Cruising Europe's Rivers and Canals

Prerequisites

You should have studied the earlier ICC lessons on CEVNI signs, inland fairway marking, and locks and bridges. You should be able to plan a short coastal passage and handle a small cruiser at low speed. To skipper your own or a chartered boat on most European inland waterways you will need an ICC with the CEVNI (inland) endorsement, or a national licence the country accepts. Hire boats on some French, Irish and German canals can be taken without a licence after a briefing, but that exemption applies only to the hire boat, not to your own boat.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

• Explain which documents and licences a skipper and boat need on European inland waters, and where the ICC fits.
• Describe the main national rules for France, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, and the special character of the Danube.
• Understand inland speed limits, measured in km/h, and why wash matters.
• Plan an inland cruise: route, locks, air draught, draught, stoppages and fuel.
• Moor safely and legally on rivers and canals.
• Find the current official sources for each country, since rules change often.

The ICC and the CEVNI endorsement

The International Certificate of Competence is issued under UNECE Resolution 40. In the UK it is issued by the RYA. Each certificate shows which categories it covers: coastal or inland, power or sail, and the size limit. For inland use it must carry the inland category, which needs a practical assessment on inland waters or an accepted equivalent, and the CEVNI endorsement, gained by passing the written CEVNI test. The RYA booklet G17, European Waterways Regulations, is the standard study text.

Not every country has adopted Resolution 40, and those that have can decide how they treat it. In broad terms, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and the Danube countries accept the ICC for visitors, but the conditions differ and change. Before you go, check the current position with the RYA (which publishes country-by-country guidance) and the national authority.

Documents to carry

• ICC (inland, with CEVNI endorsement), or an accepted national licence.
• Proof of ownership or charter agreement (for UK boats, the Small Ships Register or Part 1 registration certificate).
• Insurance certificate, valid for the countries and waterways you will use, often with a translation in the local language.
• Ship radio licence and an operator's certificate (SRC) if you carry a VHF; on many waterways an inland ATIS number (see below).
• Toll or permit receipts where required (for example the French vignette).
• A copy of the national rules: on some waterways it is compulsory to have them aboard (for example the RGPNI and the local RPP in France, or the BPR in the Netherlands for larger craft).
• Passports, and for non-EU crews the right visa or entry stamps; the Schengen limits apply to UK citizens.

VHF on inland waterways

Inland VHF in Europe follows the Regional Arrangement on the Radiotelephone Service on Inland Waterways (RAINWAT), which requires an ATIS identifier to be programmed into the set; the set transmits it automatically every time you press the button. A normal marine DSC set used in coastal mode is not ATIS-compliant. Most countries do not require pleasure craft to carry VHF, but if you do carry one and use it inland, it must be ATIS-compliant and you need an operator's licence. Inland channels include ship-to-ship (usually channel 10) and nautical information channels for locks and bridges, shown on boards at the waterside; channel 16 is not the inland working channel. Check the national guide.

France

France has the largest network of navigable waterways in Europe, about 8,500 km, mostly managed by Voies Navigables de France (VNF).

Licences

• A licence is needed for a boat with an engine of more than 6 hp (4.5 kW).
• The French "permis plaisance option eaux intérieures" is the national licence; visitors may use an ICC with the inland category and CEVNI endorsement.
• Hire boats on most canals can be taken without a licence after a briefing from the hire company. This is a hire-boat exemption only.

The VNF toll (vignette)

Any boat using VNF waterways must display a valid vignette (toll sticker) if it is 5 m or longer, or has an engine of 9.9 hp or more. You buy it online from VNF. It comes in several durations: annual, a 30-day "loisirs" (leisure) period, a 16-day holiday option, and a single day. The price depends on the boat's area (length times beam). Hire boats normally include it. Check the current categories and prices on vnf.fr, since they change.

Rules: RGPNI and RPP

The French rules of the road are the Règlement Général de Police de la Navigation Intérieure (RGPNI), often called the Code Fluvial. Each waterway also has a Règlement Particulier de Police (RPP), which sets local speed limits, mooring rules, opening hours and any special requirements. You may be required to carry both aboard on some waterways, for example the Seine. Paris has particularly strict rules: tight speed limits, compulsory VHF for some pleasure craft in Paris and the Val-de-Marne under the Seine-Yonne RPP from October 2025, and areas closed to pleasure craft. Always check the current RPP before entering.

Speeds

Speed limits in France are in km/h and are shown on signs (CEVNI B6). Typical figures on small canals such as the Canal du Midi are 8 km/h, reduced to about 3 km/h near locks, moorings and bridges and when passing other boats. Large rivers allow more, but passing moored boats should always be at very low speed to limit wash. The figures vary between waterways: the RPP is the authority.

Stoppages (chômages)

VNF closes sections of waterway for maintenance, usually over the winter, and issues avis à la batellerie (notices to skippers) announcing closures, low water draught limits and lock-hour changes. They are published on vnf.fr. Check them as you plan and again as you go. A canal with no water because of a drought can strand you.

Lock hours

Most French locks work only by day, typically 9:00 to 19:00 in summer, with a lunch break on many manned locks; many close on some public holidays. Plan to arrive at your overnight mooring with time to spare.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands has about 6,000 km of waterways, with busy commercial traffic and a large leisure fleet.

Licences (vaarbewijs)

• A vaarbewijs (Dutch licence) is required for boats of 15 m or more, or any motor boat capable of more than 20 km/h. Vaarbewijs I covers most waterways; vaarbewijs II adds the big rivers and the main lakes such as the IJsselmeer, Waddenzee and Zeeland waters.
• Visitors may use an ICC with inland category and CEVNI, or an accepted national licence.
• Boats under 15 m and under 20 km/h need no licence, but the skipper must still know and follow the rules (minimum ages apply to some craft).

Rules: BPR

The Dutch rules are the Binnenvaartpolitiereglement (BPR). Big rivers such as the Rhine and Waal follow the Rhine Police Regulations (RPR) instead. Chapter 6 of the BPR covers rules for vessels under way. Key points for small craft:

• Small craft (under 20 m) must keep out of the way of larger vessels and must not hinder them.
• Small craft must keep to the starboard side of the fairway, as far as possible, and keep out of the way of commercial traffic.
• Small craft under sail must keep out of the way of motor craft that are not small craft. Between small craft, motor gives way to sail, and sail obeys the normal rules.
• Some waterways have a speed limit; on others there is no general limit, but you are responsible for your wash.
• Carry a copy of the BPR if your boat is over 15 m or capable of more than 20 km/h.
• On busy waterways a radar reflector is recommended, and on the big rivers you must listen on the local VHF channel if you carry a VHF.

Bridges and locks

The Netherlands has thousands of movable bridges. Many open only at set times, or in convoy ("blokken") on busy routes, and some charge a small fee. The ANWB Wateralmanak (Almanak voor Watertoerisme) lists opening times, VHF channels and fees, and is the standard reference. Hourly openings and closures for rush hour are common on bridges carrying roads or railways.

Mooring

Moor only where it is allowed (blue signs with a white "P" or a boat symbol). Free 72-hour moorings are common in the countryside. Marina and town moorings charge per metre per night, and payment is now often by app.

Germany

Germany has about 7,300 km of federal waterways.

Licences

• On federal inland waterways, a licence (Sportbootführerschein Binnen) is needed for motor boats with more than 15 hp (11.03 kW), and for any boat 20 m or more.
• On the Rhine, the threshold is lower: more than 5 hp (3.68 kW).
• Sailing boats above a size threshold and some lakes have their own rules (for example Lake Constance, the Bodensee, which needs its own licence).
• Visitors can usually use the ICC with inland category and CEVNI, or their national licence, but check current guidance.
• A "charter certificate" scheme allows unlicensed hire on some waterways, such as the Mecklenburg lakes and parts of Brandenburg, after a short briefing.

Rules

The Binnenschifffahrtsstraßen-Ordnung (BinSchStrO) applies on German federal waterways, except where the Rhine (RPR), Moselle and Danube have their own rules. It follows CEVNI closely. Paragraphs 6.28 to 6.29a cover passing locks: entering and leaving on the signals, and the order of locking. German hire regulations often require lifejackets while locking.

Speeds

Speed limits on canals are typically between 6 and 12 km/h; on rivers they vary, and some rivers have no limit for small craft except near locks and harbours. Signs show the limit.

Belgium

Belgium has about 1,500 km of waterways, divided between Flanders (De Vlaamse Waterweg) and Wallonia (Service Public de Wallonie, SPW).

• A licence (in Flanders the "Beperkt" or "Algemeen Stuurbrevet") is required for boats over 15 m or capable of more than 20 km/h.
• Visitors can use the ICC with CEVNI, or an accepted national licence.
• In Flanders, a free or low-cost waterway permit (vaarvergunning) is required for all pleasure craft; register online with De Vlaamse Waterweg. Wallonia has its own permit system; check SPW for the current requirement.
• Locks and lifting bridges work in set hours; the busy commercial routes, such as the Albert Canal, are best avoided in small boats, or travelled with care.
• Rules follow the Belgian General Police Regulations, based on CEVNI.

Belgian rules change often and the two regions differ. Check De Vlaamse Waterweg and SPW Mobilité et Infrastructures before you go.

The Danube

The Danube flows about 2,850 km from Germany to the Black Sea, through ten countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. Kilometre marks run upstream from the Black Sea, so km 0 is the delta and the numbers increase as you go upstream.

• The Danube Commission's Basic Provisions apply, together with each country's national rules, which differ in detail. Austria and Germany have strict rules; Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria require customs and border formalities at each border.
• The current is strong in places, up to 10 km/h, with big commercial push-tows and huge locks such as the Iron Gates.
• Many countries require an ICC with CEVNI, or a national licence; some also require an ATIS VHF and a crew list.
• Non-EU countries (Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine) mean customs, immigration and possibly insurance changes. The situation in Ukraine affects the lower river: check before planning any passage there.

Planning an inland cruise

Boat dimensions

Know these exactly:

• Length and beam: locks have size limits. The French Freycinet locks are 38.5 m by 5.05 m.
• Draught: small French canals may only guarantee 1.2 to 1.6 m, and low water can reduce it further.
• Air draught: bridges on some French canals have as little as 3.5 m, and less at the sides of arched bridges. Many sailing yachts drop their masts at the coast and carry them on deck.

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Routes and guides

Use a waterway guide and chart for the route: Fluviacarte or Breil guides for France, the ANWB Wateralmanak and waterkaarten for the Netherlands, and the national hydrographic or waterway maps in Germany. The RYA and the inland cruising associations publish route guides and up-to-date news.

Time and distance

Inland speeds are low: a typical canal day might be 25 to 40 km and 10 to 15 locks. Plan around:

• Lock hours and lunch breaks.
• Stoppages and notices to skippers.
• Current on rivers: going upstream against a 4 km/h current at 10 km/h through the water gives only 6 km/h over the ground.
• Fuel: diesel can be scarce on small canals. Plan fuel stops, and keep at least one third in reserve.
• Water and pump-out stations.

Worked example: timing a day on a river

You plan 48 km upstream on a river with a 3 km/h current. Your boat's comfortable speed through the water is 12 km/h, and the river has a 12 km/h limit.

1. Speed over the ground: 12 minus 3 = 9 km/h.
2. Running time: 48 divided by 9 = about 5 hours 20 minutes.
3. Four locks at about 30 minutes each, including waiting: 2 hours.
4. Total: about 7 hours 20 minutes. If the locks close at 19:00, you must leave by about 11:00 at the latest; aim for 09:00 to leave a margin.
5. Coming back downstream: 12 plus 3 = 15 km/h, so about 3 hours 15 minutes plus locks.

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Mooring on rivers and canals

• Moor only where allowed. Look for mooring signs (blue with a white "P" or a boat), and check for prohibitions (CEVNI A5, no berthing).
• Never moor in lock approaches, under bridges, near weirs, at fuel berths, or on the outside of bends where barges need room.
• On rivers, moor facing upstream, into the current, for control.

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• Allow for wash: passing barges can make moored boats surge. Use springs, leave slack for level changes, and keep fenders down.
• On canals with sloping banks, use mooring stakes (pins) driven into the bank, at an angle away from the boat, and mark them so walkers do not trip. Check them often.
• On rivers where levels change, leave enough slack in the lines or use a floating pontoon.
• Many towns provide free or cheap moorings with water and electricity; check the local rules and time limits.

Speed and wash

Wash damages banks, moored boats and other people's property, and on many waterways you are legally responsible for it. Inland speed limits are usually in km/h. Rough conversions: 6 km/h is about 3.2 knots, 8 km/h about 4.3 knots, 12 km/h about 6.5 knots. A useful rule: if your wash is breaking on the bank, you are going too fast. Slow down further when passing moored boats, fishermen, canoeists and works.

Common Mistakes

• Assuming one rule fits all countries. Licence thresholds, tolls and speed limits differ. Check each country.
• Forgetting the French vignette. VNF checks are common, and fines are high.
• Ignoring stoppages. A closed lock can add days to your route.
• Using a coastal VHF set inland. Inland use needs an ATIS-programmed set.
• Underestimating air draught. Measure it, and include everything on the roof.
• Running out of fuel. Small canals have few fuel stations.
• Mooring in the wrong place. Lock approaches and bridge areas are not for mooring.
• Treating a hire-boat exemption as a licence. It only covers that hire boat.

Summary

• For inland waterways you need an ICC with the inland category and the CEVNI endorsement, or an accepted national licence.
• France: VNF waterways, vignette for boats of 5 m or more or 9.9 hp or more, RGPNI plus local RPP, small-canal limits around 8 km/h, stoppages in avis à la batellerie.
• Netherlands: BPR (RPR on the big rivers), licence for 15 m or more or faster than 20 km/h, small craft keep clear of large vessels.
• Germany: BinSchStrO, licence above 15 hp (Rhine above 5 hp).
• Belgium: Flanders and Wallonia differ, waterway permits required.
• Danube: many countries and borders, strong current, kilometres counted upstream from the sea.
• Plan for locks, hours, current, dimensions, fuel and stoppages. Always check current national sources.

Check Your Understanding

1. What two things must an ICC have to be valid on inland waterways?

Answer: The inland category, and the CEVNI endorsement.

1. Which boats need a VNF vignette in France?

Answer: Boats of 5 m or more, or with an engine of 9.9 hp or more, using VNF waterways.

1. What is the RPP, and why must you check it?

Answer: The Règlement Particulier de Police: the local regulations for a particular French waterway, setting speed limits, mooring rules and special requirements.

1. In the Netherlands, when do you need a vaarbewijs?

Answer: For a boat of 15 m or more, or a motor boat capable of more than 20 km/h.

1. What is the licence threshold for motor boats on German federal waterways, and on the Rhine?

Answer: More than 15 hp (11.03 kW) on federal waterways; more than 5 hp (3.68 kW) on the Rhine.

1. Your boat does 10 km/h through the water against a 4 km/h current. What is your speed over the ground, and how long will 30 km take?

Answer: 6 km/h over the ground; 30 km takes 5 hours, plus time for locks.

1. Why should you moor facing upstream on a river?

Answer: The current flows past the hull from bow to stern, giving control when arriving and leaving, and the boat lies more steadily.

1. Why can you not use a normal coastal VHF set on inland waters?

Answer: Inland VHF requires an ATIS identifier, transmitted automatically with each transmission; coastal DSC sets are not ATIS-compliant.