How far can I sail up the Liffey?

Big Nasty

Actually, I posted that question the long way round - the Liffey starts up near Powerscourt and flows through Wicklow and Kildare before entering Dublin and the irish Sea. What I am asking is if you wanted to sail down the liffey, what is the highest point where you could start without any obstructions?

Thanks!

Gone Fishin

In a sailing boat, I don't think you'd get far doing it in reverse. Your keel fin/rudder would definitely stop you and your sail would cause huge problems with the bridges. Best place to start would be to get admirality charts and see how you get on from there but I don't think they go that far beyond Heuston Station, if they go that far. Put it like this, I own an 18ft power boat, on my trailer on normal ground, its about 12 feet tall. If I was at the East link at full tide in the water, to pass under, I would need a bridge lift. Simple solution for you, get a canoe.

JamesM

If you actually mean "sail", Blessington Lake is the only place you could sail any distance with a mast.
Jim.

Big Nasty

Sailing from Blessington lake would be cool but I didn't necessarily mean 'sailing' - excuse my ignorance. I'm not into a canoe either as I'm a little big for that. Basically I would like to travel from the highest point possible straight down as far as where the boat clubs are north of Heuston station in a very small boat. Are there any companies or clubs that organise such a thing?

JamesM

The guys who canoe would be better at answering that. I don't know the river very well. But, If you start above Blessington, you have the dam blocking your way. And lower down where they do the "Liffey Descent", there are waterfalls and weirs where they have to carry their canoes.
The flat area around Newbridge and Sallins is probably the best for your kind of navigation.
Jim.

KenHy

The liffey can be done right from the source in a Kayak, not easy though near the start, it takes heavy rainfall and you need to be very experienced. once you get down towards blessington it would be manageable the whole way in an Canadian Canoe (I think) but it would be a long hard slog.

garboard

I think you could get quite farc sailing a wee dinghy such as a Topper! you'd need to capsize a bit to go under the bridges.