The Rhine

Brian · 04 January 2015, 14:30

I am looking for info on a planning trip up the river Rhine.
Specifically:
What paperwork is required ? I am assuming that ships papers including Radio Licenses (boat and personal), insurance, CEVNI, ownership papers or invoice showing VAT, passports etc. would be carried as standard.
What charges are rendered by the Rhine authorities?
Are there any restrictions on a petrol outboard engine?
Is wearing a killcord mandatory in Holland and Germany?
Speed limits?
How far can one go. I imagine "quite a long way"?
Are there any locks to navigate?

Etc Etc. Just looking at the moment.

Boatnomad · 04 January 2015, 15:52

Sounds like an adventure...
Reminds me of the Tristan Jones book...

The Improbable Voyage of the Yacht Outward Leg Into, Through, and out of the Heart of Europe Summary - eNotes.com

jlandells · 04 January 2015, 16:22

I can't give you details for your own boat, but I've chartered on the Rhine recently. The skipper will need an ICC, but as long as the skipper is aboard, anyone else can drive.

One important point is that if you wear glasses, you'll be expected to have a spare pair, in case anything happens to your main ones.

As to kill cords, I was told off for connecting the one on my charter boat to my leg, as the owner said it would make the engine stop if I moved away from the helm. I tried to reason that this was the exact purpose of kill cords, but he was adamant that I keep it wrapped around the throttles! :O

Watch out for the commercial traffic - in Germany, they're known to simply drive over anything in their way, with no care to colregs!

Hope that helps!

willk · 04 January 2015, 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian

I am looking for info on a planning trip up the river Rhine....

Avoid Rhine stones. Especially at the bars...

Mollers · 04 January 2015, 17:36

I've driven over it a few times.

It has bleddy great floating hotels going up a down it!

Bushrider · 04 January 2015, 18:05

Sent this already to Brian but may be also others are interested to receive more information about the Rhine :

http://www.inland-navigation.org/obs...traffic-rules/

Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine - Regulations

Inland Water Transport - Transport - UNECE

http://www.bsh.de/en/Maritime_shippi...ions/index.jsp

Daniel · 04 January 2015, 19:01

Er.... Isn't your boat diesel?

Brian · 04 January 2015, 20:08

Daniel,

Yes, MY boat is.

willk · 04 January 2015, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian

Daniel,

Yes, MY boat is.

The very BEST kind of boat to use is "someone else's"

Daniel · 04 January 2015, 20:53

Such secrecy !

I can't offer much advise but I wonder if at some point you'll need a CEVENI (European inland waterway endorsement to the ICC).

Pikey Dave · 04 January 2015, 21:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

The very BEST kind of boat to use is "someone else's"

......thus spake the voice of experience.......

Immanuel · 06 January 2015, 20:03

...in the first place.
These are taken around Bonn (next to Cologne) where I live.
The Rhine ist a beautiful river and I am happy to give more informations very soon.
"Sadly" i am on short holidays in the snow till Sunday.

Mainly in the Netherlands there a few more rules than in Germany, where are nearly none. There are no speet limits on the Rhine before Mannheim.
myself I have sailed on the Rhine from the divorce/junction?! Of thr rhine (Pannerdensch and Waal) up to Worms. So I have seen some kilometers of the river.

Best regards Immanuel

Immanuel · 06 January 2015, 20:04

Maximus · 06 January 2015, 20:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian

I am looking for info on a planning trip up the river Rhine.
Specifically:
What paperwork is required ? I am assuming that ships papers including Radio Licenses (boat and personal), insurance, CEVNI, ownership papers or invoice showing VAT, passports etc. would be carried as standard.
What charges are rendered by the Rhine authorities?
Are there any restrictions on a petrol outboard engine?
Is wearing a killcord mandatory in Holland and Germany?
Speed limits?
How far can one go. I imagine "quite a long way"?
Are there any locks to navigate?

Etc Etc. Just looking at the moment.

Kerny is the resident "German"expert!

Bushrider · 06 January 2015, 23:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Immanuel

.
The Rhine ist a beautiful river

Nice to see also my former Searider on the Rhine

kerny · 07 January 2015, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Kerny is the resident "German"expert!

Elvis liked it, he even sung it's praises

Never been myself...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeZbkwaMsWw

Immanuel · 11 January 2015, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlandells

I can't give you details for your own boat, but I've chartered on the Rhine recently. The skipper will need an ICC, but as long as the skipper is aboard, anyone else can drive.

One important point is that if you wear glasses, you'll be expected to have a spare pair, in case anything happens to your main ones.

As to kill cords, I was told off for connecting the one on my charter boat to my leg, as the owner said it would make the engine stop if I moved away from the helm. I tried to reason that this was the exact purpose of kill cords, but he was adamant that I keep it wrapped around the throttles! :O

Watch out for the commercial traffic - in Germany, they're known to simply drive over anything in their way, with no care to colregs!

Hope that helps!

Your're mostly right

I'll try to sum up some details:

Netherlands Germany
kill cord obligatory not
liabillty insurance obligatory not
life jacket obligatory not
radar reflector obligatory not
(in radar monitored areas)
fire extinguisher obligatory not
ICC not really sure, if you need one
"Driving license" obligatory obligatory
radio not not

Generally there are no speed limits on the river. There might be some in Rotterdam, but I haven't been there.
The commercial traffic in the Netherlands isn't any better, so never get in front of a ship. They don't care and mostly they don't look.
There are non enviromental restrictions for the engines - so 2stroke ist not a problem.

Where do you plan to go?
The Waal (the Rhine in the Netherlands) i expect to be quite boring, because of the flat landscape. The best part is the middle rhine between Koblenz and Mainz. There are a lots of castles and the wine grows on both sides of the river at the hillside

https://www.google.de/search?q=Mitte...w=1600&bih=746

If someone is interested in the "Rheinatlas", i can send the pdf-File. It includes handdrawed charts with harbours, risks, radio fequenzy.... It the shipping bible for all skippers. unfortunatly for you: in german....

If there are any further questions or if you need help with German authorities / hotels and so on, don't hesitate to contact me.

Best regards, Immanuel

Boatnomad · 11 January 2015, 19:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Immanuel

The best part is the middle rhine between Koblenz and Mainz

Second that, impressive stretch of river

Immanuel · 11 January 2015, 21:41

I just saw, that my table didn't work.
I hope, you understand, what i mean!

jlandells · 12 January 2015, 02:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Immanuel

Your're mostly right

I should have qualified my comments as "Germany-specific"

You will need an ICC in Germany. Also, whilst most of the Rhine is free from speed limits (again, my only experience is in Germany) watch out for the sections where speed limits are in force, and remember that the signs are in km/h, rather than knots.