Dragets canal is a shortcut for smaller yachts and those who want to avoid the open and often very windy fairway around Landsort. In earlier days this was the standard way for heavily loaded boats with firewood and fishermen on their way to the market in Trosa.

 Today the canal is very popular with the many smaller pleasure crafts.

The current is usually a couple of knots and the direction depends on if it a high or a low and if the water in the Baltic is moving north or south. No bridges in the canal so it is free mast hight, but beware of tree branches over the water. A new Vindex is often necessary after having passed the canal!

History
The canal was finished in 1852. Evidence of existance since 1219, when the danish king Valdemar Seir passed on his crusade against the hedon Estonians. Hans itinerary is documented in a handwritten document from the same time.
The water level was 3 m higher at that time and Draget was a channel between Järflotta and the mainland
At the middle of the 17th century the channel had become so shallow that it no longer could be used by boats. 

In 1701 the owner of Nynäs estate was ordered by the the king to make the cnnel passable again by dredging and other means, but the job was never done. Neither king Gustav III managed to get the channel dredged i spite of many attempts at end of the century.
At the midlle of the 19th century the depth was only 30 cm. The young and clever lieutenant Gustaf Nerman was commissioned th make a canal of the channel. He did if and everybody was happy, for a while.
But again, silt and land rise made the canal shallow. Towards the beginnig of the 29th century it was time for new efforts. The navy had purchased some torpedo boats that turned out to be not so seaworthy. They had to use the canal to make it southwards. So the navy blasted and straightened the canal.
Early in the 1980ies it was time again. Depth in the canal was down to 1.5 m. A new resque operation took place. With money from private enterprises and local government the canal was lined and dredged to 2,2 m. Enough for most yachts.

Sources: Old charts. STF:s annual book from 1995, Canals.