playbook
A day on a sloop along the IJssel near Deventer
Rent a sloop for a full day at the IJsselkade and spend a leisurely river day sailing past Wijhe or towards Hattem, with a mooring spot for lunch.
7u
duration
€ 200–320
budget
Ground
pace
The IJssel near Deventer has a gentle character: wide bends, grass dikes, and small ferries shuffling back and forth. From the IJsselkade, with De Welle and the Worpplantsoen on the opposite bank, a full day of sailing unfolds without it ever getting busy. Sloop rentals in Deventer typically head south towards Wijhe and Olst, or north towards Hattem and Zwolle. Eight hours on the water calls for a rhythm, not a race.
Plan for a morning briefing, then sail downstream with a lunch stop at a mooring along the bank, and head back upstream in the afternoon. The IJssel is open waterway with commercial shipping, so keeping to the starboard bank and watching for wash is part of the deal. By four o'clock the sloop is back at the IJsselkade and the Deventer Brink is within walking distance.
Checklist
0 of 7
ID en vaarbewijs paraat
Waterdichte tas voor spullen
Zonnehoed en zonnebrand
Lunchpakket of cash
Twee liter water per persoon
Powerbank voor telefoon
Lichte regenjas
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by PlayTryBe team
Book a sloop well in advance for six to eight hours with a rental company at the IJsselkade.
Follow the on-board briefing and note down the VHF channels for the bridges.
Sail downstream past the Worpplantsoen and take in the Deventer skyline from the water.
Moor at a jetty in Olst or Wijhe and take a relaxed hour for lunch.
Head back upstream in the afternoon and keep consistently to the starboard bank.
Return the sloop rinsed clean and finish the day at terras De Worp or on the Brink.
For anyone copying this
Do as we did
Suggestions
- Check the water level in advance at Rijkswaterstaat, low water means stronger currents.
- Keep a minimum of fifty metres distance from commercial vessels in the main channel.
- Bring two litres of water per person, you dehydrate faster on river water.
- Avoid weekends in July and August for a peaceful trip.
- Agree on a helmsman rotation if you have multiple licence holders on board.
Variations
- - Vaar noordwaarts naar Hattem voor een terraslunch in het oude centrum.
- - Boek een schipper als niemand IJssel-ervaring heeft.
- - Combineer met een ochtendwandeling over de Welle voor vertrek.
- - Maak er een familieuitje van met zwemvesten in alle maten.