Guide
Hiring a boat in Spain for the first time: what you need and how to choose
If you have never driven a boat, two routes work: a no-licence motorboat (up to 5 metres and 15 hp, no qualification, for a nearby cove) or any boat with a skipper (no qualification, you pay their day, they handle it). What does not work on day one is a big boat without a skipper, even if you hold a licence.
1. Choose the boat by what you want to do
| You want to | Boat | Licence | Indicative price / day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach a nearby cove, anchor, swim, come back | No-licence motorboat (4–5 m, 15 hp) | None | €120 – 250 |
| The same but faster, further, more people | Motorboat or RIB 6–8 m | ICC or Spanish PNB/PER, or navigation licence | €250 – 650 |
| A relaxed day's sailing as a group | Skippered sailing boat | None | €600 – 1,500 |
| Another island or a far cove in comfort | Skippered catamaran or yacht | None | €900 – 4,000 |
For a first time, the first two rows if you are 2–5 people and the last two if you are 6 or more. What licence you need has the detail on each qualification.
2. Choose the destination by the sea
Not every destination is equal for a beginner. Look for a place with:
- A bay or sheltered coast: Alcúdia and Pollença in Mallorca, Fornells in Menorca, Sant Antoni in Ibiza, the Bay of Santander, the Mar Menor, the Galician rías.
- Coves close to the harbour: somewhere you can reach in 20 or 30 minutes at 8 knots. Dénia towards Les Rotes, Xàbia towards the Granadella, Roses towards Cap de Creus (on a day with no tramontana).
- Plenty of companies: more no-licence boats and skippers on offer, easier to find a slot in August.
Avoid on day one: areas with heavy commercial traffic (the harbour mouths of Barcelona, Valencia, Algeciras), coasts with swell (north of the Canaries, the Cantabrian coast outside the bays) and days with a wind warning.
3. What you will be asked for
- Documents: passport or ID card of the person signing. A licence if the boat requires one.
- Age: over 18 for the person signing and, at most companies, the person driving.
- A credit card for the deposit (€150–500 on no-licence boats).
- A booking in advance in July and August. In June and September there is sometimes same-day availability.
4. What to bring aboard
- Water, more than you think. And something to eat: on a boat you get hungry early.
- Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses with a cord. On the water the sun hits twice as hard.
- A towel, swimsuit on, a T-shirt for the way back.
- A dry bag or a freezer bag for phone and keys.
- Shoes that can get wet. No black soles.
- A snorkel, if they let you: many companies lend one.
Already on board: lifejackets, anchor, extinguisher, flares. Check at the check-in.
5. The five first-day mistakes
- Leaving late. The breeze comes in at midday in summer. Leave at 9 or 10, be back by 2 or 3, and you get the best sea of the day.
- Anchoring close to other boats or the beach. Leave room: the boat swings with the wind. And never inside the buoyed swimming zone.
- Going flat out. A 15 hp boat does 8–10 knots. It does not go fast, and that is better.
- Not watching the fuel. Mid-morning, look at the gauge. Come back with a third of a tank.
- Not taking photos at the check-in. It is what saves you paying for a scrape you did not make. See contract and deposit.
6. Things that trip up visitors
Spanish companies work on Spanish time: a "morning" slot often starts at 10 and the office may close for lunch, so confirm the handover hour. Many take bookings by WhatsApp rather than email, and a phone call gets a faster answer than a form. Distances on the water are given in nautical miles (1.85 km), depths in metres and wind in knots, and the forecast the company checks is the Spanish met office (AEMET) or Windy, not the one on your phone. And in the Balearics and Canaries there are posidonia meadows on the seabed: anchoring on them is fined, so drop the hook on sand, which shows lighter from above.
7. If in doubt, take a skipper
A first day with a skipper solves all of the above: they pick the cove, anchor, watch the weather and drive. You learn by watching. For many people it is the best sailing course there is and it costs €50–250 more than the boat alone. In a group, that is €20–30 a head.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hire a boat if I have never driven one? Yes: a no-licence boat (up to 5 m and 15 hp) or any boat with a skipper. The company explains the controls before you leave.
How many people fit in a no-licence boat? Usually 4 or 6, depending on the model. The number is on the boat's plate and in the contract, and cannot be exceeded.
Is it safe for children? Yes, with a lifejacket on all the time and on a calm day. Ask for child sizes when booking.
Can I bring a dog? It depends on the company. Ask; many allow it on no-licence boats.
What if the boat breaks down? Call the company (the number is on the boat and in the contract). They come out to you or send another boat. Do not try to fix the engine.
Will the briefing be in English? In the Balearics, the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Sol and the Canaries, yes as a rule. Elsewhere, ask when booking; the controls are simple enough to follow with a demonstration.