Hello - my name is Tom Sommers; I publish the EuroCanals Guides, to provide English-language information about the inland waterways of Europe for those readers around the world who want a comprehensive source for planning of short or long-term cruises at the helm of their own vessel, whether rented or owned.

There are currently more than 50 individual guides and articles included in EuroCanals Guides 2009, a 749 page e-book that is available as a CD-ROM for use in PC or Mac computers, or as an online download. Eight guides are available individually as an online download. Check my website (http://www.eurocanals.com; click the link at the bottom of this page) for descriptions of these guides and ordering options.

Traveling on the canals and rivers of Europe aboard your own vessel is an ideal way to visit as as many as 14 countries and experience their culture and customs of life. Cities, villages and the countryside are often very accessible by natural or man-made waterways. Cruisers can travel at their own speed and on their own route, stopping almost anywhere to spend a night or a week. You can bring your own affordable hotel right into the center of many major cities, or find a secluded anchorage amidst peaceful surroundings. You can rent one of several thousand boats available for holiday cruises, or find a barge or a canal cruiser of your own. If you will use your vessel for only part of the year, you will be able to find marinas and boatyards that will provide safe storage (as well as maintenance or restoration) at a reasonable cost. The EuroCanals Guides offer basic information and comments to help narrow down the many choices of where to go and how to do it.

A quote from a user of the guides:
"Tom Sommers...also sells a CD with all info on it for all the canals. I did buy one about 3 years ago and found it very helpful. (It is the one thing I would recommend out of all the other books etc.) "