Go to content

Get to know the Noordoostpolder from the water. There are kilometres of easily navigable and beautiful canals and you will pass the most beautiful spots. You don't have your own boat? No problem, you can hire a boat at several places. Are you an experienced skipper with a boating licence? Then you can also enter the open waters of the IJsselmeer or Zwarte Meer via one of our locks.

With or without your own boat

Are you the kind of person who owns a boat and takes to the water at the first sign of spring? Or have you never sailed before and do you want to experience what all those boating enthusiasts mean when they talk about the peace and freedom on the water? The Noordoostpolder has beautiful waterways, cosy marinas, impressive locks and various locations for boat rentals, so whether you are an experienced boater or not, your boating trip cannot fail here.

    Instructive sailing route

    Would you like to not only enjoy being on the water, but also learn something about your surroundings at the same time? Then take a sloop, canoe, kayak or sup on (part of) the new sailing route around Kraggenburg along the Leemvaart, Zwolsevaart and Enservaart canals. At each of the eight jetties you pass, especially if you sail by sup, you can take a break and read the information board at the jetty in the meantime. In this way, discover all about the history and nature of the area you are sailing through. Leaflets about the route are available at various local entrepreneurs (hotels, restaurants, etc.) in and around Kraggenburg.

      Don't own a boat? - Rent one!

      Come and moor - in our marinas

      Rather canoe on sup - Out on the water?

      Main and side canals

      There are three main canals in the Noordoostpolderder. They run from one of the locks to Emmeloord, the centre of the polder:

      1. the Lemstervaart is 16 kilometres long and starts in Emmeloord, passes through Bant and along the Kuinderbos and ends at the Friesesluis lock near Lemmer;
      2. the Zwolse Vaart is 15 kilometres long and runs from Emmeloord via Marknesse, through the Voorster forest to the Voorstersluis lock;
      3. The Urkervaart canal is 13 kilometres long and runs from Emmeloord via Tollebeek to the Urkersluis lock in Urk.

      Side canals connect the 10 villages in the Noordoostpolder with the main canals. Almost all villages are located at the end of such a side canal.

        Locks in and to the Noordoostpolder

        In the dykes of the Noordoostpolder , next to each of the three pumping stations, there is a lock for sailing in and out of the polder. These are the Frisian Lock (next to Buma pumping station), the Voorsters Lock (next to Smeenge pumping station) and the Urkers Lock (next to Vissering pumping station). These locks allow shipping to overcome a height difference of between 5 and 6 metres, while two other locks are the Marknessersluis and the Kadoelerkeersluis. All lock complexes consist of a combination of a lock and a movable bridge.

          Out on the open water

          Are you an experienced boater? Then combine a trip on one or more canals through the Noordoostpolder with a stretch on the open water of the IJsselmeer or Zwarte Meer. Just pass through a lock and go! And at the end of the day, of course, you moor at one of our marinas and end the day at a cosy restaurant nearby. The ultimate holiday feeling, right?