Length & No of Locks
Shannon: 215km with 7 locks including Ardnacrusha
River Suck: 16km with 1 lock
Lough Allen Canal: 7km with 3 locks

Navigation Dimensions
Shannon
Length of locks: 29.2m
Beam of locks: 5.75m
Draft: 1.35m
Air draft Variable*

Lough Allen
Length of locks: 19.5m
Beam of locks: 4m
Draft: 1.2m
Air draft: 3m

* lowest bridge on the main navigation is at Killaloe; air draft at normal summer level is 3.85m

Draft dimensions are given as a guide only and cannot be guaranteed.

Owners of deep-drafted craft, greater than 1.2m should contact the Inspectorate before travelling.

Air draft gauges are in place on the approaches to some of the bridges on the Shannon Navigation to facilitate your decision regarding air draft. If in doubt contact the Inspectorate before travelling.

Locks and Moveable Bridges
The locks on the Shannon Navigation are operated by lock-keepers based at each location. The charge for a vessel or boat going through a lock or a movable bridge on the Shannon Navigation is €1.50. Lock keepers can be contacted on the following numbers:

• Battlebridge, Drumleague & Drumshanbo, Lough Allen Canal
  Tel no + 353 (0)86 812 7522
• Clarendon Lock, Knockvicar
  Tel no +353 (0)71 966 7011
• Albert Lock, Jamestown Canal
  Tel no +353 (0)71 963 7715
• Rooskey Lock
  Tel no +353 (0)71 963 8018
• Tarmonbarry, Clondra & Richmond Harbour Locks
  Tel no +353 (0)87 922 2020
• Athlone Lock
  Tel no +353 (0)90 649 2026
• Pollboy Lock, River Suck
  Tel no +353 (0)90 964 4938
• Victoria Lock, Meelick
  Tel no +353 (0)57 915 1359
• Portumna Bridge
  Tel no +353 (0)90 974 1011
• Sarsfield Lock
  Tel no +353 (0)87 797 2998

Opening Hours of Locks & Moveable Bridges
Information on opening hours is provided in a leaflet available from lock-keepers on the Shannon Navigation alterrnatively you may download it from the following link
Opening Times of Locks and Bridges

Ardnacrusha Lock & Limerick
Ardnacrusha is a double lock managed by the ESB as part of the hydroelectric scheme on the Shannon. Water levels and currents between Ardnacrusha and Limerick can vary widely. Users are strongly advised not to travel on this stretch of waterway when more than one power station turbine is running due to the increased velocity of water. Increased water flows are also to be expected following spells of heavy rainfall. Always consult the advice notes before travelling which are available on our website under marine notices. A separate guide "City Cruising" is available from Waterways Ireland and Tourist Information Centres locally.

For times of opening and all information regarding Ardnacrusha please contact
Tel no +353 (0)61 344 515
Before travelling to Ardnacrusha please contact the lock-keeper to book your passage
Tel no +353 (0)87 997 0131 or
Tel no +353 (0)61 344 515
The lock-keeper will advise the staff at Parteen Weir of your estimated time of arrival.

Sarsfield Lock
At present Sarsfield Lock is operating on a restricted service. Users are advised to book their passage by phoning the lockkeeper, preferably the day before.
Tel no +353 (0)87 797 2998

Boat Registration
All boats with an engine capacity of more than 15bhp on the Shannon Navigation must be registered with Waterways Ireland Inspectorate. Registration is free of charge and can be completed by contacting the Inspectorate Office closest to you or by downloading the form from the link below. You will be provided with a registration number which must be displayed in a prominent position on your boat. Boats registered on the Shannon Navigation do not need to reregister when moving to another waterway.
Boat Registration Form - Shannon Navigation

Public Mooring Time Limits
On the Shannon Navigation the mooring limit is 5 consecutive days or a total of 7 days in any one month during the period 1 April to 31 October.

Speed Limit
6km/h within 200m of a bridge or jetty, 100m of a lock, in a canal or harbour and when passing within 100m of a moored vessel.

Your Wash
You are asked to consider the wash of your boat and its effect on others. All engine-powered boats create a wave of water, known as a wash, which flows outwards from the boat as it moves forward. Look behind you frequently to check the effect that your wash is having on other users. You are advised to reduce your speed in narrow channels to prevent bank erosion, damage to reed beds and destruction of birds' nests among reed and bank habitats. Slow down where boats are moored, when approaching quays, jetties or locks or where water activities are taking place.

Smart Cards
Smart Cards are used to access the Service Blocks and for pump-outs along the waterway. For a fulling listing of where to purchase smart cards, click on the following link Where to buy SMART cards

Services Blocks
Along the Shannon Navigation service blocks are provided by the Local Authorities and by Waterways Ireland. The service blocks operated by Waterways Ireland are marked (*).  You can find a full list of the services provided at each service block on Page 29 of the Guide to Ireland's Inland Waterways
North Shannon:
Drumshanbo*, Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle*, Dromod*, Carrick-on-Shannon*, Drumsna, Dromod*, Kilglass, Lanesborough
South Shannon:
Ballyleague, Portrunny*, Athlone, Hodson Bay, Ballinasloe*, Shannonbridge, Banagher, Meelick Quay, Portumna, Terryglass, Kilgarvan, Rossmore, Dromineer, Mountshannon, Scarriff, Garrykennedy*, Ballina, Killaloe
Pump-outs
Pump-outs are provided to enable the pumping out of sewage safely and cleanly removing the pollution risk to our waterways. They can be found at:
North Shannon:
Drumshanbo, Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle, Carrick-on-Shannon, Dromod
South Shannon:
Ballyleague, Portrunny, Athlone, Shannonbridge, Banagher, Portumna, Kilgarvan, Dromineer,  Mountshannon, Scarriff, Garrykennedy, Ballina, Killaloe, 

Slipways
North Shannon:
Dromod, Drumsna, Carrick-on-Shannon, Kilglass
South Shannon:
Ballyleague, Athlone, Hodson Bay, Shannonbridge, Banagher, Meelick Quay, Terryglass, Rossmore, Dromineer, Mountshannon,  Garrykennedy, Ballina

Dry Dock
Dry dock facilities are available at Rooskey.
To reserve this facility contact Waterways Ireland Tel no +353 (0)71 965 0563

Maintenance Works
Maintenance works on the waterways are, where possible, carried out during the winter. When navigating any waterway between 1 November and 17 March you are advised to contact Waterways Ireland Operations Division or the Inspectorate before making your journey to confirm that the waterway is open.

Entrance to the Shannon from the Sea
Entrance to the Shannon from the Atlantic is via the Shannon Estuary. The tidal waters downstream from the New Shannon Bridge in Limerick comes under the authority of the Shannon Foynes Port Company Tel no +353 (0)69 73103, Web: www.sfpc.ie
Whilst in the estuary you are advised to use Port VHF Channel 11. Please give way to commercial vessels.

For further information on navigating and boat queries contact the Inspectorate:

Inspector of Navigation
Waterways Ireland, The Docks, Athlone, Co Westmeath
Tel no +353 (0)90 649 4232

Assistant Inspector of Navigation
Waterways Ireland, Sommerview House,Old Dublin Road,
Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim
Tel no +353 (0)71 965 0787