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Prevention is better than cure.

* Keep decks tidy, clean and free from trailing ropes.
* Watch out for slippery or wet decks. Wear proper shoes.
* Check that guardrails are an adequate height and secure.
* Children should always be supervised while on deck.
* Never work on deck while underway.
* Always hold onto the boat while walking around on deck.

Recovering a person from the water.

* This can be diﬃcult so it helps to have thought it through before it happens.
* Once alongside the person in the water they can use the bathing platform or

boarding ladder to get aboard.

* If the person is unable to help themselves you may need to get them aboard

by using the dinghy, or by improvising some form of lifting gear.

* Once aboard they should be made warm and dry. Medical assistance may

be needed, particularly if the person has been in the water for any length of
time.

If you cannot get back to the person on the ﬁrst attempt, get help

immediately.

What to do if it’s you who falls overboard.

If you fall overboard, make sure your lifejacket is on tightly and look for any

lifebuoys or other ﬂoating objects, which may be close by. Remain calm,
keep your legs close together and restrict your movements to stop ﬂushing
cold water under your clothing.

We cannot emphasise enough the importance of wearing a lifejacket on deck
in poor conditions.

Navigation Rules

Smart Cards

Man Overboard

Use this time to

prepare ropes,

ladder and crew

Be aware of current
and obstacles such

as weirs, bridges

and locks

Man

Overboard!

Throw lifebuoy

or ﬂoating

object. Get

someone on

board to keep
pointing at the

man overboard

Turn boat
around and go
downwind

Turn back upwind

Approach
into the
wind

Slow
right
down

Engine
into
neutral

Cut
engine,
drift up

WIND

If someone falls overboard:

Don’t panic - follow these steps

Remember

Make sure if you hand over the cruiser, even for a minute, to
someone else they also understand the rules and system of
markers.

1. Always keep to the marked channel.
Red on left upstream and into bays and harbours: green on Right
Green on left downstream and out of bays and harbours: red on Right

2. Keep to the marked navigation arch when negotiating bridges. Use the
arch on your right when more than one arch is navigable.
3. Keep a good distance oﬀ all navigation markers. Keep clear of weirs.
4. It is an oﬀence to exceed 5 Km/h within 200m of a bridge or jetty, within
100m of a lock, in a canal or harbour or when passing within 100m of a
moored vessel.
Reduce speed when passing swimmers, anglers and small boats.
5. Ensure that you have adequate headroom when passing under bridges. If
in doubt at Roosky and Tarmonbarry, request that the bridges be raised.

Downstream &

out of bays

NAVIGATION NOTICE

Keep red on your

right when travelling

downstream

Keep green on your
left when travelling
downstream

passing between markers (Shannon)

Upstream &

into bays

NAVIGATION NOTICE

Keep green on your

right when travelling

upstream

Keep red on your
left when travelling
upstream

passing between markers (Shannon)

Portumna Bridge must be opened and the Lough Allen Canal footbridge must
be raised.
6. When crossing the major lakes, establish your position by checking the
numbers on the large buoys in Lough Ree and the letters on the similar
buoys in Lough Derg with those on the accompanying charts.
7. When proceeding from one navigation marker to another, keep an eye on
the one behind as the wind may cause you to drift inside the line.
8. Ensure that mooring ropes do not trail in the water as they may foul the
propeller.
9. Unless it is open, undecked and carrying an engine not exceeding 15 h.p.,
your vessel must be registered.
10. If your vessel has a draft in excess of l.7m you may not navigate without
permission.
11. It is an oﬀence to navigate a vessel when under the inﬂuence of drugs or
alcohol.
12. Always keep a good look-out and navigate with care and caution and with
reasonable consideration for others.
13. When meeting an approaching vessel, keep to the right of the channel so
that you pass each other on the left side.
14. If you meet a vessel crossing from your right and there is danger of
collision, you must give way.
15. When going upstream at a bridge, give way to vessels coming
downstream.
16. When overtaking, leave the other vessel on your right hand side. You
must keep out of its way when doing so and it must leave you suﬃcient room
to overtake.
17. You must give way to vessels under sail.
18. Approach locks slowly and keep out of the way of vessels exiting. When
in a lock do not refuel and do not light a cooker or any appliance with a naked
ﬂame. When there is more than one vessel in the lock, switch oﬀ your engine.
When leaving the lock, do so at a slow speed.
19. You may not berth at a particular quay or harbour for more than 5
consecutive days nor more than a total of 7 days in anyone month.
20. It is an oﬀence to moor at any navigation mark.
21. When navigating at night, your vessel must be equipped with lights as
speciﬁed in the Bye-laws.

NAVIGATION NOTICE

Middle ground marker - keep a good distance

away and pass on either side

Middle Ground Marker

(Erne System)

NAVIGATION NOTICE

Hazard Marker - do not pass either side

Shallow water or rocks on each side

Hazard Marker

(Erne System)

Smart cards are used to operate the locks, access the service block, to use the
pump-outs and for accessing electricity on the moorings where it is available along
the waterways. Further information is available at www.waterwaysireland.org

Card readers are attached at each service block to enable users to check the number
of units remaining on the smart cards. Cards are available in either 10 units or 20
units and a full list of stockists can be found on the Waterways Ireland website by
searching for "Smart Card Outlets" in the search function. Smart cards and
Waterways publications can also be ordered online from
www.shopwaterwaysireland.org

SMART

Smart Card Services

Lock Passage

Pump-outs

Showers

Chemical Toilets

Washing Machines

Tumble Dryers

Electricity

NAVIGATION NOTICE

Always pass on the
white side of marker

Downstream

passing between markers

(Erne System)

Always pass on the
white side of marker

Before you go Cruising

Before starting oﬀ it is best if you are quite sure that you are happy with the instruction that you have been given. Although really skilful boat handling normally
only comes with lots of practice, it is normal for most people to be able to understand and control a cruiser within a relatively short time. Most problems occur
with excessive speed, lack of common sense and/or with bad or no planning. Before getting under way, give your crew members speciﬁc jobs to do. There is
more to cruising than just steering the boat. There must be a set drill, when entering a lock for instance, with persons deputed to handle the bow and stern
ropes and to watch the dinghy. Someone should check the mooring lines for knots etc. Someone should keep the decks clean and free from mud and wet.

Lifejackets should be available for everyone on board and it important that you have one that ﬁts you properly. Our advice is that they should be worn
anywhere there is a possibility of falling in the water. Going through locks, crossing lakes and entering harbours are times when it is essential to wear a life
jacket. Children should wear lifejackets at all times - even when the cruiser is docked and they are near the shore.

Lifejackets must be worn by law by:

Anyone on board an open craft that is under 7 metres in length.

Anyone on deck on a craft that is under 7 metres length.

Anyone under the age of 16 on board an open craft or on deck of any other type of craft.

Check the engine panel at regular intervals. The most important gauge is the engine temperature
gauge. If this rises at any time beyond the normal level it is usually a symptom of a blocked water
inlet or blocked ﬁlter.

Keep the Navigation Guides handy and make sure that you know where you are at all times. Do
not cruise in waters where you see a lot of weed as this may get sucked into your cooling water
intake and cause overheating of the engine. For the same reason, do not moor the cruiser to the
riverbank.

Whilst it is acceptable to use the anchor for temporary stops during the day do not trust the anchor
for night mooring. The 'bed' of the River is mainly rock and it can be diﬃcult for the anchor to get a
ﬁrm hold. The depth of the water varies so much that it will not be possible to anchor everywhere.

Keep an eye on your mooring ropes. Make sure that they are safely stowed at all times. A trailing
rope can easily get wrapped around the propeller and this will cause the engine to stop and may
cause damage. Always pay attention to the dinghy in locks and when leaving a mooring that it is
not trapped under a jetty.

If you make a bad approach or the wind has blown you oﬀ course do not be afraid to back oﬀ and
try again. It is safer to do this than expect your crewmembers with the ropes to undertake an
Olympic jump ashore! In fact, never jump from a boat at any time, especially a moving boat, and
never onto a ﬂoating wooden jetty.

If you only learn one knot on

your holiday - this is the one!

Useful hints for Captains

Make sure that your engine has run for a few minutes to warm up and that water is ﬂowing from the exhaust before
casting oﬀ lines.

Remember that a boat does not steer like a car; it pivots from the rear; a lot of damage is caused when the rear of
the boat connects with a jetty or other boat during a turning manoeuvre.

You should consider the traﬃc in the area and the direction of wind and current when leaving and entering a
mooring. Be aware of current and wind direction, and whenever possible, dock facing into the current or wind.

Always prepare for docking and entering locks well in advance, having two of your crew waiting with bow and stern
ropes at the ready. Reduce your speed and line up your approach. Slow the boat speed down to idle but always
keep it in gear until a few boat lengths from the jetty or wall, engaging reverse gear with a quick burst of throttle to
stop.

Always, always keep the charts in front of you when underway; it's amazing how many boats go oﬀ navigation just
because of lack of concentration and not paying attention to the charts.

Be aware of your safety at all times by wearing lifejackets on deck. Never fend oﬀ the boat with arms or legs. Be
careful with ropes and avoid getting your hand between the rope and the mooring cleat.

Do not assume that everyone onboard can read your mind. Be speciﬁc and give positive directions if you ask for
their help.

Be aware of the weather conditions when crossing lakes and make sure the visibility is good enough to see the
markers.

Whilst every eﬀort has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this chart is as accurate as possible,
Shannon Leisure Development Company Limited accepts no responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies contained
within. All information, including cruise travel times, supply of services at stop-oﬀs or references to individual restaurants is
oﬀered as a guide only. For any enquiries about the guide, please email [email protected].

© Shannon Leisure Development Company Limited 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be copied or
reproduced whatsoever without the permission of Shannon Leisure Development Company Limited.
Produced with assistance from Waterways Ireland.