Boat Rental in Auckland

The isthmus of Auckland was described as early as 1853: "In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in the early morning. At that time, generally, a solemn stillness holds, and a perfect calm prevails..." Whether prose interests you or not, try a boat rental in Auckland and make up your own story. There is a tradition of world-class sailing in Auckland that includes the America's Cup, and the Auckland Boat Show is the only boating expo in New Zealand where visitors can experience such a wide range of vessels on and off the water. If you are a real sailing enthusiast, these should tick all your boxes. The harbour is beautiful, there are 38 yacht clubs and more boats per capita than any other city in the world, so it is an excellent place for boat rental.

With so many boat rentals available in Auckland, the average price for a speed boat rental is 100 USD per hour. There are less expensive speed boat rental options as well as pricier ones. Take your pick. You will be spoiled for choice. Don’t forget the possibilities of joining a cruise for around 50 USD per person or renting a jet ski. Whatever option you go for, you can invite your friends and guests to have fun or share the costs.

Why not go on a catamaran rental adventure in Auckland with costs for a skipper, crew, and boat ranging from 400 USD an hour to as little as 500 USD for a night. Whether you decide on catamaran rental in Auckland for an hour, a half-day, or full-day or an evening sail, you will be sure to find a wide range of rental options and prices to match.

If you can only make one day free for boat rental in Auckland, depart from near the Viaduct and sail to one of the nearby islands. Not all islands allow public access, but private boats can land. Rangitoto is an extinct volcano; it is also the iconic image of Auckland. No bush or beaches, just volcanic rock. Go ashore and take a one hour walk to the top for spectacular views. Continue to Motutapu, a small island attached to Rangitoto by a causeway. It is excellent for bushwalks, white sand beaches, and swimming. Keep island hopping to Motuihe, another smaller island nearby with similar attractions all accessible by boat rental.

If you have an overnight boat rental, then the best place to go is Waiheke Island. From Auckland Harbour head North where the beaches are the best. Oneroa has a white sandy beach with many boats moored off here in summer. You can take a dinghy to the beach and walk 100m to the town centre. The main town center with shops, cafes, takeaways, plus a few bars and restaurants. Keep going to Palm Beach, a smaller beach, and not so crowded. Little Palm beach, at one end, is the local nudist beach. Boats can often anchor off here. There is a restaurant & sundry store at one end of the beach. Not beached out yet? Onetangi is a fantastic white sand beach, almost 2km long. On the Eastside there is Man-o-War Bay.

A more remote bay where the main attraction is Man-o-War Winery, one of 30 wineries on Waiheke, requires a car to access. There are 30 boutique wineries on Waiheke, and due to the unique microclimate, they produce some of New Zealand's best red wines. If you head South sail to Matiatia, a small bay for anchorage. Anzac Bay / Kennedy Point has yacht moorings, useful as an anchorage of the weather is unfavourable from the North. The Bay of Islands may be too far for a weekend boat rental trip, but if you have a week, then go for it. Most boat rental companies offer a one-way option where you pay them extra to return the boat to base.

Diving is available year-round in Auckland. January to June is considered the best time to dive the Northern dive sites of North Island. Spectacular wreck diving can be had on either the HMNZS Canterbury or the Rainbow Warrior (Greenpeace’s flagship vessel, bombed by the French Secret Service). Both wrecks are now encrusted in abundant fish life and beautiful reefs. Poor Knights Islands, a protected marine reserve, also offers divers drop-offs, walls, caves, arches, tunnels, and spectacular marine life. The Coromandel Peninsula is dotted with islands with many good dive sites. In the summer months, large kingfish school with giant boarfish, and tarakihi. Goat Island is New Zealand’s oldest marine reserve featuring a variety of diving environments, including rocky shores, deep reefs, underwater cliffs, canyons, and sand flats.

If you are wondering when the best time to go whale watching in Auckland, the answer is ‘every day’. Sperm whales feeding off the coastline happen all year round come here to feed upon the abundance of food in the nutrient-rich waters of the Kaikōura Canyon. During these months’ we most commonly have the opportunity to view ‘pods’ of whales as they pass by, usually in pods of between six or more, several times a month. Other visitors to Kaikōura include humpback whales, pilot whales, blue whales, and southern right whales. For instance, during the months of June to August, humpback whales leave Antarctic waters for the winter and head North to the warmer tropical waters of places like Tonga and Australia, stopping off in Kaikōura on their way for a rest before continuing on their journey. For the best opportunity for seeing sperm whales and migrating whales, June to August is the best time to go whale watching. Don’t forget to look out for common Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Southern Right Whale Dolphins, Elephant Seals, and Leopard Seals.