Making a big splash: Best ways to get out on the water in the UAE

The UAE is a boatie's paradise, and with more than 200 islands in Abu Dhabi alone, and skylines to rival some of the best in the world, marine lovers are spoilt for choice.

The Emirates’ nautical playground, which stretches from Ras Al Khaimah in the north to Sir Bani Yas and Delma islands in the south, caters to all tastes. Whether you’re keen to see the sights from a different perspective on-board a tour boat, a skipper who owns a boat or charters one regularly to impress family and friends, or you’re part of an international superyacht crew that cruises into the country when the tide brings you this way, you can do it all.

“The UAE’s maritime community is slowly witnessing a transformation from one that was predominantly characterised by fishing to one of lifestyle and leisure cruising,” says Erwin Bamps, the chief executive of the Dubai-based Gulf Craft, which is one of the Middle East’s leading boat and yacht producers.

Read more: How to get water ready with licensing and registration, safety tips, and boating hotspots

Howard Jackson, Emirates Palace Marina’s manager, agrees. “The industry has changed. It has grown up and matured significantly. For most people, boating is a passion. If you’ve not been out on one before, charter a vessel, do a course and be around like-minded people,” he says.

Jackson, who worked in Saudi Arabia for three years before taking up his Abu Dhabi post last year, believes the camaraderie of the boating community is hard to match. “Here at Emirates Palace Marina, we don’t have members, or clients – we have family.”

This week, the camaraderie Jackson speaks of is on display at the 24th Dubai International Boat Show. The event, which runs until tomorrow at the Dubai International Marine Club, features 850 exhibitors from 56 countries, giving boating companies direct access to the market, and vice versa.

“It is an opportunity for us to connect with existing and prospective customers, and listen to what drives their aspirations,” Bamps says. “This inspires our creations. We are beginning to see a growth in sales among our larger yachts, and this has been driven by a desire to spend a longer time in the water and a greater need for comfort and space.”

If you’re in the market for a boat, the experts say acquiring one is fairly easy. “Compared to other countries, the process of owning a boat is extremely simple in the UAE,” says Cedric Le Rest, the general manager of Yas Marina.

If you’re a UAE resident, there are no restrictions on boat ownership. Your vessel must be registered, though, and when it comes to driving it, sometimes a licence is required. Abu Dhabi and the other emirates are a little more relaxed than Dubai, where the Dubai Maritime City Authority requires you hold a boat licence, while elsewhere it’s not ­compulsory.

Safety and maintenance, along with insurance and berthing costs, are important considerations, too. In most cases, berthing fees are calculated according to the metreage of your boat, and prices vary from marina to ­marina.

The prestigious Emirates Palace Marina charges from Dh39,420 per year for vessels of 15 metres in length, and offers superyacht berthing by arrangement, while other marinas such as the one at Yas Island have annual berthing packages for boats from eight metres to 150 metres long, from Dh13,713. In Dubai, there are four main berthing facilities to choose from at the Dubai Marina Yacht Club, with basic berthing fees from Dh2,000 per metre annually for an eight-metre vessel.

Berthing availability across the UAE has been a topic of much conversation in recent years, because availability has not met demand, but by the end of this year, it’s expected there will be as many as 85 operational marinas and 16,000 berthing spots across the GCC.

If purchasing your own floating paradise isn’t financially viable, all is not lost – chartering is a better option, and comes with a crew. “All you have to do is book,” says Belevari Marine’s boss Berend Lens van Rijn. “There are a variety of options. If you charter through us, the Silver Craft vessels are popular choices, and range in cost from Dh350 for 30 minutes and Dh600 for an hour. Then there are our [four-hour] catamaran tours, which cost Dh350 per person, and our Eco-Donut boats, which start at Dh200 for 30 ­minutes.”

As for how much size matters? “The sky is the limit,” says Le Rest. “The bigger the yacht is, the longer it can stay on the water without provisions, while smaller boats usually stay local, mostly cruising out to a distance anywhere between two and 20 miles from a marina.”

The size of boat people opt for usually depends on how it will be used and its passenger capacity, explains Tirena Boats’ boss Mazen Faraj. “From a customer perspective, space is usually the first priority, particularly the size of the flybridge, because that is where most passengers will spend their time,” he says. “A big-screen TV and sound system are also popular demands.

“There are no specific requirements for chartering a craft in ­Dubai, unless you plan on bringing large photography or videography equipment on board, in which case you would need permissions from Dubai Municipality and ­Dubai Police.”

If you’re a complete novice, the best advice is to decide where you want to go and give it a try.

“Just do it,” says Sander de Moor, a former Abu Dhabi resident who now lives and works in the Seychelles. “I don’t own a boat, but going out on one is like a decompression for me. Once you see the beauty of it and once you’ve had a nice experience, you’ll go again.”

Where you can go varies according to location and vessel type. Bamps suggests that Gulf culture is all about hospitality and sharing experiences with loved ones. “We find that the majority of people in the UAE stay close to the coast, around the beach areas in the Dubai Marina. Most people charter leisure craft for day boating, maybe a fishing trip with the family, but they don’t really travel from one point to another.”

He believes the reason is two-fold. Many waterfront projects – such the Dubai Water Canal, which will come into its own next year – are still under development, and some people aren’t fully aware of the wealth of possibilities when it comes to water-based leisure in the UAE.

“Dubai can be slightly limited in terms of cruising ground, but anchoring in front of the Mina Seyahi is very popular,” adds Le Rest. “Abu Dhabi has 200 natural islands, so the options [there] are endless.”

Some of the most popular spots off the capital include Sir Bani Yas Island, Lulu Island, Al Maya Island and a spot called the Sandbank. “It’s located about 40 minutes’ sailing west of Emirates Palace,” says Lens van Rijn. “The sandbank is clean and not so busy, and people who see pictures of it often mistake it for the Maldives.”

There are many hidden gems farther afield, too, such as the waterways of Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, leading up to Khor Fakkan in Sharjah and the Musandam Peninsula in Oman.

“All of these offer a host of unique experiences and have the facilities to harbour craft,” says Bamps. “Go to Fujairah for some genuine water sport adventure, visit RAK for a stunning backdrop of the emirate’s mountains, and maybe take it one step further and extend your trip to Musandam, and enjoy a spectacular display of coral reefs.”

The Dubai International Boat Show runs until tomorrow, from 3pm to 9.30pm, at the Dubai International Marina Club Mina Seyahi. A one-day visitor ticket costs Dh60; children under 12 enter free. For more information, visit www.boatshowdubai.com.

mhealy@thenational.ae