Small boats · no licence
Small enough to drive yourself on your first go, big enough for the whole group. No licence, no test, no experience — just a briefing on the dock and the harbour in front of you.
The fleet
Every boat here is one you drive yourself without a licence. They are small in the sense that matters — easy to handle, easy to park at a beach, and priced for a group rather than a corporate budget. Pick by how long you want and how many are coming.
The smallest — and cheapest
Our easiest boat and the one most people start with. Full shade canopy with sides, a small cabin if the weather turns, a lunch table and a swim ladder off the back. Dogs welcome.
Two more seats, fully shaded
An 8-metre classic cruiser that takes eight and is shaded end to end. The only one of the three with a toilet on board, which matters on a longer day.
Flat deck, BBQ on board
A 7-metre pontoon built for staying put rather than covering ground. Flat, stable deck, shade over three-quarters of it, and a BBQ with the gas supplied.
Weekday rates shown — weekends, the 19 December – 26 January peak and public holidays are higher. Fuel is included on every boat and a refundable $250 security hold applies. Marlow and Frankie open for hire in October and are being refitted, so their images are indicative of how they will look once finished.
Why small
Most people picture a big charter when they think about getting on the water here, and then discover it costs more than the rest of the weekend put together. A small boat solves that. You get the same harbour, the same beaches and the same view of the Opera House for a fraction of it, and you are not sharing the day with a crew.
Small also means shallow. The best parts of Sydney Harbour — Store Beach, Parsley Bay, the coves around Middle Harbour — are places a big boat physically cannot reach. You can nose in, drop the anchor a few metres off the sand and swim ashore.
And a small boat is one you can actually drive on your first attempt. No licence, no test. We run the briefing on the dock, you take the wheel, and most people have the hang of it before they clear the moorings.
No licence
In New South Wales you do not need a boat licence to drive a hire boat that stays under a set speed. Every boat on this page sits in that category, so there is no licence, no test and no boating background required.
What you do need is straightforward:
The briefing is not a formality. We cover the controls, anchoring, where you can and cannot go, and mark the good anchorages on your map. You leave the dock knowing what you are doing.
Good to know
No. Every boat on this page is a no-licence hire boat, so there is no licence, no test and no experience needed. One person aged 18 or over takes the helm and we run a full briefing before you leave the dock.
From $400 for three hours on the Day Boat, which takes up to 6. Marlow is $495 for three hours or $695 for a day tripper, and Frankie is $650 for a half day or $950 for a full day, both taking up to 8. Those are weekday rates and fuel is included.
The Day Boat takes up to 6 guests. Marlow and Frankie each take up to 8. That figure includes everyone on board, not just the adults.
Yes, on every boat here. There is no refuelling stop and no fuel charge at the end.
Yes, and there is no BYO fee on any of the boats.
The Day Boat leaves from Mosman. Marlow and Frankie leave from Double Bay, from October.
Yes. Three hours is the shortest hire on the Day Boat and on Marlow, and Frankie does a half day. A three-hour slot is plenty for a swim, a beach stop and lunch.
If conditions are unsafe we will not send you out, and you can move your booking to another day. Light rain is usually fine — the Day Boat and Marlow are both shaded, and Marlow has a cabin.
Ready when you are
Mosman · Rose Bay · Cheap boat hire · No licence boats · Prices · Where to find us