Frequently asked questions about renting a boat

We have listed the most frequently asked questions. Feel free to contact us if your question is missing.

  • I never sailed before, can I rent a ship?

    With us you can sail without a license. Before departure you will always receive (digital) instructions about the operation of your ship and a number of sailing tips. If you have no experience, the skippertraining is mandatory. This also applies to our largest ships where, in addition to having extensive sailing experience, a skippertraining is always mandatory. The boating course starts with 2 hours for a rate of € 110. After these 2 hours it is possible to extend. The costs are then € 45 per hour. View our packages page for the possibilities or contact us. We are happy to help you organize your boating holiday optimally!

  • Is a sailing license required?

    No, a sailing license is required when a yacht is 15 meters or longer and / or when it can sail faster than 20 kilometers per hour. All our ships are shorter than 15 meters and have a top speed under 20 kilometers per hour and therefore fall outside the license requirement.

    If you have no previous experience it is mandatory to take a skipper training. Our skipper training is always mandatory on our largest ships. This is partly due to the size and width of these vessels, which means that mooring and maneuvering must be carried out as a team. The sailing instruction will give you confidence to handle the ship well and in this way prevents damage.

  • Are there any age restrictions to sail in Holland?

    To rent our ships one must be at least 21 years old. There is a minimum age of 25 on our largest ships. The person who makes the reservation is the liable person for both the insurance and us.
    A license is not compulsory for our ships. This is only mandatory for yachts longer than 15 meters or with a speed that exceeds 20 km/h. At Yachtcharter Huibers you can enjoy the freedom and sail unhindered without a license. 

    If you do not have experience, extensive skipper training is mandatory. This also applies to our largest vessels where, in addition to having sailing experience, a sailing course is always mandatory.

  • What additional charges are there besides the rent?

    The rental price includes service charges. These service costs include final cleaning inside and outside of the boat, iPad with digital water charts, 1x parking space, gas bottle(s), filled water tank, garbage bag, all-purpose cleaner, toilet cleaner, dish soap, mop, toilet roll)

    Not included costs are any bridge and/or lock fees, mooring fees (in a harbor) are costs that may arise en route with your rental boat. The deposit varies by vessel and will be returned to you upon your return and inspection of the vessel less any fuel costs incurred.

  • How and when do we pay for our boating holiday

    After your booking we ask you to pay 50% of the amount within 5 days after the booking. 
    The last 50% must be paid 4 weeks before the rental period. For the Last Minute bookings (bookings with a departure within four weeks) the total amount must be paid in one term before departure. The deposit is paid upon departure by cash or card (debit card)

  • Is it possible to preview a boat before I make a decision on renting the boat?

    Our boats are often rented out during the sailing season and are therefore not available for viewing. By appointment you can visit during one of our changeover days (Mondays and Fridays) for a viewing of the desired boat. Please bear in mind that in the meantime we are busy making all the boats ready for departure and that the ship may not (yet) be as clean and tidy as you of to be expected. Outside the sailing season, our boats are removed from the water and major maintenance and renovation takes place. It is therefore not always possible to view a ship during this period.

  • From where do we depart and where should we return?

    Our home port is at ‘De Koornwaard’. Located at Appeldijk 17a in Heukelum. From here you leave, and you will also return your ship. On our contact page you will find directions to the marina Koornwaard in Heukelum.

  • Are the boats insured?

    All our boats are insured within the permitted sailing area of WA-hull with an excess of your deposit. It is possible to insure this deposit. The premium costs for this are approximately 10% of the deposit. If you want to take out deposit insurance, cancellation insurance or travel insurance, you can contact us for more specific information.

  • From when to when do the rental periods run?

    Departure of our ships is from 14:00. At 9:00 am you are expected back in our home port, after which we will take over the ship from you no later than 10:00 so that our crew can go on board to start their work. Our changeover days are Monday and Friday.

  • Can the ships be rented for a different period?

    Our changeover days are on Monday and Friday. In the periods you can choose between a weekend, midweek, week, 10 days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 4 weeks. For deviating periods such as a long weekend, we charge 95% of the rental price because the ship is no longer rentable for the remainder of the period. The condition is that the departure or return falls on one of our changeover days.
    Renting for a day is only possible on a last-minute basis up to 3 days before the relevant date. Prices are on request. Do you want to be sure of a day on the water? Then rent our comfortable tailor-made Linges sloops via www.lingesloepleerdam.nl!

  • Is it possible to board the ship earlier or later

    Because our ships return to our port in the morning at 09:00 AM, we use the intervening time before your arrival to hand over the ship to you in good condition. This makes it impossible to check in with us before 14:00..

    On our changeover days it is possible to check in until 16:30. Would you like to check in at a later time or another day this is only possible by agreement.

  • Can we return the ship on Sunday?

    We are closed on Sundays and are not present in the marina. However, you can moore the ship in the marina. We will then check and refuel the ship on Monday. We will then deduct the used fuel from your deposit. You will always receive an email from us with the tank meter and the tickets attached.

  • Where can we park our car?

    At our base area you have 1 free parking space where you can park your car during the rental period. If you come with several cars, they can be parked elsewhere on the site. The costs for this are € 15 per car. On our contact page you will find a description how to get to ‘De Koornwaard’ in Heukelum.

  • Can we do some shopping near the marina?

    Close to our harbor is a Coop supermarket where you can do your shopping before departure. This supermarket can be found at Prins Bernhardstraat 32 in Heukelum. In nearby Leerdam you will find larger supermarkets such as Aldi, Albert Heijn and Plus Supermarkt.

  • Is it allowed to bring your own coolers, BBQs or other equipment?

    Unfortunately, we cannot allow you to bring cool boxes, your own coffee machines or other large power consumers such as grill or gourmet plates, deep fryers, etc. This to protect the inverter and batteries on board. You can bring a gas and / or coal BBQ.  Excessive or prolonged discharge of the batteries can quickly lead to irreparable damage to the battery pack and can even lead to serious health damage for those on board. We would like to point out that damage caused by the use of such a device on board, or sailing for too long without a connection to shore power has financial consequences to compensate for the damage to the battery pack.
    In every marina there are mooring places where you can have a barbecue in consultation with the harbor master. It is not allowed to barbecue on board the ship because of the fire safety on board.

  • Are pets allowed aboard the rented vessel?

    Pets (dogs) are allowed on board some of our ships on request. For this we charge a fee of €75 per pet.

  • Can we bring our own bed linen?

    Of course. You may certainly bring your own bed linen on board. We can also take care of this for you. Should you choose to bring your own bed linen, we would like to point out that you should bring your own duvet / sleeping bag and pillows. There are no duvet, pillows and towels on board as standard.

  • Is it allowed to bring own bikes on board

    Bringing your own bikes on board is only possible if they are folding bikes with a maximum of 2 per boat. For the Royal, Atlas, Geminus, Majoris, and Mercurius there is a maximum of 4 folding bikes. Unfortunately, we cannot allow bringing your own city bikes, ebikes, or other vehicles. Based on availability, it is possible to rent additional folding bikes from us. The price is €40 per bike per week or part thereof.

  • Is it possible to bring a dinghy?

    We can only allow a dinghy aboard our boats if it is inflatable without an outboard motor. This also includes electric motors. Inflatable sup's and canoes are also allowed.

    Dinghies made of hard material and/or with an (electric) outboard motor are unfortunately not allowed due to damage to the ship.

  • Are there sailing routes and maps on board?

    Upon departure you will receive an iPad with digital water maps from us. These maps contain all information about berths, harbors, bridges and locks. The water maps work with a GPS position so that you always see where you are on the water. We are also happy to advise you on beautiful sailing routes. Based on your wishes, interests and preferences, we advise you on suitable sailing routes that allow you to experience the freedom during your sailing holiday. Please do not hesitate to contact us. No sailing route is unknown to us.

  • What safety measures should I observe on board

    On board, we recommend that you always wear a life jacket on deck. Especially when sailing on open water or mooring it is of great importance. Life jackets are not standard ship's equipment and can be booked in advance or obtained at check-in. We have two categories of life jackets:
    Automatic lifejackets for a weight of 50KG or higher.
    Automatic life jackets for a weight of 50KG or lower.
    Life jackets are available free of charge for children without swimming certificates. 

  • Can we spend the night outside the marinas?

    You may spend the night outside the marinas at designated moorings indicated on the water chart. Anchoring or spending the night at anchor or mooring pins in the open is not permitted. Damages caused by anchoring are entirely at the risk of the renter and are not covered by insurance. Use the anchor only in case of emergency.
    In addition, the advice is to connect the boat to shore power if possible. The reason is that the inverter on board can only load the battery pack to a certain level. Therefore, there is equipment installed that protects our batteries and will shut off the batteries when the battery voltage is too low for your safety on board. If you want to use the stove at night it is only possible if the boat is connected to shore power because of the large power consumption of the stove.

  • Are the ships also suitable for mobility impaired people?

    Our ships are not specially equipped for mobility impaired people. We will look for a suitable solution with you, but this is certainly dependent on the desired ship and the limitation of the person. Contact us for an informal conversation without obligation. We are here to help.

  • What are the General and Additional Terms and Conditions of Yachtcharter Huibers?

    Yachtcharter Huibers conditions can be downloaded below. By renting with us you automatically agree to these.