5 minutes to book. Best day of our entire trip. Everything felt effortless from pickup to sunset.
Jachthaven Drachten de Drait — at a glance
55 boats are available to book from Jachthaven Drachten de Drait. The fleet is 46 motor boats and 9 houseboats. The most common models are Campi 300 (6), De Drait Renal 50 (5), De Drait Renal 36 (4), De Drait Safari Houseboat 1050 (4), De Drait Doerak 850 OK (4) — 26 models in all. Built 1969–2022, 7.5–15 m long, 1–7 cabins, up to 14 guests.
Jachthaven De Drait in Drachten is one of the largest hire bases in Friesland: a marina of licence-free motor cruisers on the canal to the Frisian lakes, two hours from Amsterdam.
The marina
Getting there
By air. The nearest airport is Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), about 125 km from the base as the crow flies; Rotterdam Airport (RTM) is about 165 km. Transfer times by road are longer; most charter companies arrange a transfer to the base on request, and a taxi from the airport is the usual alternative.
Getting to the area, what to see ashore and a week's itinerary from here are on the Drachten page.
Types of boats at this marina
- Motor boats 46 boats
- Houseboats 9 boats
Ports near Drachten
Akkrum (10 boats · 16 km) · Woudsend (27 boats · 32 km) · Lemmer (24 boats · 37 km) · Hindeloopen (20 boats · 46 km) · Loosdrecht (33 boats · 119 km) · Vinkeveen (51 boats · 121 km) · Aalsmeer (4 boats · 130 km) · IJsselstein (9 boats · 136 km) · All boats in Netherlands
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of boats can I charter from Jachthaven Drachten de Drait?
55 boats are available to book from Jachthaven Drachten de Drait: 46 motor boats and 9 houseboats. The most common models are Campi 300, De Drait Renal 50, De Drait Renal 36, De Drait Safari Houseboat 1050.
How many boats are based at Jachthaven Drachten de Drait?
All 55 charter boats in Drachten are based at Jachthaven Drachten de Drait.
Can I take a boat out for just one day?
Yes — 55 boats here accept a single-day booking. A day rate is quoted for the specific boat and date, so pick your day on the boat’s own page and the price comes back live.
What is not in the price?
The figure is for the boat. Transit log, tourist tax and the APA are mandatory, set per boat, and paid at the base. Skipper, hostess, extra equipment and other services are optional and also settled at the base.
Why do some boats show no price?
55 of the 55 boats from Jachthaven Drachten de Drait are on request — usually larger or crewed yachts, where the rate depends on the week and the crew. They are left out of every figure above.
How far is the airport from Jachthaven Drachten de Drait?
The nearest airport is Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), about 125 km away as the crow flies; Rotterdam Airport (RTM) is about 165 km. Transfer times by road are longer; most charter companies arrange a transfer to the base on request.
Do I need a licence for a motor cruiser here?
No. The hire cruisers on these waterways are licence-free for boats under the local power limit; the base gives an hour’s instruction on handling, mooring and the locks or bridges before departure.
What day do charters start?
Weekly hires usually run Saturday to Saturday or Friday to Friday, with handover in the afternoon and return by mid-morning; shorter breaks are common — the exact times are on each boat’s page.
Can we go out on the IJsselmeer with a hire cruiser?
Most bases allow the IJsselmeer coast in calm weather — Stavoren, Hindeloopen, Lemmer — and the Wadden Sea only with a skipper’s licence; the briefing says which.