If you have decided to discover Malta from the perspective of the sea, probably we got you covered. If you wish to know how boat hires works; whether you need a license to hire a boat in Malta, if you will need a skipper, whether a deposit is requested, different prices, type of boats available and more, then read on. In this article, we will show you how to make the right decision. You will find all the information about renting any type of pleasure boat in Malta to have a great day at sea.
Hire a yacht with skipper
Entrusting a competent person to show you our beautiful island on a boat is the best choice you can make. When hiring a boat with a professional captain, you will be given a good overview of the Maltese islands and will be taken to places with the most beautiful, and calmer waters. This will allow you to enjoy your boat trip to the maximum and, at the same time, avoid unnecessary seasickness on board. A professional skipper in Malta usually has a boat master license and would also have a first aid qualification. A skipper will be able to take you to places which you wouldn’t risk going on your own as you probably don’t know the specifications of our local waters. The skipper will find a way to let you enjoy the nice waters even if there are boats around, anchor in calm bays to be just by yourself and enjoy some privacy. If this is what you’re after for a boat trip around Malta, then let us give you a quote.
Bareboat charter
In case you decided to hire a boat and be your own captain, then you will find that this option is also possible in Malta. There are companies that rent you a boat this way at a contract. They usually give the boat to a person that has a nautical license that is valid in Malta but not necessarily from Malta. The most common one is RYA that stands for Royal Yacht Association of England and is valid mostly everywhere. To hire a bareboat you will need also to leave the deposit which is usually a couple of thousand of euro. It might look like a lot of money, and yes, it is a lot of cash. But remember, you are hiring an expensive toy. For the rest, it works more or less as any car rental service. You might want to check properly what is written on the contract, about damages and deposit return. Also check out the yacht properly, including sails in the case of a sailing boat, to make sure they have not broken already or will have a high chance to break during your use. We can suggest some reliable rentals.
Rent a boat without license
Hiring a boat without a license or “self-drive boat” has become more popular in Malta in these last years. To hire these boats you don’t need a license but must be at least 18 years old and carry a valid passport, identity card or driving license. You will also need to provide a deposit. Starting from a boat for two people and going up to eight, the price will range from 90 euros to 450 euros, fuel excluded. Usually, alcohol and smoking are not allowed on these boats and there are some things you have to consider. The company that rents these kinds of boats will explain what to do and what not to do. But is it really enough if you’re after a nice day at sea. The sea is different every day and the weather can also change unpredictably. We believe that some experience, even if with a little boat, is needed. The most common difficulty that the self-drive boats “captains” usually encounter is anchoring. Anchoring safely indeed takes experience and not everyone is capable of doing it on the first couple of times. Anchoring takes knowledge of understanding the wind, the riff, the depth, the weight and length of the chain. This does not mean that you should not consider a self-drive boat, but just make sure you have some knowledge about sailing boats otherwise your day can turn into a day of struggle and stress. We always observe people spending a lot of time just to anchor the boat and risking to scratch the boats around them in the process.
Hire a sailing boat
Renting a sailing boat is one of the best ideas of things you can do on this island. We will explain why. When you hear “sailing boat” you will probably imagine this boat with huge sails that are used for navigating long distances. You’ll think of how romantic they are, how silent and tall. Indeed sailing boats are the most genuine boats that you can meet in the sea. They make no noise, go relatively slow, hardly dangerous for you, for others or for the environment or habitat and can even transport big groups of people. Today sailing boats are one of the most convenient options in the range of boats for hire.
This kind of boats use sails and therefore can navigate for free, without the use of an engine. Of course, you must have the wind in your favour but an experienced captain will manage to sail by the wind with almost any wind by using the technique of tacking. The engines of the sailing yachts are relatively small and that makes them convenient with respect to the motorboats. Sailing yachts are equipped with kitchen, bathrooms, cabins and a lot of equipment that will make your day charter or sailing holiday very comfortable. These boats can be very adrenalinic since they bend when the wind gets stronger and gives the feeling of capsizing. But, having said that, fear not. They are made this way and can resist strong winds and waves. If the speed is not your strong desire, this option can be a good fit for chartering a boat in Malta and visit the islands. If you are a group of 6 to 15 people, a sailing boat of 13/14 meters can be a good choice for navigating the Maltese islands. You will have enough space and comfort at a really cheap price per person.
Hire a motorboat
Motorboats are considered vessels driven by the engine. You can rent a motorboat of different sizes in Malta. From small fishing boats to big motorboats. They are usually more expensive than a sailing boat and they usually have a high price of fuel. So when renting this kind of a boat, you should ask about the consumption and make sure that this is the right expense for you.
Rent a fishing boat
On the island, there are companies that are providing specially equipped fishing boats for charter. When hiring these boats, you usually have no need of bringing any equipment but just your fishing skills. Also, some self-drive boats are being used for amateur fishing. On a sailing boat, it is very common that clients are bringing their fishing rods and try trawling the rod behind the sailing boats. As is happens, the average speed of a cruising sailing boat is about 7 knots. That makes it perfect for catching some tuna fish or Maltese lampuki.
Luxury yacht charter
Luxury yacht charters are common in Malta too. Indeed you can find different yachts for rent on the island. Starting from a small 10-meter luxury yacht to a much bigger one. Even a sailing yacht can be considered a luxury when the boat is a new type and has all the comfort. You can also request a hostess onboard for the time of the charter which can be provided at an extra charge. Some companies of luxury yacht charters do actually include the hostess in the price. From our research, you can hire luxury yachts starting from €1,400 per day. There are many brands available on the market as Azimut and Sunseeker for all the prices and all the sizes. We will be glad to provide you with a free quotation if you are interested.
Read also: Yacht charter etiquette you can’t ignore before heading aboard
Speed boat
Speed boats in Malta are a common way to get to Comino or Gozo, the other two islands which make up the Maltese archipelago. These boats offer an alternative to the commercial boat that makes the same route, it carries fewer people and its fast. As the name shows, this is a good option for speed seekers, and for those who don’t have a group for hiring a private boat. Prices can range between 50 euro per person for both ways for Comino islands. Note that this kind of boat will drop you at Comino and you can spend time visiting the island and catch another speed boat for return. This option is convenient and is a fast way to get from point A to B but it cannot be considered as a day out on a boat as the total time spent on a boat will be of not more than about an hour for both ways.
Boat hire St. Julian’s
St. Julian’s is a city by the sea with different boat hires. If you are in search of a boat trip or self-drive boat in St. Julian’s or a paddleboat, jet sky, or banana drive, then you can just go to Spinola Bay and you will see these boat rentals there. In case you are looking for a private yacht charter with pick up from St Julians, there are some options. Our company can arrange a pick up from Spinola Bay with the use of a dinghy boat. This option, however, is not ideal if you are many people and have lots of stuff to carry onboard or on a windy day.
Another option is a collection from Portomaso marina. This case is suitable if you are a client of Portomaso hotels as Hilton since in this case, the collection is free. In a different scenario, Portomaso Marina charges a fee of about €150 to collect passengers from the marina.
Boat hire Valletta
If you are staying in the capital of Malta, and you are looking for Valletta boat trips, you can take one of many harbour cruises. You can find many private Maltese boats that will be happy to provide you with a tour. They are usually small boats and have local captains.
In case you are looking for a bigger boat hire in Valletta, just 15 minutes walk from the centre of Valletta, in the area of Pieta’, there is the Marina di Valletta. Here you can hire our yacht Mowgli, an Elan Impression 45FT (the year 2020) available for charters with skipper. It has all the comforts you might need for visiting the other Maltese islands and have a nice day at sea.
Sliema Ferry boat hire
From Sliema Ferry, there are many boats departing to Comino, Gozo and Blue Lagoon. Many commercial boats are departing at 10 am and return at 6 pm in summer and at 4 pm in winter. These type of boats’ cost range between €20 to arrive at €60 per person or even a €100 if bought together with some tour on the island of Gozo, for example, the Jeep Safari tour. If your wish is to hire a private boat at the strand of Sliema Ferry, we can provide you with collection at the ex Fortina Spa resort, near the Tigne Point by the open pool.
