Safe boating starts with knowing the right rules — and with a correctly registered and insured boat. This article covers the most important boating rules; make sure your yacht also meets all registration and licensing requirements.

On a beautiful summer day it can quickly get crowded on the water. To ensure that everyone has a pleasant day out on the water, a number of rules and tips apply.

For convenience, we have listed the most important points for when you go out on the water with your sloop or motorboat. This article focuses on recreational boating on inland waterways in the Dutch context. For commercial charter operations, additional rules apply — see our article on chartering rules.

What are the most important rules and tips?

On the fairway, keep to starboard side (right side) as much as possible. Also within the concrete channel.
Adjust the course and speed of your sloop or motorboat in good time when you give way to another ship. Show clearly which course you are heading and give each other room to manoeuvre. Do not suddenly change course and speed.
Make sure you have good all-round visibility and look behind you regularly.
Use the correct navigation lights on time.
Be alert to annoying waves or suction from your sloop or motorboat. Reduce speed in time to prevent dangerous situations and damage to other ships.
Anchor only where it is safe. Not near bridges, locks, workboats with protruding anchors and in the middle of a fairway.
Avoid navigating busy shipping routes and keep the centre clear for large ships.
Stay away from fishing nets. These are usually marked by black or yellow flags or by a sign with a green/white diamond. The green side indicates the safe passing side.
Keep the peace in the natural and residential areas.
Limit excessive noise from radio and other music systems.
Do not cause a nuisance to your environment.
Only swim where it is allowed and safe. Swimming in parts of the waterway intended for through traffic, near bridges, locks and waiting areas is prohibited.
A boat license is required to drive fast motor boats. These are all boats that can sail faster than 20 km/h. The license requirement also applies to non-fast sailing boats that are longer than 15 meters.
Sail alcohol-free. The legal limit on the water is 0.5 per mille. There is a check and the fines are high!

What are the unwritten rules?

When mooring, always attach the mooring lines of your sloop or motorboat under the mooring lines of the ships that are already moored.
When you come to berth next to a boat, you always leave your own ship as quietly as possible through the front of the adjacent ship.
In principle, you moor your own ship on a quay in the same direction as the other ships so that everyone retains privacy in the aft cockpit.

What about priority?

Small vessels (shorter than 20 metres) must generally give way to large vessels (longer than 20 metres). Ferries, passenger ships, tugs and pushers and fishing vessels that are in operation have the rights of ‘big’. Even if they are shorter than 20 meters. However, there are exceptions. E.g. when sailing in a fairway on the starboard side. You will find more information about the exceptions in the Inland Waterways Police Regulations (Binnenvaartpolitiereglement), enforced by Rijkswaterstaat.
A small vessel may request the cooperation of another small vessel when departing, turning and entering or leaving a port.
A vessel wishing to enter the main fairway must give way to a vessel sailing in the concreted fairway on the starboard side of the main fairway. An exception to this: a ship that comes out of a concreted secondary waterway. In this situation, a small ship on the main waterway must cooperate with a large ship coming off the concreted secondary waterway.
A small motor vessel (up to 20 meters) must give way to a small sailing vessel (up to 20 meters) or a rowing boat if their courses are crossing and none of the vessels on the starboard side are sailing. In this situation, a large motor vessel or a large sailing vessel gives way to the vessel approaching from starboard.
For small motor vessels, if their courses intersect and none of the vessels are sailing on starboard side, the vessel approaching from starboard will have right of way.
Anyone entering or crossing a main waterway from a harbor or secondary waterway, or vice versa, must ensure that other waterway users are not forced to change their course and speed suddenly and to a large extent. The sign B.9 means that ships on the main fairway always have right of way.

From what age can you drive a boat?

Fast motor boat: 18 years.
Motorboat, large ship and sailboat longer than 7 metres: 16 years.
Open motor boat that cannot go faster than 13 km/h and is shorter than 7 metres: 12 years.
Sailing boats shorter than 7 meters and small rowing boats: no minimum age.

Registration and licensing requirements

Before you set out, ensure you have the correct registration and licensing in place. For Dutch recreational skippers, the choice between a Zeebrief and Dutch registration is crucial, and getting it right from the start saves time and hassle.

Zeebrief vs. Dutch registration: when do you need which?

A Zeebrief (Dutch sea letter) is required for international voyages — it is your vessel’s official identity document when sailing outside Dutch inland waters, including on the North Sea and beyond. Under the International Maritime Organization’s COLREG (Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea), vessels on international voyages must carry appropriate documentation. For Dutch recreational skippers planning to cross borders, the Zeebrief is the standard choice.

For sailing exclusively on Dutch inland waters, a Dutch registration may suffice. However, if you plan to venture into international waters — even for a short trip to Belgium or Germany — the Zeebrief becomes necessary. BlueWater can help you determine which registration fits your sailing plans and arrange it quickly.

BlueWater’s all-in-one solution: Zeebrief, MMSI license, and yacht insurance

BlueWater offers a complete package for Dutch recreational skippers: Zeebrief registration, MMSI license, and yacht insurance — all handled in one place. This means you don’t have to deal with multiple authorities or paperwork. BlueWater’s team manages the entire process, so you can focus on enjoying the water. The registration process takes some time to complete, and the registration remains valid as long as annual fees are paid. BlueWater assists with the eligibility requirements for Dutch registration.

One common mistake: many boat owners forget to renew their MMSI license. BlueWater reminds you when renewal is due and handles the paperwork, so you’re never caught without a valid license. Another frequent oversight is failing to prove ownership — most yacht registries require proof of ownership to complete registration, and BlueWater guides you through the documentation process to avoid delays.

If you cannot prove the VAT status of your yacht, customs authorities may request further documents and question whether the yacht entered the EU without import VAT. BlueWater helps you prepare the necessary paperwork to demonstrate VAT compliance, protecting you from customs issues during international voyages.

Questions or remarks?

If you have a specific question or comment about the sailing rules, your sloop or motorboat? This can be done via our contact form.

Key Takeaways

For Dutch recreational skippers: a Zeebrief is required for international voyages, while Dutch registration may suffice for inland waters only — BlueWater helps you choose and arrange the right one.
BlueWater’s all-in-one service covers Zeebrief registration, MMSI licenses, and yacht insurance — with registration handled efficiently by the team.
Don’t forget to renew your MMSI license — BlueWater reminds you and handles the renewal paperwork.
Proof of ownership is mandatory for yacht registration in most registries — BlueWater guides you through the documentation.
VAT status documentation is critical to avoid customs issues in EU waters — BlueWater helps you prepare this.
Follow the sailing rules and tips to ensure a safe and pleasant experience on the water.

Zeilregels en tips