Sailing boat hire in Netherlands

You can find sailing boats available to rent either with or without a skipper across the Netherlands on the Nautal website.  Flexible cancellation or date changes up to 15 days before check-in is allowed on selected boats.  We feel certain that you will fall in love with the breathtaking backdrops of the Netherlands, from the green open spaces, to the traditional gabled houses and windmills that will make you feel like you have just stepped into the past.  This is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world to escape everyday worries, offering a wide range of rural and urban areas to explore.

Because of its location on the North Sea and the many lakes, the Netherlands is an excellent sailing location. It is not surprising that once you have sailed in the Netherlands once, you want to return over and over again.  Whether you are looking to try sailing for the first time, or you’re an experienced seafarer, you can find your perfect sailboat with Nautal.  One thing is definite though, you won’t be bored renting a sailing boat in the Netherlands.

The cost of renting a sailing boat in any location varies a lot depending on many different factors, including the model, dimensions and technical specifications of the boat, as well as where you want to charter your sailing boat.  Sailing boat rental can also vary depending on the season when you want to rent.

Currently in the Netherlands, we have sailing boats in many different locations.  Below you can find a list of prices.

In North Holland and Hoorn, prices will typically start at around £1157 a week in high season, but will drop to about £853 a week during the low season.

In Amsterdam, you can expect to pay a bit more for your sailing boat rental, with prices starting at £999 per day or £2985 per week in high season, and £899 per day and £2686 per week in low season.

In South Holland, you will typically pay around £122 per day and £853 per week during high season, or £111 per day and £853 per week during low season.

If you want to hire a sailing boat in Heerenveen, you should expect to pay about £117 for a day or £786 for a week in high season, but in low season, you will pay only about £88 for a day and £469 for a week.

Prices in Friesland start at £573 for a week in high season and £499 a week in low season, while the cost of sailing boat hire in Ijsselmeer starts at around £1035 per week in high season and £792 per week in low season.

In Zeeland, meanwhile, you can expect to pay around £853 for a week in high season and £804 for a week in low season.

Yes! It is possible to rent a sailing boat with or without a skipper in the Netherlands but if you choose to rent without a skipper, you must make sure to follow these regulations regarding licences:

If the boat is smaller than 15 meters and does not exceed a speed of 10.8 knots (20 kmph/12.4 mph), you don’t need a license.

If the boat can travel at more than 10.8 knots (20 kmph/12.4 mph) on rivers, canals and lakes, you need the “Klein Vaarbewijs 1” license.

"Small Vaarbewijs 2" is the license required for boats sailing in the open sea, as well as on large inland water basins such as the Oosterschelde and Westerschade estuaries, the IJsselmeer and the Waddenzee.

Renting with a skipper is perfect for first time sailors and those who want to relax a little more.  If you want the freedom to explore whichever areas you want, you should rent without a skipper and sail through the Netherlands, discovering many breathtaking landscapes along the way.

The Netherlands’ climate is temperate, with cool summers and cold winters.  The weather is typically cool, cloudy and humid throughout the year, the winters often bringing snow and winter storms.  The temperatures generally range from 5-14.4°C (41-57.9°F), with average summer highs of 20-25°C (68-77°F) and average winter lows of around 0-4.4°C (32-39.9°F).

Average annual rainfall in the Netherlands typically ranges from 73.66 to 83.82 cm (29-33 inches).

When to go on a sailing holiday in the Netherlands depends on many different factors.  You must make sure you choose when you go very carefully in order to fully benefit from your experience as unpleasant winter conditions can really ruin your holiday if you choose poorly.

We suggest that you go during the summer months, as during this period, there are higher temperatures and more sunny days that make for perfect sailing conditions.  This said, the conditions during the spring and autumn will also usually result in a pleasant trip, provided you are prepared for rain.  During this period, there are likely to be fewer people and consequently, you are more likely to find better deals on boats.

Generally, you should try to visit the Netherlands between May and September.  During these months, although you are still likely to see a lot of rain, the temperatures will be fairly pleasant.  There is also a lot of sunlight during these months, around 16.5 hours, and more bearable levels of humidity.  If you like to admire plants and flowers, May and June is the best time to visit as you will get to see the tulips bloom.  If you charter a sailboat during the summer, you should definitely take your boat to the beach, as the sea temperature will be around 15.6°C (60.1°F).  The only problem with this period is that there will probably be more people and hence higher boat prices.

We recommend that you try to avoid renting a sailboat in the Netherlands from December until February because during these months, it can be very dark and snowy.  Coupled with unbearable humidity levels and a high probability of storms, as well as cold sea temperatures of around 5°C (41°F) that prevent you from swimming, it is unlikely that you will have a pleasant trip during this time period.

Given the wealth of amazing sailing areas in the Netherlands, it can be very difficult to compile just a short list, but here are some of our favourites.

If you fancy checking out a location that’s a bit further off the beaten track, Friesland is the destination for you.  There are so many fantastic areas to explore here that are bound to leave you breathless, from canals and green meadows, to dunes and woodlands, to ancient cities and typical Dutch windmills.

You should also make time during your trip to visit Zeeland and its Oosterschelde national park, which has many different habitats, from drylands to marshes.  The tide transforms the entire area twice a day, filling the park with 800 billion litres of water.

If you’re heading to the south of the Netherlands, exploring the aptly nicknamed Dutch “Green Heart” is a must.  This area stretches between the cities of The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Haarlem, Zoetermeer, and Utrecht.  The landscapes you will see in this area are completely unique and unlike anything you’ll see in the rest of Europe, and if you like doing sports, there will also be many opportunities for you to take part in cycling, hiking and many different watersports.

The canal system in the Netherlands rivals that of Venice.  There are so many things to do here that we can guarantee that after sailing in the Netherlands once, you will want to return again and again, maybe even sapling the different boat types we have on offer.

Without a doubt, while you’re in the Netherlands, you’ll want to see at least one traditional Dutch windmill.  The best places to fulfill this dream are Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans, an area about 15 km north of Amsterdam, which allows you a brief glance at Netherlands in the past.

If, however, you fancy learning a little about Dutch culture, maybe you want to visit a couple of the many museums the Netherlands has to offer.  If you love art, you will be enchanted by the Rijkmuseum, in which you can view a magnificent collection of art and antiques, as well as visiting the library of over 35000 books.  Two other places to visit if you love art are the Van Gogh museum, which has the largest collection of his art in the world, and the Mauritshuis, which is home to 800 pieces of art.  Even though this is relatively small, some of the pieces on display here are of great cultural significance, like the Girl with a pearl earring by Johannes Vermeer.

If you want to stay on topic and go to a museum with a nautical theme, you can visit the Houseboat museum, which offers some insight into how houseboats, and life aboard houseboats has changed over the years.  However, the one you must make time for during your Netherlands sailboat charter is the Anne Frank museum.  This museum was the home of Anne Frank during the war and allows you to see the attic in which she hid with her family.  Even though the house has now been restored, the attic remains more or less identical to how it would have been during her residence there.

In the Netherlands, you can also visit many open spaces and national parks, like Keukenhof and Hoge Veluwe.  Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is the perfect place to see many different flowers, including the signature flower of the Netherlands, the tulip.  In Hoge Veluwe’s 800 acres of vast woodland, you can see a sculpture park, many species of deer, and also multiple different bird breeds nesting in the trees.

If you want to meet some locals during your sailboat charter in the Netherlands, you should head to Marken, a beautiful town close to Ijsselmeer lake.  The best time to go here is during the summer, when lots of festivals occur and the residents dress up in traditional clothes.  There are also demonstrations of different traditional craft activities, such as clog making.

For those who like admiring old buildings, you should go to either Grote Kerk or Valkenburg.  Grote Kerk is an old Gothic church in The Hague, where many members of the Dutch royal family have been baptised.  Valkenburg is a town located in the Geul Valley, and home to the only hilltop castle in the Netherlands.  While here you can also explore caves and if you’re here during November and December, you can even go to a Christmas market in the Velvet Caves to buy presents for your friends and family.

If you love theme parks, you should go to Effeling, which is the biggest amusement park in the Netherlands.  It is also one of the oldest in the world, having opened in 1952 and is divided into different realms, each of which focuses on a different ancient myth or legend.

If you want to see lots of different areas in the Netherlands but simply don’t have the time, you should go to Madurodam.  This is a scale model version of the Netherlands, where you can see all of the best parts of the country in miniature.

If you want to take the quickest and easiest route to the Netherlands, you should go by plane.  There are direct flights to many airports across the country, especially Amsterdam’s Schipol airport.  This airport receives direct flights from many countries, including the USA, Ireland, Canada, Norway, and many airports across the UK, including most of the London airports.  However, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, you can also travel there by train, long distance bus, car, and ferry.  There really is a way that everyone will enjoy.