Renting a motorboat on the Reeuwijkse Plassen for half a day
4 h€ 100-180 Calm
Four hours on a quiet lake just north of Gouda, with a short route past Elfhoeven and Sluipwijk.
The Reeuwijkse Plassen are tucked between Gouda and Bodegraven and consist of thirteen lakes connected by narrow waterways. For a half day of four hours, the short route via Elfhoeven and a stretch of the Nieuwenbroeksche Plas is ideal, more than enough to soak up the atmosphere without feeling rushed. Rental operators are based around Reeuwijk-Brug on the 's-Gravenbroekseweg and offer mostly electric boats for four to six people. No boating licence is required for boats up to fifteen kilometres per hour, a brief briefing at the jetty is all you need.
Half a day typically costs one hundred to one hundred and eighty euros including the battery, excluding the deposit. In July and August a booking window of two weeks in advance applies, in May and September it is often one to three days. The best months are May through mid-July and the first half of September.
Checklist
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Sloep gereserveerd, tijdslot bevestigd
Identiteitsbewijs en pinpas mee
Zwemvesten voor kinderen geregeld
Water en zonnebrand mee
Vaarkaart Reeuwijk bekeken
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Book a boat for four hours with a rental operator on the 's-Gravenbroekseweg.
Listen to the briefing at the jetty about the battery, engine and mooring, and ask questions if anything is unclear.
Head via Elfhoeven towards Sluipwijk and keep an eye out for herons and cormorants.
Drift quietly between two reed beds for a moment and let the lake take over the sounds.
Spend the last three quarters of an hour cruising gently back and return the boat clean.
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For anyone copying this
Do as we did
Suggestions
- Start at noon for a relaxed morning and a quiet afternoon
- Stick to two lakes, chasing all thirteen is not doable in four hours
- In peak season, book at least two weeks ahead
- Go electric, engine noise stands out extra in narrow waterways
- Save money by bringing bread and coffee from home
Variations
- - Combineer met een lunch in Reeuwijk-Brug voor het instappen
- - Vaar bewust tegen de wind in heen, dan helpt de wind op de terugweg
- - Boek in laagseizoen voor lege plassen en lagere tarieven
- - Maak er een fotomiddag van met focus op licht en rietvelden
by PlayTryBe team