BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Paddleboard, snorkelling, towed tube: the water toys worth having
What equipment to request (or bring) for a rental day: the winning trio, what operators provide, and the rules of the towed tube.
By Clément Lacaille, editor of Boat-Comparator · updated
The boat is base camp; the toys make the day. Between what operators provide, what rents as an option and what you bring yourself, here is the tested hierarchy of gear that changes everything.
The winning trio
1. Masks and snorkels (one per person, not 'two for everyone'): the cove becomes an aquarium — Mediterranean seabeds are earned below the surface. 2. The inflatable paddleboard: exploring caves and corners the boat cannot reach, a play platform for kids at anchor. 3. A proper bathing ladder — technically equipment, in reality THE pleasure factor of repeated swims.
The towed tube: the rules of the game
The kids' big thrill (and not only theirs) has a strict frame: two people aboard minimum (a helm + an observer whose eyes never leave the tube), lifejackets for the towed, a signal flag, and distance from swimmers and the 300-metre band. Check that the operator's insurance covers towing — it is not systematic.
What operators provide
The listing spells out the equipment: cool box and bimini almost always, snorkelling often, paddleboard as a frequent paid option (€15-30), tube with the suitable boat. At equal equipment two listings differ — an included paddleboard is worth €25 on the price; compare like for like.
The smart bag
Water shoes (urchins and pebbles), a waterproof pouch, microfibre towels, and the paddleboard pump IF you bring your own (hand-inflating on the pontoon at 9 am is a sport). The drone stays ashore in park zones — and the good old waterproof camera makes memories with zero paperwork.
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