Page 5 - Boat rental & yacht charter in Belgium

Rent a boat with or without captain in Belgium:

Belgium is known for its chocolate, fries, waffles and beers and most people visit Brussels for some inland attractions, but did you know that the country also provides some great coastal destinations? 

Yes, Belgium has beaches and seaports where you’ll be able to rent a boat and sail along the beautiful shores. Some of the best places to visit Belgium are actually on the coast. Rent a boat in Zeebrugge, with its huge artificial harbour, local traditions and fun activities, it’s a nice place to charter a yacht. Not far from the ocean, it’s not too crowded and makes for a good place to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The country also hosts over 1500km of inland waterways including rivers, canals and lakes that you can explore by hiring a boat.

Best time to hire a boat in Belgium:

The best time to hire a boat in Belgium is during spring and fall when the weather conditions are good and tourist population is lower. Factually, the months of July and August are the most popular with a large number of visitors and travellers visiting and enjoying events and festivals. 

If you wish to charter a boat in Belgium, we suggest that you either hire a boat during the off-peak season or book well in advance if you still want to come in summer.

Pricing and information for a boat rental in Belgium

The starting price for a boat rental in Belgium off-season starts at 200€ per day for a sailboat and costs around 1700€ for a whole week. 

The prices increase in summer when tourists usually travel. Make sure you give yourself enough time to book well before leaving for your trip if you want to get the best prices. In fact, the prices during the high season tend to be much more expensive.

Do you need a licence to charter a yacht in Belgium?

For most boats in inland waters there is no need for a boating certificate. But laws change depending on the type and length of boats. Regulations in Belgium are the same as in the Netherlands.

• A Belgian boating licence is required for boats exceeding 15 metres in length or with engines that can speed up to 20km/h and over.

• It is also mandatory to be at least 16 years old to pass the boating licence in Belgium.

Even if you don’t always need a certificate, it’s always better to know what you are doing. Here are the different licences that you can have in Belgium:

• The “Brevet de conduite restreint” is for all inland waterways except for the Escaut canal.

• The “Brevet de conduite général” for boats exceeding regulations and to navigate in all waterways including coastal navigation.

What to do in Belgium?

Belgium has 4 main ports across the country’s 65 kilometres of coastline but it also hosts many smaller baltic towns.

The main one is Antwerp, it’s the second biggest port in Europe and is very important for global trade around the world. Hire a boat and cruise in the northern sea. 

Belgium is a great place to rent a boat as it is a very good starting point to explore the surrounding countries. You could go visit some nice places like the coasts in the Netherlands close to Belgium. Or maybe you prefer to discover the French coasts and sail to Dunkerque that had a crucial impact on world war two.

For a week-long sailing trip you could charter a yacht in Bruges, next to Zeebrugges which is also one of the biggest maritime ports in Europe. They even extended it by constructing an artificial harbour. The city is a great fishing destination and has a big market in the industry, it also has a lot of history that you can learn about regarding fishing. For a sailing adventure in the Baltic sea, set sail to Veerse Meer or Bruinisse.