Have you ever wondered the perfect way of exploring the Cornish coast? Hiring boats, self-drive boats, or perhaps a luxury yacht charter around the Cornish coast will create an unforgettable experience for you and your family!
Here is a complete guide of the very best Cornwall boat hire options, from hiring a boat, a self-drive boat, or even a yacht charter to help you plan your perfect day out in Cornwall with your family!
Cornwall is a magical county with outstanding areas of natural beauty and numerous attractions – perfect for family holidays. From the charming fishing harbours, quaint waterside villages, spectacular beaches, dramatic coastlines, and magnificent estuaries with hidden creeks and lovely tributaries.
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Best Cornwall Boat Hire
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What better way to explore the secret coves and spot the incredible Cornish wildlife and marine life than getting up close to the beautiful waterside villages by sea. Pull in at any charming waterside pubs or restaurants, and find excellent fishing spots.
You can hire a boat to navigate yourself, fully equipped with safety equipment. You could also hire skipper to operate the boat. Some Cornwall boat hire options come with a skipper. Here is a list of the very best Cornwall boat hire to plan a perfect trip and create a wonderful experience with your family!
#1 Mylor Boat Hire, Falmouth
Based in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Mylor Boat Hire is a great option to explore secret coves, unspoilt hidden creeks, beautiful villages and charming pubs along the river, lovely gardens and stunning Cornish scenery from the boats. Perhaps you can drop the anchor in a peaceful spot and enjoy a lovely picnic with your family!
This Falmouth boat hire offers a boat hire with no experience required that is suitable for all ages and families of up to 10 people+ dogs. The motorboats can explore the River Fal up to St Anthony’s Lighthouse depending on the tides. You will get the life jackets and complete instructions on boat handling without a skipper. Start your perfect family day out in Falmouth today.
Website | mylorboathire
#2 Falmouth Boat Hire
If you plan to go fishing while enjoying the unique Cornish landscapes, incredible wildlife and the beautiful sound of flowing water at River Fal, why not hire a boat? Falmouth Boat Hire is one of the best Cornwall boat hire companies, considering the elements like the large and fully insured boats, easy to manoeuvre, highly reliable and safe for the families, as well as offering excellent value for money.
Hiring a boat with Falmouth boat hire does not require experience. However, you will get full instructions on how to handle the boat without a skipper and a map to explore the very best of this magnificent area!
Website | falmouthboathire
#3 Fowey River Hire
Fowey boat hire offers one of the best Cornwall boat hire options for families, as they provide stable and robust boats equipped with maps, paddles, ropes, and an anchor that are suitable for families with small children and dogs.
You can hire a boat with no experience and a boat license is needed. You’ll receive complete instructions and advice from the trained staff to ensure a memorable adventure.
Set in an unspoilt Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and part of the National Trust, the waters surrounding Fowey are nearby nature reserves, lovely creeks and scenic tributaries.
You’ll pass charming villages and hamlets and come across brilliant fishing sites, waiting to be explored onshore or from the boats. Why not pack some food for a picnic with your family at your preferable stop or perhaps show your skills at catching mackerel, pollock, bass, and conger eels at one of those fishing marks?
Website | foweyriverhire
#4 St Mawes Boat Hire
Hiring a boat in St Mawes is the perfect option to explore the spectacular Fal Estuary, cruising down to the nearby Helford River via Maenporth. Why not enjoy a picnic with your family at one of the incredible creeks and tributaries or pull in at Trelissick to explore the beautiful woodland garden with your kids?
Perhaps you could go birdwatching at Sett Bridge or discover the ample wildlife in the area, from dolphins to seals and basking sharks to giant conger eels.
St Mawes Boat Hire provides several types of boats to choose from. The bass boats can be hired with no experience. To hire a motorboat, it’s recommended that you have some boating experience. To hire a RIB, you’ll need a powerboat certificate for the boat hire. You will get instructions and demonstrations on how to drive a boat aside from the lifejackets for adults and children, charts and safety equipment to appreciate the beauty of Fal Estuary from the water without any obstacles.
Website | stmawesboathire
#5 Padstow Sealife Safaris
This Padstow boat hire offers a personalised experience with an experienced skipper familiar with the historical, geographical, maritime and local knowledge of the area to help you plan a safe and memorable adventure with your family.
You will receive a safety briefing from the team and lifejackets for the passengers including the children from ages two who are allowed in the boat hire. Padstow’s location in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with the spectacular Camel Estuary and exposed to the prevailing winds of the Atlantic turns the Cornish coastlines into dramatic landscapes with plenty of sheer cliffs, steep valleys, hidden coves, beautiful bays apart from having wilder nature for a wide variety of incredible sea life like dolphins, porpoises, basking sharks and grey seals makes this place a perfect spot for family exploration and adventures from the water!
Website | padstowsealifesafaris
#6 Rock Boat Charter
Rock Boat Charter provides licensed boats for up to 10 passengers. Boats feature a large swim platform with a ladder, a hot shower, comfortable seating, and an experienced skipper.
Pass secluded bays and gorgeous beaches and spot some Cornish wildlife species.
Why not bring your family to snorkel or sunbathe in one of those hidden coves? Perhaps you can cruise along the river and discover any incredible wildlife along the way or stop at the birdwatching area with your kids. Or watch the sunset at your preferable stops or from the boat hire.
Rock, Cornwall is also a great place to create a memorable experience with your family as you can find a brilliant haven for water-based leisure like angling and fishing trips!
Best Self-Drive-Boat Hire in Cornwall
How would you wish to explore the lovely canals, unspoilt creeks, and backwaters in Cornwall other than self-drive boat hire? Cornwall is undoubtedly packed with numerous hidden creeks and backwaters waiting for you to discover.
Why not enjoy a fun ride on small and easy drive boats even without experience to reach these secluded parts of Cornwall with your family?
Here is a list of the very best self-drive boat hire companies in Cornwall to guide you in planning a memorable experience with your family.
#7 Loe Beach Motorboat Hire
Loe beach is a small shingle beach facing the spectacular Carrick Roads between Truro and Falmouth with easy access to explore the magnificent estuary, lovely creeks, gorgeous beaches and other beautiful Cornish destinations like St Mawes and Mylor. Perfect for sightseeing, wildlife watching or fishing trips in the tranquil water of Cornwall’s premier destination, this Loe boat hire offers large stable boats for a family day out.
You will get to drive the boat with no experience required but with operational instructions and briefing by the instructors besides buoyancy aids fitted for your size as well as your child’s size.
Website | loebeach
#8 Pentewan Self-drive-boat Hire
Based in between the quaint St Austell and the fishing village of Mevagissey, Pentewan is an ideal place to enjoy the beautiful scenery, explore the gorgeous local coastlines, and discover the local marine wildlife like angelfish, basking sharks, a host of seabirds, and much more from the water apart from going for a fishing trip with your family.
This self-drive boat hire offers a tiny boat that is simple to drive and fun to ride, and yet, ensure a safe adventure with your family as you will get a full safety briefing and buoyancy aids for all passengers!
Website | pentewanselfdriveboathire
#9 St Ives Boat Rides
This St Ives boat hire provides brand new motorboats ranging from Picton Sunspots to Excel Inflatable Ribs equipped with steering wheels so that those with no experience can easily manoeuvre the self-drive boat hire. Cornwall is famous for its picturesque fishing harbours, charming seaside villages and gorgeous beaches. St Ives in the far West of Cornwall has everything you need to create a pleasant trip with your family.
Why not get up close and discover the beautiful St Ives coastlines from the water. Self-drive boats are suitable for all ages and a fun ride for everyone, what better way to brighten your day than zipping across St Ives Bay with your family.
Website | stivesboatrides
#10 Bude Rowing Boats
If you wish to have great fun with family from the water while visiting Bude, why not use the service of Bude canal boat hire that offers rowing boats using oars and row right out of the town centre to the peaceful countryside on your own? Such an incredible way to explore the canal in Bude while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
You can row with your kids down the canal and see the lovely ducks in the area. Besides that, all boats are being thoroughly checked and equipped with a full range of buoyancy aids to ensure a safe and memorable trip.
Website | budeboathire
#11 Fowey Boat Hire
With unspoilt creeks and backwaters, picturesque working harbour, ancient architecture, gorgeous beaches, abundant wildlife, and marine life, all giving the right reason to get a different perspective of Fowey by using boat rental.
Fowey Boat Hire can provide a safe and wonderful experience with family by cruising down the beautiful Fowey River using a stable and superb quality boat with wheel steering for easy manoeuvring. You will get the lifejackets that fit all sizes and complete instructions on how to operate the boat hire.
Website | foweyboathire
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