Andijk - Meppel

Heading to Haren 🇩🇪

24 Januari 2026 -

(Inland) waterways to get to Haren 🇩🇪

Route via Meppel, Klazienaveen to Haren (DE) — Fig. 1 – Route Andijk → Meppel → Klazienaveen → Ter Apel

One of the more interesting trips to undertake is a round trip journey from the Netherlands into Germany and back. While parts of this route may already look familiar from earlier trips or vlogs Route vlogs made by the Canicula and others show parts of this route, but not the entire route from Andijk to Haren. But they do show the trip from Meppel to Haren. , the number of inland (fresh)waterway connections into Germany is actually quite limited.

In fact, for north-western Germany, there is only a single true inland entry point: the Haren–Rütenbrock Canal (Haren–Ruitenbroekkanaal). This canal connects the Dutch Stads-Compascuum canal (between Barnflair and Munnikemoer) with Haren 🇩🇪 (Ems) in Germany.

The Haren–Rütenbrock Canal is approximately 14 km long and forms a direct link between the Dutch inland waterway system and the German waterways network. Once you pass this canal, you enter the Dortmund–Ems Canal, connecting to a vast range of cruising possibilities within Germany, or even beyond!

Because of these adventurous options, these routes towards Haren are about how you get to that single crossing point.

Eastbound routes toward Haren (Ems) 🇩🇪

When departing from North Holland or the IJsselmeer/Markermeer/Randmeren area(s), there are multiple ways to reach the north-eastern part of the Netherlands. Regardless of your chosen route, they all share one simple truth:

All routes eventually converge near Barnflair and Ter Apel, where you cross the border into Northern Germany.

The concept in short

Choose your route based on preference: wide and predictable waterways, or smaller and more scenic canals. Once you reach the Groningen / Veenkoloniën region, the waterways naturally guide you eastward toward Ter Apel and the German border.

Route option 1: Via Meppel

Meppel is a classic inland junction and offers two distinctly different eastbound routes:

Option 1A leads you almost straight eastward through Hoogeveen and Klazienaveen before reaching Ter Apel and Barnflair. This route is generally quieter and more intimate, but requires more preparation. Certain sections, particularly around Klazienaveen, may have restrictions or limited bridge operations.
Skipper's note: Ideal if you prefer calm waterways and fewer commercial vessels, but always verify current navigability.
Option 1B takes you from Meppel north through Assen and Groningen before heading east to Ter Apel. This route takes you over the Drentsche Hoofdvaart towards Assen. This is a busy, not too wide but well-maintained canal, which can be (very) busy with pleasure vessels. After Assen, you continue north to Groningen before heading east toward Ter Apel. This route is less direct and generally has better infrastructure, but it can be busier and a little less scenic than the southern alternative.
Skipper's note: Best if you prefer a more straightforward route with fewer navigational challenges, but be prepared for potential traffic of pleasure craft.

Route option 2: Via Friesland (Lemmer or Stavoren)

This route will be covered in a different section.

Lemmer (via Prinses Margrietkanaal) is the most straightforward gateway into the Northern Dutch inland waterways. From here, you enter the Prinses Margrietkanaal, the main east–west shipping route through Friesland. This canal is wide, well-maintained, and used by both commercial traffic and recreational vessels. Note: Do use the large locks on the north side. The use of these locks is free of charge. When you decide to pass through the old city lock and center, you pay at least +€10,- to the Frisian Bridge and Lock Maffia to pass all objects in Lemmer until you reach the Prinses Margrietkanaal.
Stavoren (via Prinses Margrietkanaal) is an equally viable entry point, although it requires slightly more inland navigation before joining the Prinses Margrietkanaal.

From within Friesland, you continue toward Groningen via the Van Starkenborghkanaal and Eemskanaal. After passing Groningen, the route naturally leads into the Veenkoloniën area and onward to Ter Apel.

Skipper's note: This is the "big water" option — predictable bridge operations, reliable depths, and straightforward daily planning. It will be covered in a different section.

Final leg: Barnflair 🇳🇱 → Haren (Ems) 🇩🇪

Close to Ter Apel, actually Barnflair, all routes converge. At the intersection of the canals, you follow the HRK eastward across the border via the Rütenbrock connection, which leads directly to Haren (Ems) 🇩🇪 and the German inland waterway network.

Bottom line: Different approaches, but still a single entry point. Choose the kanals in Friesland and Groningen for ease and predictability, or Meppel for character and quieter waters — either way, Barnflair is the inland doorway into Germany.

Tom's Adventures – Viksund 27 Columbi Boat, Inland Waterway Routes & Projects

The Adventures of Tom
A Viksund 27 Columbi
Built in 1978

In Honor of 2 great men!

Tom in het water — Fig.1 - Tom in Kollum - April 2024.

Why the name Tom?

To most, Tom might be a very common name, but for us, it holds special significance. It represents two important people in our lives:

A Grandfather
A Father

To honor both men, we chose to name our Viksund 27 Columbi "Tom".

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To make the most of your experience on our website, here are some tips:

When you see this Underlined text with a info icon We try to make this website as informative and user-friendly as possible. Whenever you see underlined text with a question mark icon, it indicates that there is additional information available. , Hoover over it to read the tooltip.

History of the Viksund 27 series

Build between 1970 - 1980

Viksund 27 Drawings — Fig.2 - Viksund 27 impressions - © shipbucket.com

The Viksund 27 Series

The Viksund 27 was a cornerstone of Viksund's production, alongside the Viksund 31 Goldfish.
It was available in different configurations: with or without sails and as a fishing boat.
These boats are known for their spacious interior, large aft deck, and excellent seaworthiness and durability.
The sailing version was not particularly fast. The non-sailing version had only 400 kg of ballast, whereas the sailing version had 1000 kg (due to an added steel keel).
Viksund claimed that adding ballast to the hull improved the boat’s stability in rough seas.

Anecdotes

In the early years, Viksund faced difficulties selling fiberglass boats, as many people believed they were unsafe and unable to withstand Norway's harsh weather conditions. To prove them wrong, Viksund once dropped a 27 Columbi from a mountain and had workers strike it with 10 kg sledgehammers. Apart from some broken glass, the fiberglass hull and superstructure remained intact. After some minor repairs to the gel coat, the boat was sold and it is still sailing today!

In 1977, a brand-new Viksund 27 MS fell off a cargo ship during a winter storm. A few days later, the Norwegian Navy found it—completely undamaged and totally dry inside. They put a crew on board, started the engine, and sailed it to port. After inspection, the boat was delivered to its customer without requiring any repairs.

Back in the 1980s, a Norwegian sailor took a 27 Sjark (fishing version) across the Atlantic to New York with just a few modifications: extra fuel, a larger water supply, and a big cooler in the fishing well. The sailor later said, "All I had to do was start the engine, point the bow in the right direction, and sit back and relax—even in bad weather!"

Technical Specifications of the Viksund 27'

What it's made of!

Original Design

Here are the original design specifications of the Viksund 27 series.

Design Specifications

Material:

GRP (Fiberglass)

Length:

8.23 meter (27 feet)

Beam:

2.85 meter

Height:

2.40 meter

Draft:

1 meter (varies depending on ballast type)

Hull Thickness:

35 mm on the sides and bottom, with 40 mm in reinforced areas.

Engine:

18 to 45 hp (Volvo, Sabb, Yanmar)

Speeds:

8 - 9 knots with a Volvo Penta MD3B 36 hp Diesel Engine.

Fuel Tank:

Standard 60 or 100-liter Sabb tank

Water Tank:

50 to 100-liter tank (stainless steel)

Weight:

27 MS: approximately 4000 kg (1000 kg steel keel)
27 Columbi/Sjark: approximately 3400 kg (400 kg keel)

Cost in 1973:

69,900 NOK
(Equivalent to approximately 426,390 NOK (€52,000) today, adjusted for inflation)

Radio Information (VHF/AIS)

Updated Date: 14 Aug 2025

Radio & Callsigns and AIS

Callsign
PD9085 - TOM

MMSI
244170678 - TOM

VHF Set
Standard Horizon GX1400GPS/E (DSC/GPS)

Navigation AIS Set
Onwa KP-27X (Depth/AIS/GPS)

Home Port of Tom

Jachthaven Andijk

Whe found a beautiful spot for our Tom!

When it concerns a pleasure craft, the law in The Netherlands is that the owner's place of residence must be listed as the "home port" on the boat. And that can sometimes lead to hilarious results! Like, for example, a boat is moored in Harderwijk, but the owners live in Stroe. And Stroe doesn't even have a decent canal to put a boat in! But there are rules and regulations, so our home port is therefore Enkhuizen, while our actual home port is Andijk.

And yes, that’s confusing because Enkhuizen also has several (yacht) harbors. But we want to enjoy a perfect spot, with plenty of peace and quiet around us. And we found this at Jachthaven Andijk! Also, there was a waiting list in Enkhuizen. And, Broekerhaven did not even respond to my request......

Main Navigation

24 Januari 2026

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24 Januari 2026

Our upgrade plans.

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Tom's Adventures – Viksund 27 Columbi Boat, Inland Waterway Routes & Projects