playbook
Renting a sloop on the Nieuwkoopse Plassen
A day of sailing through the Natura 2000 nature reserve Nieuwkoopse Plassen in a whisper-quiet electric sloop. Silence zone, nesting birds, and a maximum of six kilometres per hour.
6u
duration
€ 200–350
budget
Ground
pace
Renting a sloop on the Nieuwkoopse Plassen takes you through a Natura 2000 nature reserve between Nieuwkoop and Noorden. It is a silence zone with reed beds, nesting birds, and the rare purple heron. No boating licence is required for an open electric sloop of up to fifteen metres and a maximum of twenty kilometres per hour. However, in this area a maximum speed of six kilometres per hour applies to large sections, and petrol engines are prohibited — only electric rentals are allowed. The skipper must be at least eighteen years old. Booking four weeks in advance is advisable from May through July.
Rates range from 180 to 300 euros per half-day for a whisper sloop accommodating six people. Certain reed zones are closed during the breeding season from March to July; a map and signs indicate this. BBQs on board are prohibited on the Nieuwkoopse Plassen due to fire and disturbance risks, though a cold picnic is perfectly fine. Children under twelve are required to wear a life jacket, which is provided. Mooring point De Olde Stomp serves as the starting point.
Checklist
0 of 6
Broedseizoen-kaart bekijken
Zwemvesten voor kinderen onder 12
Koude lunch inpakken, BBQ verboden
Verrekijker en vogelgids mee
Fluistermotor instructie volgen
Geen muziek op het water
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by PlayTryBe team
Choose a whisper boat rental company in Nieuwkoop or Noorden.
Book four weeks in advance during peak season.
Ask for the map showing the closed breeding zones.
Put life jackets on children under twelve.
Sail quietly through the reed beds at six kilometres per hour.
Keep your distance from birds and nesting spots.
Return the sloop to the mooring jetty on time.
For anyone copying this
Do as we did
Suggestions
- Book with Pruijssers or Sloepverhuur Nieuwkoop for whisper sloops.
- Start early — before nine o'clock there are more birds active.
- Bring binoculars and a bird guide.
- Avoid the breeding season if you want access to the closed zones.
- Avoid winds above force four Beaufort; the water is shallow and open.
Variations
- - Halve dag-rondje vanaf De Olde Stomp.
- - Ochtendvaart bij zonsopgang voor vogels.
- - Combineer met lunch in dorpje Noorden bij Het Wapen.
- - Boek een gids voor uitleg over riet-ecologie.
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