Meuse → Mosel → Rhine

The size of your boat is the primary limiting factor for this trip, as it is on most inland routes. While the waterways in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are generally modern, well-maintained and designed to accommodate a wide range of vessel dimensions, the situation changes significantly once you enter France. Many French canals were constructed centuries ago and retain strict limitations on beam, draft, air draft, and overall length. Locks, bridges, tunnels and canal depths can quickly become restrictive, making careful planning essential. Even vessels that encounter no issues in the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany may find themselves unable to proceed on certain French waterways due to these dimensional constraints.

Classic French Canal Network (Freycinet Standard)

The “classic” French canal network is largely shaped by the historic Freycinet gauge: a set of lock and channel dimensions that became the practical baseline for vessels that want broad access across France’s inland waterways. Boats built within this envelope can typically travel on a wide range of canals and many connected rivers, while larger craft may be limited to modern, commercial waterways.

Typical maximum dimensions (rule of thumb) for this trip

Length

≈ 38 m

Beam (width)

≈ 5.0 m

Draft (underwater depth)

≈ 1.8 m

Air draft (height above water)

≈ 3.3 m (often limited by bridges and structures)

Note: Limits vary by route as some smaller canals can be tighter (shallower water, lower bridges, shorter locks), while larger rivers and upgraded freight canals can allow much bigger vessels. Always verify the constraints for your specific itinerary.

The voyages described on this website are intended only for skippers with the proper certification(s) and at least a basic level of boating experience and a solid understanding of how to navigate locks safely and efficiently. This is not a beginner’s route, nor is it a step-by-step boating course. You are expected to already feel comfortable handling your vessel in a variety of situations, including (but not limited to):

• Approaching, entering and leaving locks under varying conditions.
• Manoeuvring in confined waters and busy fairways.
• Interpreting buoyage (SIGNI), signs, signals and VHF instructions (where applicable).
• Planning realistic day stages based on speed, current and lock waiting times.

Familiarity with Dutch Waterways is a plus!

It will be a huge advantage when you are already familiar with boating in the Netherlands including, for example:

• Using ANWB Waterkaarten, paper charts (e.g. 1800-series) and/or multiple navigation apps in combination.
• Understanding relevant laws and regulations, such as speed limits, priority rules and environmental restrictions.
• Possessing the required permits and certificates for your boat, your engine and yourself as skipper.
• Knowing how to obtain Notices to Skippers (stremmingen, werkzaamheden, etc.) and other up-to-date information.

With all the resources available and with sufficient prior experience on Dutch inland waters, the legs within the Netherlands, up to the point where you join the Zuid-Willemsvaart near Den Dungen, should be relatively straightforward to plan and execute. You should be able to treat that part of the journey as a “normal” multi-day cruise through familiar territory.

You Are Responsible for Your Own Calculations!

Even though we share information about our own trips, this is not a 100% substitute for your own voyage planning. Every vessel is different. Naturaly so are the crews comfort levels, consumptions and budgets. You remain fully responsible for:

• Vessel Clearances: checking objects along the route, for clearances and potential restrictions before and during the trip.
• Weather and water conditions: checking forecasts, water levels and potential restrictions before and during the trip.
• Fuel planning: calculating range, consumption per hour, safety margins and refuelling points for your specific engine and tank capacity.
• Victuals (food & water): estimating how much you and your crew need between realistic reprovisioning opportunities.
• Gas usage (butane/propane): knowing your stove/heating consumption, monitoring cylinder levels while respecting all safety rules for storage and use.
• Energy management: understanding your battery capacity, charging options (engine/shore power/solar) and daily consumption.

On our boat we use a detailed fuel table and calculation method to determine how far we can travel with a given fuel reserve and at which points it is wise to refill. An example of such a method can be found on Tom’s site: fuel table & calculation example. We strongly recommend that you develop and maintain a similar system tailored to your own vessel.

During your planning you may find that you are geographically closer to Maasbracht than to ’s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) or the other way around. You might also be approaching the route from an entirely different direction, for example via the Wilhelminakanaal, or from somewhere further south along the Maas. Or, even from the Albertkanaal. In all of those cases, it makes little sense to first navigate to our notional “start” point at Den Dungen.

For us, this route runs along the Zuid-Willemsvaart from Den Dungen to Lozen (Belgium) , but that does not mean this is the only logical or sensible way to join it. There is deliberately no single, fixed starting location. Simply enter the route at the point that best matches your own position and plans, whether that is near Den Dungen, Maasbracht, somewhere along the Wilhelminakanaal or another convenient connection.

There is no “one size fits all” answer here. You should evaluate which option is most efficient and comfortable for your situation, taking into account:

• The distance you need to cover to reach either Maasbracht, Den Bosch or another suitable entry point along the Zuid-Willemsvaart or Wilhelminakanaal.
• Your realistic fuel consumption at cruising speed and the availability of fuel stations along each alternative approach.
• The number of locks, expected waiting times and how these affect your daily rhythm and overall schedule.
• The ease of reprovisioning (supermarkets, technical supplies, gas, water) at or near each potential entry point.
• Your planned rest days, crew fatigue and personal preferences for harbours, towns and surroundings.

In short, use our route description and notes as inspiration and reference, not as a mandatory script. They reflect our choices and circumstances for the Zuid-Willemsvaart between Den Dungen and Lozen, but your vessel, crew, timing and approach may differ. Take the time to run your own numbers, study the charts and adapt the plan where necessary.

By choosing to follow this route, or any part of it, you acknowledge that you are navigating entirely at your own risk and responsibility. All information is provided “as is”, without any guarantee of completeness, accuracy, or suitability for your specific situation. Always consult up-to-date official sources, adjust your planning to your vessel and crew, and never attempt a leg that you are not confident you can complete safely.

Our planning aims to avoid “upstream” travel as much as possible (which naturally saves fuel). Although that’s not entirely possible, of course. Although, considering going towards the middle of the Netherlands over the IJSSEL river, would be certainly fighting upstream".

The route taken by De Parel, via the Zuid-Willemsvaart, is therefore our preferred option. Moreover, that way you enter Belgium from another side (at Lozen) and continue navigating to Neerharen, where you can choose to head toward Maastricht or continue along the Albert Canal. In our route, we choose the latter option, stopping at Marina Kanne “YAKAN” in Opkanne to visit Fort Eben-Emael and the nearby caves. Unfortunately, from there we’ll be going against the current, since about 20 kilometers after Marina Kanne we’ll leave the Albert Canal and enter the Meuse. From that moment on, we’ll be in what’s known as the “upstream” section.

• Passport(s) and/or other identification
• Boating license
• VHF radio certificate
• Proof of ownership / purchase contract for the boat
• Boat insurance papers
• VAT declaration for the boat
• Contact details of:

  

  • Insurance company
  • Telecom provider (mobile)
  • (Water) Police along the route
• Route map
• Required documents (permits, etc.)
• Water charts (if available)
• Reference materials

See also:

• https://datema-amsterdam.nl/nl/
• Moselle Information (Dutch) on "binnenvaartkennis.nl"
• Interactive chart of french waterways
• French Waterways
• French Waterways - North-East
• Marina's and harbours along this route

for more information.

Yeah. Annoying, I know, but for a trip like this it really is necessary. The longer the voyage and the more borders you cross, the less forgiving “small” oversights become. Things that feel routine on a weekend hop suddenly turn into mission-critical decisions when you are days away from your home berth, your usual chandler, or a mechanic who knows your engine.

This is not just a little outing. This is a serious journey, with open stretches, remote canals, unfamiliar harbors, and different rules per country. That is exactly why we need to zoom in on the boring stuff, because the boring stuff is what keeps the ship moving, warm, lit, and safe. We will go deeper into:

• Engine maintenance
  • Spare parts and consumables
  • Batteries and electrical reliability
  • “How do I do what?” practical procedures on the move
• Gas on board
  • DIN bottles and connectors
  • Filling stations and country differences
• Diesel
  • Fuel stations
  • Bunkering stations

We will try to provide this information for each country. And since we will be boating through five countries, we will divide the sections accordingly so you can quickly find what matters where.

Spare parts: bring the ship’s “immune system” with you

On a long route, spare parts are not a luxury. They are your onboard insurance policy. Every boat has a handful of components that are small, cheap, and easy to pack, but capable of stopping your entire voyage when they fail. The trick is not to carry everything, but to carry the right things: parts that are likely to fail, hard to source underway, or quick to replace yourself.

Think in layers:

• Consumables you will almost certainly use. Belts, filters, oil, coolant, impellers, fuel pre-filters, spare hose clamps, fuses, bulbs, and a small stock of electrical connectors. These are the “paper towels” of engine reliability. You will need them eventually, and you do not want to be hunting for the exact size in a town where boating is not a thing.
• High-impact spares. A broken alternator belt, raw-water impeller, or lift pump does not just reduce comfort. It can end the trip on the spot. Having a replacement onboard turns a potential multi-day delay into a one-hour fix at a quiet quay.
• Hard-to-find, boat-specific items. Anything that depends on your engine model, shaft setup, or cooling configuration belongs in your spares locker. If it is a part that a regular car shop will not recognize, assume it will not be available on short notice in a random canal village.

Also, spares only help if you can actually fit them. Make sure you bring the tools, gaskets, sealant, and manuals needed to install what you carry. A spare impeller without the puller tool, or a fuel filter without the correct wrench, is basically a good-luck charm. It feels comforting but does nothing.

Diesel hygiene: additives (“dopes”) to keep bacteria out

Diesel on long trips comes with a hidden enemy: microbial growth, often called “diesel bug.” It is not superstition. Water condensation in your tank creates a thin layer where bacteria and fungi can live. Over time they form slime and sediment that clogs filters, starves the engine, and can leave you dead in the water at the worst possible moment, like in a lock approach, a tight harbor entrance, or against a tidal current.

This is why carrying diesel additives, the old-school term is “dopes,” matters so much. A good biocide or diesel-stabilizing treatment does three jobs:

• Prevents microbial growth. By killing bacteria and fungi before they establish a colony, you avoid the filter-clogging sludge that causes sudden power loss.
• Helps fuel stay stable during long storage. When you top up in one country and do not refill for a while, additives reduce oxidation and keep the fuel cleaner for longer.
• Buys you time when fuel quality varies. Not every bunkering point has the same turnover or tank cleanliness. An additive is a small, cheap buffer against bad-luck fuel.

Practically speaking, treat your fuel as you go, especially before long stretches where you will be running the same tank for days. And always assume that if you see a sudden rise in filter clogging, the diesel bug might be part of the story. Carrying spare filters plus additive is the one-two punch that keeps you moving.

Your boat’s measurements are not optional

Below you will find the measurements of Tom. The measurements of YOUR boat are mandatory if you want to plan a proper route. Those numbers decide whether you can actually pass an obstacle like a bridge or a lock. For example, our Tom will not fit on the UK channel system because there are locks that are only about 2.13 meters wide (7 feet).

So do not start this journey by hope or by guesswork. Measure your vessel yourself, write it down, and plan with the real numbers. On trips like this, a few centimeters can be the difference between a smooth passage and a forced detour of hundreds of kilometers (or seamiles).

While every effort has been made to provide accurate and reliable information, waterways, bridges, locks, and other navigational objects are subject to change after today’s date. It is the sole responsibility of the skipper to verify current conditions before and during the trip. We cannot accept any liability for inaccuracies, omissions, or changes that may affect your voyage.

Whenever you hold us responsible or accountable in any form or way, we will be forced to use the legal systems to show the world your stupidity! You, only YOU are responsible for your vessel and people on board. Nobody else is!

Goal: if you meet this single checklist, you meet (or exceed) the mandatory carriage rules you will encounter on inland waters across NL, BE, FR, LU, DE, including strict “checklist” countries (FR/BE) and special areas (e.g., Bodensee).

1) Documents & rules onboard

• Inland navigation rules for the sailing area onboard (paper or offline-digital)
  NL requires an up-to-date BPR onboard for most vessels.
• Registration/ID documents and (if applicable) radio documents onboard
  BE lists registration & radiodocuments as required.
• The local “waterway traffic regulation” for the area onboard
  BE explicitly requires the traffic regulation for the sailing area onboard.

2) Safe navigation (signals, lights, charts)

• Navigation lights compliant with COLREG/APSB (as applicable)
  BE Zone 1 requires navigatielichten (COLREG 72/APSB note).
• Sound signal (fog horn / “misthoorn”)
  BE Zone 1 requires a fog horn.
• (Updated) navigation charts for the area (digital allowed)
  BE Zone 1 requires updated charts; digital is allowed.
• Radar reflector
  BE Zone 1 requires a radar reflector.
• Waterproof torch / personal light
  FR “eaux intérieures exposées” requires a waterproof torch or individual light.

3) Mooring, towing, anchoring

• Mooring & towing lines (including ≥ 20 m line) BE Zone 1 requires enough lines to tow and moor, incl. a line of minimum 20 m. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
• Anchor + anchor line/rode sized for the boat BE Zone 1 requires anchor with line. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}; FR “exposed inland” requires anchor + rode. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
• Dedicated towing/attachment point + towing line ready FR requires a device allowing towing & mooring (minimum: mooring point + line). :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

4) Bilge / dewatering

• Dewatering device appropriate to the vessel (manual pump / electric pump / bucket etc.) BE requires a “lensmiddel”; “self-bailer alone is not enough.” :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}

5) Man overboard & reboarding

• Means to locate/assist a person overboard (lifebuoy/lifesling + light/search option for night) BE Zone 1 requires means to find/assist drowning persons. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
• Swim ladder / reboarding means ready for use BE Zone 1 requires a swim ladder ready for use. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
• Boat hook (gaffe) Commonly required in FR equipment sets (esp. non-trivial inland areas); keep onboard as part of the “one-fits-all” pack. (See FR list context.) :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}

6) Personal safety

• Lifejacket/buoyancy aid per person onboard (proper size & rating) BE Zone 1 requires a lifejacket per person. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}; FR requires one flotation device per person. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
• First aid kit BE Zone 1 requires an EHBO kit. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}

7) Fire safety (this is where “strictest country wins”)

• Portable fire extinguisher capacity meeting at least the Bodensee rule: minimum 2 kg, and 2 kg extinguishing agent per 100 L of (possible) fuel tank volume Bodenseekreis states: min 2 kg; number depends on fuel tank volume (2 kg per 100 L). :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
  • Practical “one-fits-all” choice: carry at least 2 × 2 kg extinguishers (gives coverage up to ~200 L and redundancy).
  • Inspection: on Bodensee, extinguishers must be type-approved and checked at regular intervals (stated as every 2 years). :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}
• Fire blanket (mandatory if you have any open-flame cooking/heating/lighting appliance) BE: blusdeken is required if open-flame appliances are present. :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}
• Firefighting means compliant with the boat’s status (CE vs non-CE) FR: CE boats follow the manufacturer/owner’s manual; otherwise national rules apply. :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22} BE: extinguishing means “according to the technical requirements of the RCD”; note for pre-1998 boats. :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}

8) Communications (choose the strictest practical baseline)

• VHF (fixed, or portable where accepted), set up for inland use where required BE: “Vaste VHF” is required for motorboats > 7 m and cabin sailboats; portable may replace in some zones. :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}

9) Storage rules for safety gear (important for FR compliance)

• Do not store safety equipment in the engine room; store in clean, accessible, waterproof bags/boxes if needed FR: “No safety equipment is kept in machine spaces”; guidance on alternative storage. :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}

10) LPG (propane/butane) — do it to a “can’t-fail inspection” standard

• Cylinders secured upright in a dedicated locker isolated from the interior
• Locker vented overboard at the lowest point (gas drains outside)
• Shut-off valve at the cylinder; hoses/regulator in good condition
• If you have any open flame: fire blanket onboard (see Fire Safety)

Build year note (before 1990 vs after 1990)

• Built before 1990: Treat as “non-CE” for practical purposes; you will often be measured against national rules and “technical requirements” references (e.g., FR non-CE branch; BE notes pre-1998 boats in extinguisher context). :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}
• Built after 1990: You may still be non-CE depending on when first placed on the EU market; if CE-marked, the manufacturer’s manual becomes the reference for firefighting means in FR and is used as compliance anchor elsewhere. :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}

Note: Some sub-areas have additional requirements (e.g., flare sets on specific waters). This checklist targets the inland “core” and the strictest recurring items we can confidently apply across the five countries without accidentally mixing in sea-zone obligations.

On this site, you've seen already a couple of times "Opvaart" or "Afvaart". That are the dutch "slang words" for going Upstream or Downstream. As you can imagine, going upstream, is way less fuel efficient than going downstream. For example the river IJssel, that is fast-flowing, going Upstream, will take serious time and therefore also serious amounts of fuel. Therefore, going in the "Afvaart" is economically way better.

The image here, will clarify what Opvaart and Afvaart mean and look like. In the image the river flows from left to right. So, going from Right to Left, you are going against the current. And going from Left to right, you are going with the current.

Here some of the definitions that must be clarified which are in place here:

STW

Speed trough Water. AKA Hull Speed
The speed of your vessel trough the water.
You can calculate your hull speed here.

SOG

Speed over Ground.
The real speed you will see on your GPS.

River Current

How fast the water flows trough the river.
Going with the flow: Add it to your STW (+)
Going against the flow: Substract it from your STW (-)

Why prefer downstream (Afvaart)?

Afvaart

10 km/h speed trough water + 4 km speed of the current = 14 km/h speed over ground.

Opvaart

10 km/h speed trough water - 4 km speed of the current = 6 km/h speed over ground.

Note

Actually that is pretty simple to answer: Fighting yourself against the current gives you a nice speed trought the water (STW), but a slow speed over ground (SOG). When you are going downstream, you go with the flow, and your speed trought the water will remain the same, but the speed over ground will be:

(speed trough the water + water flow speed) = Faster Speed over ground.
(speed trough the water - water flow speed) = Slower Speed over ground.

These are the 5 (five) countries we are going to visit. Please use the links to get to the specific chapters (or routes, or legs) of each country.

We added, for good measurement, the ISO Country and the International country-code for calling. There are objects (locks, bridges, etc) that you have to call and do not have any VHF radio. (Or we could not find the VHF information

List of Countries

The Netherlands

NL - +31 - Many canals & rivers (Depending on the chosen route).

Belgium

BE - +32 - Mostly Zuid-Willemsvaart, the Albert Canal and the Meuse River.

France

FR - +33 - Meuse River, many canals and the Moselle River. Many canals because of the chance of detours.

Luxemburg

LUX - +352 - Moselle River. Shortest stretch.

Germany

DE - +49 - The Moselle, the Saar and the Rhine River.

Back to
The Netherlands

NL - +31 - Many canals & rivers (Depending on the chosen route).

Of all five countries, we’ll only be in Luxembourg for a short stretch: just the section of the Moselle that lies wedged between France, Germany, and Luxembourg. It starts at Écluse d'Apach (FR) and ends at Wasserbillig (LUX), where the Sauer River flows into the Moselle. On this approximately 36 km long stretch, we’ll be boating right along the border between Luxembourg and Germany. More about this will follow in the section covering this part of the route.

We try to update this website as often as possible!

Our upgrade plans.