways
- VHF and ATIS (Automatic Transmitter Identification System)
- CEVNI rules
- Amsterdam vignette for pleasure craft
- Tips for cruising the French inland waterways
- Inland Cruising Information for the Netherlands
- Using the Waterkaarten Nederlands app
- Transiting the Kiel Canal
All Guidance Notes contain dozens of useful hyperlinks to a wide range of further information sources on cruising in Europe and can be downloaded free in PDF format at on the European Inland Waterways Section page.
The free Guidance Notes complement the CA’s range of EIWS Cruising Guides which provide extensive advice and insights to navigating the intricate waterways of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the River Moselle/Mosel, and the German Rhine. These can be purchased in either full-colour print or PDF (free to members) format from our online shop.
19 February 2024