Questions about a Shannon cruise

Dockbuilder

I am taking my first cruise on the Shannon next week with my family. I've gotten a ton of great info from the forum over the past couple months, but I have a couple questions of my own....

1. To dinghy or not to dinghy? I pondered the dinghy and decided one boat would be enough to handle and I didn't need to drag another one around all week although I could see it might have its advantages at times. Then I'm doing the online pre-training and the tutorial says, "The dinghy is an essential piece of safety equipment and you'll have to sign a waiver if you decline to rent one." I'm not really worried about the safety piece, and I have no problem signing the waiver, but I'm curious whether most people take the dinghy or not. If you took it, did you do it for safety reasons or for exploring/fishing? If you took it did you actually use it or just drag it around?

2. I know it's a very personal question, but how many hours a day did you cruise? I see 3-5 seems to be a normal range. Is doing 8 hours in one day (Portumna to Athlone) crazy? I know what it's like to drive a car 8 hours, not sure how to compare that to a boat.

3. No boating after dark...what is your experience of "dark?" Is that a half hour before sunset? A half hour after?

4. Bike ... same as the dinghy? Did you get one? Did you use it? We will be on Derg and on the Shannon from Athlone to Portumna.

5. For those of you who have done this with kids under 10...what are your best tips for keeping the kids entertained on a boat. Of course we know our own kids pretty well and will bring stuff for them, but I'm wondering if there's maybe something I haven't thought of, especially since the first two days look like they will be rainy and windy.

6. Packing List -- Is there anything that you have found it useful/important to bring that isn't on the standard packing list you got from the hire company?

Tabnabs

I've hired twice with Emerald Star so here are my responses, YMMV.

Dockbuilder wrote: »

1. To dinghy or not to dinghy? I pondered the dinghy and decided one boat would be enough to handle and I didn't need to drag another one around all week although I could see it might have its advantages at times. Then I'm doing the online pre-training and the tutorial says, "The dinghy is an essential piece of safety equipment and you'll have to sign a waiver if you decline to rent one." I'm not really worried about the safety piece, and I have no problem signing the waiver, but I'm curious whether most people take the dinghy or not. If you took it, did you do it for safety reasons or for exploring/fishing? If you took it did you actually use it or just drag it around?

The first trip we took the dinghy came with the boat, used it once just to try it out. It got in the way when berthing and when in the lock. In any bad weather on the lakes, you're always looking over your shoulder to see if it's there and the right way up. Unless you plan a lot of evening fishing, don't bother.

2. I know it's a very personal question, but how many hours a day did you cruise? I see 3-5 seems to be a normal range. Is doing 8 hours in one day (Portumna to Athlone) crazy? I know what it's like to drive a car 8 hours, not sure how to compare that to a boat.

3-5 hours is plenty. Any more and it becomes less of a holiday and more of a chore. It's alright for the person behind the wheel, less so for the rest of the people aboard. If it's your first time, keep everyone aboard happy. Leave late, stopover for lunch and wander round and a quick last hop before tying up for the night.

3. No boating after dark...what is your experience of "dark?" Is that a half hour before sunset? A half hour after?

It depends on whether the sky is cloudy or not. It could be an hour before sunset when it's unsafe to proceed because you just can't see obstructions in the river or make out harbour entrances on the lakes. Why risk it?


4. Bike ... same as the dinghy? Did you get one? Did you use it? We will be on Derg and on the Shannon from Athlone to Portumna.

Never got one, can't answer.

5. For those of you who have done this with kids under 10...what are your best tips for keeping the kids entertained on a boat. Of course we know our own kids pretty well and will bring stuff for them, but I'm wondering if there's maybe something I haven't thought of, especially since the first two days look like they will be rainy and windy.

As much as possible and as long as safe, get them involved with the boat. Steering under supervision in open waters, sitting up at the front on quiet waters, tying the boat up, filling water tanks etc. They'll enjoy the input and small responsibilities.

6. Packing List -- Is there anything that you have found it useful/important to bring that isn't on the standard packing list you got from the hire company?

Cash, very few bank-links along the way. With Children, the evenings can be long for the parents so a bottle of wine and a pack of cards! Also torches, the walk back to the boat in the evening can be a little dark.

Ferris

I have done Portumna to athlone in 8 hrs but it'd be too long with kids.

I'd get a dinghy for safety and you can put the kids in it and teach them to row. If you get an engine on it you can explore. Recently, under supervision, we put our friends kid in a dinghy with a lifejacket on a long line and let him play away. He was delighted.

If the kids are old enough get them cheapo wetsuits and let them go swimming (life jackets!).

Sometimes trying to go too far can put a strain on everyone. If I was going from portumna I'd go south and do terryglass, dromineer, garrykennedy and mountshannon. From recollection there's a canoe hire place in mountshannon.