Sweden

[Tim Riley]

Does anyone have any experience of Swedens inland waterways? I have been looking at Lake Vattern and Vanern, Gota canal and Dalslands canal on the web over Christmas but all I can find is tourist brochure stuff.  However on the whole it looks an interesting area. Possibly a bit like the Caledonian canal but longer and with bigger lakes. All the pics I see show lots of sunshine but it cant be like that all the summer or maybe it is? Anyone been there or can point me in the direction of a report of a trip perhaps.
ps I didnt add it to the fantasy thread as I intend to go there!
Happy new year
Tim

[stef]

I Tim,
if you read or speak French, look at this address:
http://www.nauticaltrek.com/508-suede

Nauticaltrek is a French website, a gold nugget...

Have a good reading and happy new year at all.
Stef

[mark1]

Hi Tim,
I've canoed in Dalsland a few times, in early May and late September so at either end of the boating season, it was very quiet at both those times but I believe it gets pretty busy for the two month summer holidays when Sweden closes down and everyone goes canoe tripping (so I'm told!)
weather was generally settled but we had some cold and heavy rain as well as moderately windy weather. I think it's pretty warm in mid summer.
I think it'd be a great place for a swallowboat, the distances coverable on inland waterways are mind boggling coming from Uk.
Mark

[Bill Rollo]

Tim

I went through c1980 from West to East in a small sailing boat in June, having started from Kiel and gone up the West Coast of Sweden. My memories are of:

Good weather - not always the case in the southern Baltic.
Very long days and short nights.
The Trollhattan locks at the beginning are an engineering feat but eminently missable in a small boat.
Vannern and Vettern were huge and very explorable - full of castles in whose moats you could moor - had we had the time. We took a week but you could easily have spent longer and enjoyed it more.
The skagard when we came out (we turned North and went up to Sandhamn off Stockholm) was wonderful small boat country - fast exciting sailing on flat water through endless small islands. Lots of rock. Navigator had to concentrate particularly in pre GPS days - all small islands looked similar...
Friendly people. Expensive drink.
Not sure when you are planning to go - I have been compiling sources but have nothing on the inland lakes.
Bill

[PeterDT]

Sweden is a mighty big place. And the big lakes Vanern and Vatern are huge too. Gota canal has 58 locks.... May be a lot of motoring. Weather in Sweden can also be cold and wet (latitude> Scotland). In the east the weather is more stable. I have spent quite a few weeks, (months accumulated) in Sweden and have never been rained out, unlike Scotland or Norway. But a few rainy days are likely. I may have been lucky. I can recommend the archipelago north of Stockholm for small yachts too. Plenty of free mooring, many small islands. Bring your BBQ. And your own booze.
The water is actually nearly sweet. You can sail for the rest of your life here without crossing your tracks. The west coast has a good reputation amongst sailors too.
There is a lot of information on the net (YouTube), and quite a few pilots. Not all in English though.

KR
Peter

[Richard Walkerley]

Last time I was on the inland waterways of Sweden it was mid winter.  Managed to do a spot of ice sailing with the British team.  Fast, furious and great fun - highly recommended.