Grand Canal and River Shannon jounrey.

ahclassbai

Has any one attempted this? If so could you please tell me how long the journey would take from dublin to the top of the shannon and if there are many pubs along the way ! Thank you

fergal.b

I haven't done the trip but you can get lots of info here http://www.iwai.ie/dublin/greenandsilver.html you can also get booklets from the IWAI shop on the canals and all the stop off points.http://www.iwai.ie/dublin/grand.html you will also have to give waterways Ireland a few days notice before your journey to arrange the lock opening and bridge lift if needed. It might be worth asking for info on their FB page https://www.facebook.com/MarkHealy2013?fref=ts





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ahclassbai

fergal.b wrote: »

I haven't done the trip but you can get lots of info here http://www.iwai.ie/dublin/greenandsilver.html you can also get booklets from the IWAI shop on the canals and all the stop off points.http://www.iwai.ie/dublin/grand.html you will also have to give waterways Ireland a few days notice before your journey to arrange the lock opening and bridge lift if needed. It might be worth asking for info on their FB page https://www.facebook.com/MarkHealy2013?fref=ts



Thanks man great help , got my self an itchen ferry 25 , small little sailing boat that can sleep 3 people .Looking forward to it

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Thanks man great help , got my self an itchen ferry 25 , small little sailing boat that can sleep 3 people .Looking forward to it

fergal.b

ahclassbai wrote: »

Thanks man great help , got my self an itchen ferry 25 , small little sailing boat that can sleep 3 people .Looking forward to it

No problem, You might need to check your draft on a sail boat to get up the canal, maybe you could find out when one of the other boats are doing the trip you could tag along them There is a good book out now call "Reedbound" by Giles Byford it tells the story of him crossing the Irish sea and traveling up the Grand canal to the inland waterways on his barge Hawthorn it would make a good stocking filler





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ahclassbai

fergal.b wrote: »

No problem, You might need to check your draft on a sail boat to get up the canal, maybe you could find out when one of the other boats are doing the trip you could tag along them There is a good book out now call "Reedbound" by Giles Byford it tells the story of him crossing the Irish sea and traveling up the Grand canal to the inland waterways on his barge Hawthorn it would make a good stocking filler





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Oh ok cool , im guessing in the summer if its good weather then the draft is lower?

pH

Obviously there's a lot of bridges, so the boat you're using can't have a mast (or it needs to be collapsible). Something like that itchen is pushing it draft wise for the grand canal, I suggest you determine its exact draft and post on the iwai forums for a definite answer, but AFAIK (and I am not an expect by any means) that if the draft is something like 4'3" as suggested by some information on the net she's not going down the canal

But get the exact draft and check with a regular canal user on the iwai forum for a definitive answer.

ahclassbai

pH wrote: »

Obviously there's a lot of bridges, so the boat you're using can't have a mast (or it needs to be collapsible). Something like that itchen is pushing it draft wise for the grand canal, I suggest you determine its exact draft and post on the iwai forums for a definite answer, but AFAIK (and I am not an expect by any means) that if the draft is something like 4'3" as suggested by some information on the net she's not going down the canal

But get the exact draft and check with a regular canal user on the iwai forum for a definitive answer.

cool thanks , I cant find the forum could you please link me to it?

fergal.b

This is the IWAI forum http://www.iwai.ie/forum/list.php?1

The run up the Liffey would have to be timed around the tide to get up.




Also up the top end there are sandbanks and shopping trollies that can change position day to day so checking in with the Dublin branch of the IWAI will help you get around any dangers.

ahclassbai

fergal.b wrote: »

This is the IWAI forum http://www.iwai.ie/forum/list.php?1

The run up the Liffey would have to be timed around the tide to get up.




Also up the top end there are sandbanks and shopping trollies that can change position day to day so checking in with the Dublin branch of the IWAI will help you get around any dangers.

excellent thanks man , the toxic waters of the river liffey!

Tabnabs

Clontarf YC did a trip to Athlone YC a few years ago. Most of their boats probably had lifting keels though.

ahclassbai

Tabnabs wrote: »

Clontarf YC did a trip to Athlone YC a few years ago. Most of their boats probably had lifting keels though.

that looks like the life man , few beers floating around the isle were you all sleeping on the boat too?

Tabnabs

I'd imagine they did, I didn't do the trip.

According to this, I think you may be pushing it with the draft of the IF25

Boat dimensions: 61 ft (18.5m) x 13 ft (3.9m) x 4 ft (1.2m). Depths in dry weather and in Dublin are reduced to 3.5 ft (1m). Barrow Navigation sometimes reduced to 2.5 ft (0.76m).

http://www.iwai.ie/waterways.html#grand

ahclassbai

Tabnabs wrote: »

I'd imagine they did, I didn't do the trip.

According to this, I think you may be pushing it with the draft of the IF25



http://www.iwai.ie/waterways.html#grand

**** , that is pushing it! but then again when is it not raining in Ireland haha I think I might just have to chance it....the draft on our boat it 4'3"

ahclassbai

pH wrote: »

Obviously there's a lot of bridges, so the boat you're using can't have a mast (or it needs to be collapsible). Something like that itchen is pushing it draft wise for the grand canal, I suggest you determine its exact draft and post on the iwai forums for a definite answer, but AFAIK (and I am not an expect by any means) that if the draft is something like 4'3" as suggested by some information on the net she's not going down the canal

But get the exact draft and check with a regular canal user on the iwai forum for a definitive answer.

ahclassbai wrote: »

**** , that is pushing it! but then again when is it not raining in Ireland haha I think I might just have to chance it....the draft on our boat it 4'3"

Have a photo here , the boat is up the country at the moment . My Dad has told me he remembers the man who sold it to him said it was 3'8" . Looking at the picture I recon thats about right! what do you think?

fergal.b

I think anything over 3 1/2 foot draft you will be asking for trouble and as your new to this I feel it will not be a pleasant trip and may put you off boating altogether, it might be an idea to start off on one of the inland lakes you will have enough pubs to visit for the next few years



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ahclassbai

fergal.b wrote: »

I think anything over 3 1/2 foot draft you will be asking for trouble and as your new to this I feel it will not be a pleasant trip and may put you off boating altogether, it might be an idea to start off on one of the inland lakes you will have enough pubs to visit for the next few years



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Fair enough , thanks you and everyone for the guidance!

hytrogen

I've navigated and sailed from the top of lough Allen all the way down to ballina/killaloe on derg the shannon, including around up to Boyle and the inner lakes off Boderg over the years.
This was on my old MacGregor25 which had a swing keel, absolutely perfect for river cruising and lake sailing. She had a self lowing mast system especially built and designed and everything was designed around single handed sailing. I've now a Beneteau 285, again self raising mast system, swing keel, single handed running rig and twin rudder so she'll beach handy enough for my tour around the coast next year.
At a very leisurely pace and time stopped for lowering & raising rigging leaving lakes, waiting for locks and bridges I would give it a good month and a bit. Or a full summer season taking weekends only.
In terms of stop offs for nibbles, supplies, fuel and amenities, on the lakes it's more developed in the southern parts compared with up north and in general everywhere it top quality. I wouldn't visit the wineport for personal safety reasons and an extremely poor experience of snobbery on a howler of a night but we don't need to discuss that too much, everywhere else is most accommodating.
I can't comment on the Erne or canals to Dublin too well apart from parts around the greater Dublin basin.
Surprisingly I've had, as well as sailing club friends, several hairy times out sailing on the lakes with brisker conditions compared to that out at sea! So make sure you've sufficient Ballast and reserve buoyancy as well as watch the horizons vividly for squalls. The met area reports aren't as accurate as those for coastal parts as there's less investment and stations reporting data.