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5 minutes to book. Best day of our entire trip. Everything felt effortless from pickup to sunset.
Marina guide
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. Day rates start from €121; the typical boat here is around €257 per day, and every price on this page is the boat’s own listed rate before extras.
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
WhereDe Drait, 9206 Drachten — the marina on the canal west of the town, 150 km from Amsterdam Schiphol.
Berths & boatsA large hire fleet of licence-free motor cruisers for two to twelve people, with the base’s own quays and workshop.
ServicesWater and fuel, showers, a shop, bike hire, and a handling briefing before departure.
Check-inWeekly hires from Saturday or Friday afternoon, returned by mid-morning; short breaks available — times on the boat page.
ProvisioningSupermarkets in Drachten a short bike ride away; the base shop for basics.
ParkingFree parking at the base for the hire week.
Getting there
By air. Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is about 150 km — an hour and a half by road, or train to Heerenveen and a taxi; Groningen Eelde (GRQ) about 45 km. By rail and bus. Heerenveen and Leeuwarden stations (two hours from Amsterdam), then bus or taxi of 25–30 minutes. By road. The A7 motorway exit Drachten; free parking at the bases.
Drachten before you cast off
Leeuwarden, the provincial capital with its leaning Oldehove tower, is 25 minutes by road; Sneek’s Waterpoort and the skûtsje racing in July are the Frisian summer. The Alde Feanen national park of reed lakes is directly outside the marina.
Supermarkets in Drachten within a short walk or bike ride of the marinas; the bases have shops, water and fuel.
A week from Jachthaven Drachten de Drait
Day 1 — base → Grou (10–20 km). Across the lakes to the water-sports village of Grou on the Pikmeer.
Day 2 — Grou → Sneek (20 km). Through the canals to the sailing town of Sneek and its Waterpoort.
Day 3 — Sneek → Heeg / Woudsend (15 km). Down the Heegermeer to the old skûtsje villages.
Day 4 — Woudsend → Stavoren or Hindeloopen (20 km). To the IJsselmeer coast: the harbour towns of Stavoren or Hindeloopen.
Day 5 — Hindeloopen → Workum → Bolsward (20 km). Along the coast canal to the Hanseatic town of Bolsward.
Day 6 — Bolsward → Leeuwarden or Sneek (25 km). Back through the canals to the provincial capital, or to Sneek.
Day 7 — return to base (15–25 km). Home to the marina by mid-morning.
Types of boats at this marina
- Motor boats 46 boats · from €121 per day
- Houseboats 9 boats · from €135 per day
Ports near Drachten
Akkrum (10 boats · 16 km) · Woudsend (27 boats · 32 km) · Lemmer (24 boats · 37 km) · Hindeloopen (20 boats · 46 km) · Loosdrecht (31 boats · 119 km) · Vinkeveen (50 boats · 121 km) · Aalsmeer (3 boats · 130 km) · IJsselstein (9 boats · 136 km) · All boats in Netherlands
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yacht charter from Jachthaven Drachten de Drait cost?
Day rates on the boats listed here start from €121 and the typical boat is around €257 per day; a week (7 nights) starts from €850. Prices are the boats’ own listed rates; fuel, marina fees on the route and local taxes are paid separately.
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?
2 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.