Hiring in Germany

[JonL]

Thinking about trying some boating further a field next summer. Anyone any experience of hiring in Germany ? Would think canals and smaller rivers would suit my abilities!

Thanks

[Pluto]

Thinking about trying some boating further a field next summer. Anyone any experience of hiring in Germany ? Would think canals and smaller rivers would suit my abilities!

Thanks

The only place in Germany where hiring is relatively easy is on the Mecklenburg Lakes, to the north of Berlin. I think they have more relaxed rules governing steerers, but I don't have any addresses.

[Neil TNC]

Thinking about trying some boating further a field next summer. Anyone any experience of hiring in Germany ? Would think canals and smaller rivers would suit my abilities!

Thanks

 

 

Cruise Germany Linky

[PaulG]

Thinking about trying some boating further a field next summer. Anyone any experience of hiring in Germany ? Would think canals and smaller rivers would suit my abilities!

Thanks

Suggest you start by reading Hugh McKnight's "Slow Boat Through Germany". Not fantastically up to date, but at the very least it's a good read!

[bargemast]

Another German company with comfortable strongly built steelboats

 

My link

 

Peter.

[odet]

Hi,

being German myself, although not living there anymore since 10 years, I have toyed with the idea of spending a boating holiday in Mecklenburg. After doing some research I scrapped the idea fairly quick.

 

While you are fairly free what to do on English canals or on Irish waters ( as long as you use your brain and dont annoy peolpe that is ), everything seems to be regulated in Germany.

 

Just a few examples:

 

There are designated moorings only, where you are charges between 10 to 30 € / night.

There are regualr controll by the Wasserschutzpolizei (river police) which might well turn your boat upside down. I was just recently shown a video where they searched a holiday boat for 45 minutes. When the couldnt find anything they fined the steerer 10 € for not having tied his glasses to his head..............

Even so it is an extremly busy with potentially very long waiting times at looks.

In case you dont have a licence, you are very restricted where to go. See: [url=]http://www.cruisegermany.com/boat-holidays.htm[/url] This puts the most interesting destinations like Berlin and the Spreewald out of bounds.

 

Ability wise I wouldnt worry too much. Also there are hardly any canals in Mecklenburg. Its basiclly a network of smaller and medium rivers connected by rather short lock cuts. The Müritz is the only bigger lake, which without a licence you are only allowed to cross in a marked channel. All the locks are manned.

 

Regards

 

 

odet