British boats moving to the Netherlands

Why are so many British boats moving to the Netherlands?

Over the past few years we've noticed something interesting at our sailing school in the Netherlands. More and more British sailing yachts and motor cruisers are finding their way to Dutch marinas, especially in Zeeland and North Brabant.

We enjoy meeting these sailors. Some stop by for a chat, others join us for a day's sailing, while many are simply enjoying time on their own boats. One question kept coming up.

Why keep your boat in the Netherlands when you live in the UK?
The answer was remarkably consistent.

Cost.

Almost every British owner we spoke to mentioned the same thing. Marina fees in many parts of the UK have become so expensive that keeping a boat in the Netherlands is often a far more attractive option. Several owners even told us that their annual berth costs in Britain would be five or six times higher than what they pay in the Netherlands.

Of course this depends on the marina and the location, but the difference is clearly large enough for many people to look across the North Sea.

What surprised us most was that these were not only retired sailors with plenty of free time. We met people who still have full time jobs in the UK. They simply travel to the Netherlands whenever they want to sail. Even after paying for the journey, they feel they are still saving money while enjoying excellent sailing waters and modern marina facilities.

We know the English coast well ourselves and we always enjoy sailing there. It has beautiful harbours, stunning scenery and a proud maritime tradition. But there is no escaping the fact that marina prices have become a serious issue for many British boat owners.

The Netherlands offers something different. Good value, excellent facilities, easy access to outstanding cruising grounds and, perhaps most importantly, a place where boating still feels affordable.

Judging by the growing number of British flags we see in our marinas, this is more than just a passing trend.

It looks like an increasing number of British sailors have done the maths and decided that the Netherlands is simply the better place to keep their boat.