Netherland is the ultimate vacation spot for sailing because of the exquisite, 4400 km of navigable areas rich with nature that it has to offer. Situated in Western Europe, it has a beautiful landscape that is further beautified by the Rhine River, its tributaries and other water bodies. Ijsselmeer, Waddenzee, Plassengebied, Maasplassen, North Sea, Westerchelde and the Frisian Islands are the most popular sites in this respect. Apart from the attraction of sailing here, there are also other historic places situated around this place that would make your vacations more interesting. Sailing is possible all year round in Netherland because of the cool climate in summers as well as winters. What is interesting is that you can spend your vacations onboard on your yacht as well!
Once you have decided to venture on a sailing vacation to Netherland, you can check out the many different sites that offer sailing packages and give yachts on rent in the port of your choice. Moreover, Netherland has made it very convenient for sailors to be aware of the general regulations pertaining to sailing and port information. All of this is mentioned in wateralmanakken available at all ANWB offices. If you have your own yacht and wish to use it, it is advisable to get it registered with RDW. Although getting a small one is not necessary, it will give you some benefits. There are also no particular speeding limits in big water bodies however; it will be convenient to know the speed limits of sailing in canals and lakes. There are also some places with bridges that have height restrictions. Getting a license for boats over 15m and under 15m that can go faster than 20 km/hour is mandatory. International permits are also recognised.
In case of either owned or rented vessels, make sure you have a copy of Inland Shipping Police Copy. Be prepared for customs as well. While European residents can take their boats to Netherland for as long as they want to if VAT is being paid, there are limitations for the rest. The brochures or charts with the sailing information are not mailed so you will have to purchase them once you reach Netherland. Your VHF must be working so check it before leaving for the journey. For beginners it is advised that they go sailing in a comparatively less crowded place on a small boat.
Tips and comments:
You have to be well prepared for a sailing trip to enjoy it thoroughly and avoid any untoward incident. For people who get sea-sick and for those who are new to sailing and do not know how they would feel, keep some medicine. Bring other basic medicines as well, for headaches, stomach aches, fever, flu, etc. Also keep some winter clothing in case it gets cold. Keeping sun block and a hat are also recommended. You don’t want to get sun burnt while sailing. Keeping a nail polish will be very useful covering scratches, etc. before the wood starts discolouring. Rubber boots will also come in very handy. Do research the weather to enjoy the ideal sailing experience in your vacation.
