Navigation rules - canoes ect.

You are welcome on Gudenåen in your own, borrowed or rented non-motorized vessel. Depending on where you sail, different rules apply.

Navigation rules for non-motorised vessels

You are welcome to navigate the Gudenå in your own vessel, or one that you have borrowed or rented. However, there are different rules depending on where you are planning to go:

1. Rented vessels

If you are navigating the Gudenå in a rented vessel, the vessel must be rented at an authorised renter. A list of outhorised renters can be found on the homepage for the Gudenå Committees. Rental vessels have unique registration numbers.

Between Tørring and Klostermølle the number of vessels that are allowed to launch is limited out of concern for the natural environment. All vessels on this particular stretch of the Gudenå must therefore have an access card. When you rent a vessel from an authorised renter, you will also receive an access card.

2. Resident vessels

a) Between Tørring and Klostermølle:

Residents living near the Gudenå in Horsens or Hedensted municipality, or with a property that stretches down to the Gudenå in this area, can register their own vessel as ’resident’ on this stretch of the river (motorised sailing forbidden).

Contact your municipality to find out if you fulfill the requirements to obtain such a resident registration.

Upon registration, you will receive an access card in the form of a residents permit that must be displayed visibly on the vessel. The resident owner and their householders may navigate without further registration.

b) Between Klostermølle and Randers:

There is no requirement to register a resident vessel on this stretch, and navigation is unrestricted for these vessels.

3. Guest vessels

a) Between Tørring and Klostermølle:

Guest vessels must be registered. Motorised sailing is forbidden.
A guest vessel is one that you own or have borrowed for free. Registered rental vessels are not guest vessels.

Registered guest vessels will receive an access card in the form of a guest registration number that must be displayed visibly on the vessel. This access card costs 75 DKK, is valid for 5 days and can be purchased via this home page. A maximum of 50 guest numbers will be issued per week.

b) Between Klostermølle and Randers:

Navigating your own or a borrowed non-motorised vessel does not require registration on this stretch – navigation here is unrestricted for these vessels.

Additional considerations:

Companies, schools, clubs, and organisations may arrange trips for their own members/staff/students in their own vessels, as long as there is no fee charged for the vessels and the use of the vessels.

If you attach any type of engine on to your vessel, you must register it as a motorised vessel on the Gudenå – see www.sejladspaagudenaaen.dk. There are other rules and restrictions for using motorised vessels. These can be found in the brochure ”Boating on the Gudenå”.

The brochure ”Experience the Gudenå by canoe, kayak or rowboat” can along with navigation rules and maps be found on this website and on the website www.sejladspaagudenaaen.dk

Which rules apply?

Between Tørring and Klostermølle it is only permitted to:

• Navigate the river between 16th June to 31st December, and between 8 AM and 6PM, daily.

• Navigate with the current or in stationary waters. Navigation against the current in allowed in Naldal Sø and Vestbirk Sø.

• Canoes and kayaks may not be tied together.

• Navigate the river if you can show a valid access card.

• Use 2 or 3 person canoes, or 1 or 2 person kayaks. On Naldal Sø and Versbirk Sø you are also allowed to use a rowboat.

• Navigate in larger groups if you divide into smaller groups of max. 5 vessels at the start of your journey. Groups must keep appropriate distance during the whole trip.

At Klostermølle, please note that:

• launching or disembarking along the Kloster Canal (Klosterkanalen) between Riværket and Klostermølle is not allowed 

• it is allowed to use and navigate to/from the Klostermølle landing site also outside the periode of 16th June to 31st December when the terms of usage stated on site by the owner of  Klostermølle (Naturstyrelsen) is followed.

On Tåning Å it is only permitted to:

• Navigate between 6AM and 10PM, daily.

According to the Order on Non-Commercial Navigation and other transportation on the Gudenå and its tributaries and lakes between Tørring and Randers (nr. 148 of 24/2-2016), unless a higher punishment is ordered according to other legislation, a fine will be issued for:

• navigating in areas with rush or reeds.

• navigating in waters where vessels are forbidden.

• violating the registration requirement for vessels on the stretch between Tørring and Klostermølle.

• hiring out vessels without permission from the municipality.

• Ignoring municipal regulations.

Navigation on the River Gudenå in rafts and similar vessels ALWAYS require a permit from the municipality and on some stretches this type of vessels are not allowed.

Executive Order No. 146 of 24 February 2016 on non-commercial sailing stipulates in section 4, subsection 3 the following:

Sailing with timber rafts and other similar vessels may only take place with permission from the municipality. 

Contact the municipality where you would like to launch to enquire about the application process. Please apply at least 6-8 weeks prior to the time you wish to launch the vessel.