Rental Conditions

(version 2026)

Please note:
The rental conditions below have been translated automatically and may therefore contain language and/or spelling errors.
In case of doubt, we will be happy to provide clarification.

1. RENT

a. After receiving the contract, Willem Barentsz Bootverhuur (hereinafter: the lessor) grants the lessee an option on the desired boat until the first payment is made.
b. The contract will be sent to the lessee by e-mail in PDF format, unless otherwise agreed.
c. The contract must be confirmed by the lessee within 3 days by means of the deposit specified in the contract.

2. BOOKING

a. Upon receipt of the rental contract, the lessee receives an option on the desired boat. This option is valid for 3 days.
b. The lessee must confirm the option within the 3-day validity period by paying a deposit of 40% of the total rental amount. Once the deposit has been received by the lessor, the booking is final.
c. The remaining balance of the rental amount must be paid no later than 3 weeks before the start of the rental period. After full payment, the lessee is entitled to use the boat during the rental period.

3. PAYMENT

a. Upon receipt of the contract by the lessee, 40% of the total rental amount (or the amount specified in the contract), as the deposit, must be received by the lessor within 3 days of the contract date. The remaining balance must be received by the lessor no later than 3 weeks before the start of the rental period.
b. For bookings made within less than 3 weeks, the full rental amount must be paid immediately upon receipt of the rental contract, with a deadline of at least 1 day prior to the start of the rental period.
c. The total rental amount includes reservation and administrative fees.
d. The total rental amount does not include the security deposit (see Article 5).

4. CANCELLATION

Cancellations by the lessee are only accepted upon written notice by registered mail, stating the valid reason. In case of cancellation of the agreement by the lessee, the following cancellation fees apply, expressed as a percentage of the total rental amount:
• 2 to 3 months before the start of the rental period: 25%
• 1 to 2 months before the start of the rental period: 50%
• 2 weeks to 1 month before the start of the rental period: 75%
• 3 days to 2 weeks before the start of the rental period: 90%
• Less than 3 days before the start of the rental period: 100%
In addition, a €50 administration fee will be charged to the lessee for cancellations.
If otherwise stated in the contract, the cancellation terms specified therein shall apply.

5. SECURITY DEPOSIT

a. Upon delivery of the rented vessel, the lessee shall pay the lessor a security deposit of €525, corresponding to the deductible of the boat insurance. This amount will be refunded by the lessor when the vessel is returned on time, clean, and without damage at the agreed location. See Article 15 regarding exceptions to the refund of the security deposit.
b. The security deposit must be paid at the start of the rental period, either in cash or by automatic transfer, to the lessor or to a person designated by the lessor.
c. The lessor will make every effort to return the security deposit to the lessee no later than 48 hours after the end of the rental period.

6. TERMINATION OF THE RENTAL AGREEMENT

a. a. The lessor reserves the right to immediately terminate the rental agreement if it becomes apparent that the lessee lacks the necessary skills to operate and/or navigate the vessel, without the lessor being liable for any compensation and/or refund of the rental amount to the lessee.
b. If the lessee fails to fulfill their obligations, the lessor has the right to terminate the agreement with immediate effect and hold the lessee liable for any damages.
c. If the lessee returns the vessel later than agreed, the lessor is entitled to a proportional increase of the rental fee, with a minimum of €50, and to claim compensation, unless the late return cannot be attributed to the lessee.

7. SAILING AREA

The vessel may be used on all Dutch inland waterways, with the exception of the IJsselmeer, the Wadden Sea, and the major rivers. Expansion of the navigational area is only possible if agreed in writing with the lessor.

8. DAMAGE, LIABILITY & INDEMNIFICATION

a. The lessor has insured the vessel against hull damage and theft for navigation on Dutch inland waterways. This insurance carries a deductible of €525 per claim, which is the responsibility of the lessee. Damage covered by the hull insurance will not be further claimed from the lessee, taking the deductible into account.
b. The lessee is liable for all damage to the vessel, its inventory or equipment, as well as for damage to third parties, to the extent that such damage results from careless, negligent, or culpable acts (e.g., navigating under the influence, ignoring traffic rules or navigation instructions) or omissions by the lessee, the skipper, or passengers, or from failure to comply with legal regulations or the instructions of the lessor.
c. The lessee indemnifies the lessor against claims from third parties or passengers, insofar as such damage results from acts or omissions by the lessee, the skipper, or passengers.
d. The lessee indemnifies the lessor against all fines, settlements, and administrative sanctions imposed on the lessor in connection with violations or offenses committed during the rental period by the lessee, skipper, or passengers.
e. The indemnifications in sections c and d do not apply if the lessee demonstrates that the damage or sanctions were caused by a defect in the vessel that already existed at the start of the rental and of which the lessee could not reasonably have been aware.
f. The lessor is not liable for any damage or costs incurred by the lessee, skipper, or passengers as a result of defects, damage, or loss of the vessel or its inventory, unless such damage results from a defect in the vessel that the lessor knew or should have known about at the time of entering into the rental agreement. The lessee is advised to take out their own travel insurance for this purpose.
g. If the lessee is unable to use the vessel during the rental period for any reason, the lessor is not liable for any resulting damages, unless the cause can be demonstrably attributed to the lessor. In all other cases, the lessee remains obliged to pay the agreed rental fee.
h. The provisions in section e apply correspondingly to the provisions in sections f and g.

9. REPORTING OBLIGATION

The lessee is obliged to immediately inform the lessor of any fact that has caused, may cause, or could be of relevance to the lessor and/or the insurer. The lessee must follow the instructions of the lessor.

10. OBLIGATION OF THE LESSOR

a. The lessor undertakes to make the rented vessel available in ready-to-use condition at the agreed time. It will be in good condition and suitable for the intended use.
b. If the lessor fails to fulfill their obligations, the lessee has the right to consider the agreement terminated without recourse to the court, provided that the breach of contract gives sufficient reason to do so. In that case, the lessor will immediately refund all amounts already paid. Instead of termination and/or claiming damages from the lessor, the lessee may demand a reasonable penalty for each day the vessel is delivered later than agreed, for a maximum of the rental period. The above does not apply if a reasonable alternative is offered.

11. LESSEE’S OBLIGATIONS

a. The lessee shall use the vessel as a responsible renter and competent skipper in accordance with its intended purpose.
b. The lessee is not permitted to operate the vessel under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicating substances.
c. The lessee is required to comply with the instructions and guidance provided by the lessor at the start of the rental period.
d. The lessee shall not sublet the vessel or otherwise allow third parties to use it.
e. The lessee shall not make or have made any alterations to the vessel.
f. At the end of the rental period, the lessee shall return the vessel to the lessor at the agreed time and location, in the same condition in which it was received.
g. All costs related to keeping and operating the vessel, such as harbor fees, bridge fees, quay fees, lock fees, mooring fees, as well as fuel and lighting costs, shall be borne by the lessee.
h. The lessee is liable for any damage to or loss of the vessel occurring during the rental period, without prejudice to the provisions regarding the navigational area. The lessor cannot be held liable for any personal injury (accident), theft, or loss of private belongings. The lessee is advised to take out travel insurance for this purpose.
i. The lessor is entitled to directly charge the lessee for any (damage) costs resulting from the lessee’s failure to comply with any articles of the rental terms and conditions.

12. RESTRICTIONS

The lessee is, among other things, not permitted to do the following unless agreed upon in consultation and with the written consent of the lessor:
a. Have more persons on board than those specified in the contract.
b. Participate in races or competitions.
c. Keep pets on board.
d. Set out in unfavorable weather conditions or when such conditions are forecasted.
e. Navigate at night, except in consultation and using the legally required navigation lights.
f. Make telephone calls via VHF radio, except in consultation and if in possession of a MARCOM certificate.
g. Tow other vessels.

13. REPAIRS

a. Except for the costs mentioned in Article 11.g, normal maintenance of the rented vessel is the responsibility of the lessor.
b. In case of damage, breakdown, accident, or other issues, the lessee shall contact the lessor as soon as possible.
c. For repairs costing €25 or more, the lessee requires the permission of the lessor, unless circumstances make this impossible.
d. The lessee shall allow the lessor and their insurance company to inspect the damage before any repair is carried out.
e. In the event of breakdown, accident, damage, or other issues not resulting from wear and tear or maintenance, the lessee is liable for consequential damage, as well as costs for salvage, rescue, and towing. Any claims for these costs are the responsibility of the lessee, unless they cannot be attributed to them and the damage is covered by the vessel’s insurance. The lessee must act carefully in accepting assistance. It is recommended that the lessee take out a security/consequential damage insurance policy.
f. Reimbursement of repair costs will be made upon presentation of itemized invoices. The lessee shall return replaced parts, unless this is reasonably impossible.

14. HARBOUR REGULATIONS

a. The lessee is not permitted to stay overnight on or near the harbor area in a car, on board a vessel, or using other means such as a tent, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the lessor.
b. The lessee is allowed to park a maximum of one vehicle on the harbor premises for the duration of the trip, provided that the vehicle’s license plate corresponds to the license plate stated in the contract completed by the lessee.
c. The vehicle must be parked in a location designated by the lessor or the harbor master.
d. The lessee agrees that the lessor may provide the lessee’s name, (mobile) phone number, and the license plate of the vehicle to the harbor master.

15. RETURN

a. At the end of the rental period, the lessee must return the vessel with full fuel tanks. The lessee may opt to have the tanks refilled by the lessor; any associated costs will be deducted from the security deposit.
b. The vessel must be returned to the home harbor by the lessee in good time, before the end of the rental period. If the vessel is not returned to the home harbor on time, any costs arising from the delay, including those affecting subsequent renters, will be charged to the lessee. After the contractual rental period has ended, the lessor is entitled to charge 5% of the weekly rental price per hour if the lessee returns the vessel late without notification. If the lessee notifies the lessor of a late return in advance and the lessor agrees, the lessor is entitled to charge 2% of the weekly rental price per hour.
c. If the lessee leaves the vessel at a location other than the home harbor, the costs of transport and any resulting delay will be charged to the lessee; any costs will be deducted from the security deposit.
d. Any damage occurring during the rental period must be reported to the lessor by the lessee. The cost of such damage will be deducted from the security deposit.
e. The lessor remains entitled to hold the lessee liable for any unreported damage (including related costs, fines, etc.), even if such damage is discovered only after the vessel has been returned, provided the damage can be shown to have occurred during the lessee’s rental period.
f. If the costs referred to in articles 15.c and 15.d exceed the amount of the security deposit, the lessee must pay the balance immediately after the rental period.
g. Any items lost during the rental period must be compensated by the lessee.

16. OTHER PROVISIONS

a. The headings in these rental terms and conditions are provided solely to enhance readability.
b. The agreement between the lessor and the lessee is governed by Dutch law. The court with jurisdiction to hear disputes is the competent court in the district where the lessor is established, or any other court that is competent under the law, at the discretion of the lessor.