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5 minutes to book. Best day of our entire trip. Everything felt effortless from pickup to sunset.
Port guide
Woudsend — at a glance
27 boats are available to book in Woudsend from Woudsend. The fleet is 26 motor boats and 1 houseboat. The most common models are Kotterjacht 12.2 GL (6), Hibo 1300 (3), De Drait Advantage 42 (2), Kotterjacht 10.7 GL (2), De Drait Classicline 1300 (2) — 17 models in all. Built 1977–2023, 7.5–14.1 m long, 1–6 cabins, up to 12 guests. Day rates start from €87; the typical boat here is around €120 per day, and every price on this page is the boat’s own listed rate before extras.
Woudsend is an old skûtsje-building village on the Heegermeer in south-west Friesland, and its marinas are hire bases in the middle of the lakes: licence-free cruisers and sailing yachts for Heeg, Sneek and Grou, with the IJsselmeer towns of Stavoren and Hindeloopen an hour away. A village of a windmill and boatyards with the water all around it.
Getting there
By air. Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is about 130 km — an hour and a half by road. By rail and bus. Sneek station (via Leeuwarden or Zwolle), then bus or taxi of 15 minutes. By road. The A7 motorway exit Sneek; free parking at the bases.
Woudsend before you cast off
The village’s windmill and yards; Sneek 15 minutes by road; the IJsselmeer coast towns of Hindeloopen and Stavoren 20 minutes. The lakes are the sight.
A supermarket in the village within walking distance; the bases have water and fuel.
A week from Woudsend
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 in Woudsend
- Motor boats 26 boats · from €87 per day
- Houseboats 1 boat
Ports near Woudsend
Lemmer (24 boats · 13 km) · Hindeloopen (20 boats · 16 km) · Akkrum (10 boats · 17 km) · Drachten (55 boats · 32 km) · Loosdrecht (33 boats · 91 km) · Vinkeveen (51 boats · 92 km) · Aalsmeer (4 boats · 99 km) · IJsselstein (9 boats · 108 km) · All boats in Netherlands
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yacht charter in Woudsend cost?
Day rates on the boats listed here start from €87 and the typical boat is around €120 per day; a week (7 nights) starts from €609. 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 in Woudsend?
27 boats are available to book in Woudsend: 26 motor boats and 1 houseboat. The most common models are Kotterjacht 12.2 GL, Hibo 1300, De Drait Advantage 42, Kotterjacht 10.7 GL.
Can I take a boat out for just one day?
Yes — 18 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?
20 of the 27 boats in Woudsend 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 Woudsend?
The nearest airport is Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), about 90 km away as the crow flies; Rotterdam Airport (RTM) is about 135 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.