Göta and Trollhättan canals

There are two possibilities to go through the canal:

• a five day itinerary from Mem to Motala at the start of the season,
• or slowly, throughout the season

It is so beautiful and so full of treasures that you should consider at least a full month! With Cybèle 17, we took eight weeks! Remenber that the price for all the trip includes (2015) all the the locks and bridges, and 5 days in each of the 21 guest harbours , not included the free stopovers in the middle of nowhere!

You can also rent a boat or take part to some trips on tourists boats.

The technique for going up is always the same, and must be understood by both the helmsman and the crew

• the lock is filled by the front,and not by the bottom. it means that the current is very strong. A spring for the stern is fixed after passing under a cleat and will not move. A spring for the front comes from the quay, passes through a block on the bow, then to a winch before the hand of the helmsman. That rope will be adjusted when the boat will rise. A lot of fenders both sides: sometimes you will be 2 in a row, but also sometimes the boat will move on each side!
• the crew jumps the very little pontoon at the entry of the lock with the 2 ropes, fixes the front one then the other.He or she stays on the quay until the lift and opening upstream.Then jump to the boat.And next lock, the same, 28 times...
• For Trollhatte Canal, only 1 rope is used, in the middle of the boat, but very long and in double, to avoid to be obliged to jump a very big ladder when the lock is emptied.