Boating in Holland – Final + Boating Tips

Boating in Holland – Final + Boating Tips

Boating in Holland – Final + Boating Tips

Guest cabin

Our goal is to see as much as we can of the inland waterways of Europe. We’ve been boating in The Netherlands for the last 2 and a 1/2 years. Not the whole time obviously. In winter the canals freeze over, the smaller canals shut down and there are limited bridge opening times.

Also, as a South African, I am limited to a maximum of 90 days per annum.

We planned to explore Holland first since we bought the boat there. My husband and I originally thought we would be in and out of The Netherlands. It’s not such a big country after all. How wrong were we? We fell in love with the Dutch people. It’s possible we may fall in love with other countries? It’s not hard to when a person explores a place from the waterways. You get up close and personal with the people and go to areas other visitors would never see.

Large working barges have right of way

However, if we are ever going to see Belgium, Germany, France, Poland, Denmark, United Kingdom and all the other countries linked to the European waterways – we have to move on.

Hopefully more family, friends and acquaintances will join us. Will we be able to share more of our experiences?

Meanwhile, I thought I would share my boating tips. Hope you find them useful.

Make sure to pack the following: –

  • weatherproof/windproof/waterproof/warm jacket
  • peak hat/sun hat
  • non-slip light coloured sole shoes
  • slip slops for the communal showers 
  • running shoes
  • sunscreen
  • sunglasses
  • biodegradable shower gel/shampoo
  • scarfs that double as sarongs
  • cheap gloves for handling the ropes
  • heavy duty bags that double up as laundry bags, toiletry bags, shopping bags etc
  • cash – cards are not accepted in all countries – Netherlands is one of them
  • small change for the showers and water and electricity supply – usually 50c
  • plug adaptors for any gadgets – think mobile phones or tablets
  • comfortable clothes for climbing on and off the boat
  • phrase book or app with the local language
  • consider loading maps.me or similar app on your phone

And for boaters: –

  • maps of the waterways in the area either on-line or hard copies
  • required waterway books
  • your local flag and any other required flags
  • mini binoculars to read signs/buoys/boats on the waterways 
My Top Boating Tips are: –
Traditional Dutch boat under sail

1.    Take gloves. I use cheap gloves from the hardware store. Even if your hands aren’t tender. Thick course ropes can shred your skin when you tie up for the night or secure your boat in the locks.

2.    Do try and learn basic phrases in the local language. Most Europeans speak a lot more English than they let on. However you are in THEIR country where they have been speaking their mother tongue for eons. It’s only polite to make an effort to speak the local language and not expect them to accommodate you. Besides you will need to buy provisions, read notices or maps and ask questions of the lock keepers and locals.

3.    Pack sun-hats and sunscreen. The sun does shine in Europe. It can get quite hot.

4.    And a warm windbreaker. It also needs to be weatherproof/waterproof. It rains a lot in Europe. It’s usually colder on the water than on land.

Dutch cash card machines

5.    It would be wise to have some boat handling skills. And perhaps get to know a few boating terms like cleat, bollard, port, starboard or fender? No formal qualifications are required but a boat can be unpredictable in currents and wind. If the “captain” is speaking in boat-ese, it helps to know what s/he is saying.

6.    Pack light-coloured sole shoes so as not to mark the boat and make sure they are non-slip. Leaping on and off a boat for locks and moorings is required. Make sure your shoes won’t be falling off.

Waiting for a bridge to open in Leiden

7.    Bring a cap, top or something to connect you to your home country.We have met expats and made new friends by flying our South African flag.  People greet their fellow countrymen with gusto abroad. And we have made friends when people recognised our flag and shared memories of a trip to South Africa. Or they enquired where we are from. But we have also met locals who love it that we are taking an interest in their country.

8.    Pack running shoes. A walk exploring the town or a run along the tow path is a great way to relax at the end of the day to stretch your legs. Besides you never know how far away the nearest supermarket will be?

9.    It is mostly older and retired people who do these trips and while they aren’t strenuous they do require some effort. You will be jumping on and off boats and heaving ropes. You have to walk to the shops.

Bus service in Haarlem

10.     Go easy on the water when on a boat. Most boats come with about 200 litres tanks – which is not a lot. Get into the habit of re-using water for dishes. When showering use the spray to wet yourself. Switch off while you soap to conserve water. And only turn the tap on again when you need to rinse. Save shaving and shampooing for when you are in a marina where they have facilities. We try to use marinas when we have visitors on our boat.

Weather report Lelystad

11.    Learn a few basic knots. Fenders have to be moved up and down depending on the mooring. A Clove Hitch, Round Turn and Two Half Hitches are a good place to start. And it helps to know how to make a figure of 8 on a cleat to secure the boat so it doesn’t float away.

12.    Boating is NOT glamorous. Pack comfortable clothes that you can move in and make sure you don’t mind if they get a bit grubby. Your clothes will be washed in a communal facility. You are going to be using basic facilities in a communal ablution block.

Essential guide books





For more on other places we have visited, go to the top of this page and open – My Holidays and Trips.

I will be back soon.

Greenie.

Barging through the Netherlands – Part 3

Barging through the Netherlands – Part 3

Meppel town square

Part 2 of this journey can be found – here. Or read from the beginning – on this link.

After cleaning the brimstone or lava off the deck from the fireworks the night before, we headed back to Zwartsluis from Zwolle to resume our repairs. The bloke managing the bridges into Zwolle overslept and a group of about 16 boats waited around over half an hour to get out. A gaggle of boats made a mass exodus from Zwolle, all heading in different directions along the canal networks.

My husband had bought a new VHF radio in Zwolle. Apparently it’s easier and cheaper to buy a new one than reprogramme ATIS numbers from the previous owner. ATIS = Automatic Transmission Identification System, an EU requirement on inland waterways. Yip, I’m leaving all the complicated stuff to my better half. I

General purpose gloves

prefer ‘cheesing’ (curling in English) the ropes and making tea.

Zwartsluis is becoming a  bit like home now. We know the back roads, even met a South African girl married to a Dutch guy. I was happy to take a walk into town and do the washing while my other half set about fitting his new VHF. Not quite as easy as he thought. He bought the exact same make, but once out the box, it was a completely different shape to the last one. At one point I found him staring blankly after he had cut a pile of wood away from his instrument consul only to discover his original

Short jetty with half ladder in Meppel

plan wasn’t going to work. Time for a lunch and tea break. It all worked out in the end. He glued a new piece of wood back into the hole and added a new fascia. There’s a lot more to boating than swanking about with a drink in your hand.

We said – Goobye or Tot Ziens – to the folk at Zwartsulis and headed off toward Meppel. We referred to the Wateralmanak – all in Dutch – which we ‘sort of’ understand and our other handy guide – Inland Waterways of the Netherlands by L. Busby and D. Broad. Local maps, which are easily found in many shops, are also a source of information.

Meppel wasn’t a long trip and had few bridges. The harbour master was a hands-on guy so we were shown an appropriate berth and moored in mild wind. I reckon boating is a bit like ballroom dancing.

Spped of 7.7 kilometres an hour

One of you needs to know what to do, and the other needs to know how to do what they are told. My husband tells me what to do, and I try to do it. Unfortunately he tends to speak in ‘boat-ese’ which drives me bonkers. Especially when we are battling to tie up. I have to translate ‘starboard stern rope’ or ‘for’d back spring’ in seconds. Why don’t boat lovers just speak English?

We made sure we got to Meppel by lunch time to ensure we got a mooring. Strange jetty in Meppel. A really short one. We put down a half ladder that we found on the boat – and leapt off! Literally.

Meppel printers museum

Meppel is a lovely place to stop. Lots of historical buildings, a really helpful VVV (Tourist Info), a marine shop, stacks of other shops and a lovely marina that curled through the old town.

Clearly lots of other people thought so too. That part of the marina was full. But then we did arrive the day before the Meppel Thursday Festival. One Thursday a month the folk in Meppel celebrate something. And have a big fat street market.

This month the theme was fashion and culture. There were loads of retail and clothing shops with specials on tables outside their shops. We loved the market where people spread their un-used

Working mill and museum in Meppel

possessions on the streets to sell them off. We bought 6 ramekins, a cereal container and a salad bowl, all for €4.

We went to visit the working mill, which is run by volunteers. Entrance is free and it’s open when the windmill turns. They showed us how it worked. We understood about 50% of what they said. Two Dutch girls helped translate what we didn’t get.

Happy campers next to the marina in Meppel

They don’t clean away spider webs becasue spiders eat the bugs that normally attack the flour. We left with a bag of freshly ground whole wheat flour for €1.

Inland Waterways also mentioned a printing museum – Drukkerijmuseum Meppel. They were closed when we went past. Admission was around €3.

People selling unwanted goods in Meppel

The shore power in Meppel was 10 amps as opposed to 6 amps in Zwolle. Which meant our kettle only took 10 minutes to boil and not 20 minutes. But the meter ran out fast. We started using our generator to heat the shower water and kettle. We were getting more comfortable with the workings of our boat. It was starting to feel like home.

Go to Part 4 – by clicking here.

Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.

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