598 guides · page 17/29

Boat rental guides

Real prices, licenses, skippers, platforms, itineraries: concrete answers before you book.

• Renting a Boat in Crete: Chania, Balos and ElafonissiGreece's largest island hides, on its west coast, a Venetian harbour, a turquoise lagoon and one of the Mediterranean's pink-sand beaches: how to plan a boat trip out of Chania.
• Gaeta, Sperlonga and Ponza: the Secret Gulf Between Rome and NaplesLess crowded than the Amalfi Coast, the Gulf of Gaeta opens onto Sperlonga, Circeo and the Pontine Islands: real distances, best season and tips for renting a boat out of Lazio.
• What Documents Do You Need Aboard a Rental Boat?Registration papers, insurance certificate, ID: the list of documents to bring (and what the rental company must hand over) for a rental in good standing.
• Sotogrande and the Strait of Gibraltar by BoatAn upscale Andalusian marina, Sotogrande opens onto one of the busiest shipping lanes on earth: what to know before sailing near the Strait of Gibraltar.
• Douarnenez and Cap Sizun by Boat, to the Edge of the Raz de SeinA former sardine port ranked among Europe's finest, Douarnenez opens onto a wide sheltered bay and the notorious Raz de Sein.
• Roscoff and Île de Batz by Boat, an Exotic Garden and Big TidesHistoric home port of the pink-onion Johnnies and ferry gateway to England and Ireland, Roscoff opens onto Île de Batz and its tropical garden.
• La Grande-Motte and the Étang de l'Or by Boat, Futurist Marina Meets LagoonConcrete pyramids, fine sand and a Mediterranean lagoon: La Grande-Motte makes for an unusual departure point for sailing in Occitania.
• Salerno and the Cilento Coast by Boat, the Alternative to the Amalfi CoastFewer crowds than Positano or Amalfi, the same southern Mediterranean: head to Salerno and the Cilento coast, between wild coves and a national park.
• Trapani and the Egadi Islands (Favignana, Levanzo, Marettimo) by BoatOff Sicily's western tip lies the Mediterranean's largest marine protected area: how to plan a boat trip from Trapani.
• Crossing Borders by Boat: Customs and Schengen Rules to KnowSailing from one country to another between France, Italy and Spain, or leaving the Schengen area: what to know before renting a boat abroad.
• Milazzo, Gateway to Sicily's Aeolian Islands by BoatLipari, Vulcano, Stromboli: a UNESCO-listed volcanic archipelago just a few dozen minutes to a few hours from Milazzo, on Sicily's north coast.
• Bodrum, Göcek, Fethiye, Marmaris: Chartering a Gulet for a Turkish Blue CruiseFour departure ports, one shared way of life aboard a wooden gulet: classic routes, the best season and budget for a blue cruise on the Turkish riviera.
• Renting a License-Free Boat in Venice and Its LagoonPiloting your own small motorboat through Venice's canals and lagoon without a boating licence: allowed zones, speed limits, boats available and the real budget.
• What's the Minimum Age to Rent a Boat?License-free, with a coastal licence, or a family trip with teenagers aboard: the minimum age to rent a boat in France depends less on the law than on the operator's own rules and their insurer's. Here's the full picture, by boat type.
• Boat Rental Without a Licence on Lake Annecy, Geneva & Bourget: Rules & PricesLicense-free boating isn't just a coastal thing: France's alpine lakes let you rent a small motorboat on your own, up to 6 hp. Annecy, Lake Geneva, Bourget: the rules, the prices, and how it differs from the coast.
• Renting a Canal Boat Without a Licence: Canal du Midi, Burgundy, BrittanyBarges and canal cruisers without a boating licence on France's inland waterways: which region to pick, the pace of the locks, real budgets, and how it differs from a no-licence sea boat.
• Sleeping Aboard a Rental Boat: Overnight Anchoring and Best PracticesWhich boats actually let you spend the night aboard, anchoring versus a marina berth, water and power autonomy: what to check before you book.
• Docking a Rental Boat: The Basic Technique for a Stress-Free ArrivalFenders, bow and stern lines, Mediterranean mooring: the basics of a harbour manoeuvre, so arrival doesn't become the most stressful part of the trip.
• Who Has Right of Way at Sea? The Basic Rules Before You Take the HelmSail versus power, crossing or overtaking: the COLREG right-of-way rules worth knowing before a day out, even on a simple day rental.
• Reading Maritime Buoys: The Buoyage System Every Boat Renter Should KnowRed to port, green to starboard, cardinal marks, special marks: the basics of the IALA buoyage system, useful even on a license-free boat.
• Boat Rental in Cala d'Or: Mallorca's White Marina in the SoutheastBuilt in Ibicenco white-cube style, Cala d'Or opens onto a string of small coves and the Drac caves, well away from the bays of Palma and Alcúdia.