Octopus 470
The roomiest of the no-licence boats: six people in 5 metres. It is the one we usually give to families with children.
Boat rental in Manilva
Five boats moored in Puerto de la Duquesa. Three you can drive yourself with no licence, one that needs a PER and the skippered Sea Ray 33.
See the boats in La Duquesa5
boats in La Duquesa
180€
from, for 2 hours
4.9
from 131 Google reviews
09-21h
every day
Rent the boat and drive it yourself from Puerto de la Duquesa
Solboat has five boats in Puerto de la Duquesa, Manilva, at Calle Delfin, moorings 61-63. Three 5-metre boats can be driven with no licence from 180€ for 2 hours, the Aqua 620 requires a PER and the Sea Ray 33 goes out with a skipper. Open every day from 09:00 to 21:00.
This page is about one specific thing: taking the helm yourself. You will find each boat's details, what you need in order to drive it, what it costs, the deposit we ask for and how to reach the mooring. No fixed packages and no made-up rates: what you see is what gets charged.
La Duquesa is a small marina. It has none of the bustle of Puerto Marina or its August queues, and that shows exactly where it matters: you park near the mooring, we run through the controls without rushing and you are outside the harbour mouth in a couple of minutes. For a first-time skipper it is the easiest of our three bases.
The Puerto de la Duquesa fleet
These are the five boats we keep in Manilva, with their length, capacity and what you need to drive them. Prices are for two hours, insurance and safety equipment included.
| Boat | Length and seats | Licence | Price 2 h | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Octopus 470 | 5 m · 6 seats | No licence | 190€ | 300€ |
| Saver 495 | 5 m · 5 seats | No licence | 180€ | 300€ |
| Astromar 470 | 5 m · 5 seats | No licence | 180€ | 300€ |
| Aqua 620 | 5.99 m · 8 seats | PER (130 hp) | 250€ | 500€ |
| Sea Ray 33 | 12 m · 10 seats | Skippered only | 550€ | — |
Saver 495
Italian hull, easy to handle and, together with the Astromar, the cheapest at this base. Five seats.
Astromar 470
Same rate as the Saver and the same five seats. Which one you get depends on the day's availability; we confirm it when you book.
Aqua 620
Eight seats and 130 hp. Because it goes over 15 hp we ask for your PER or equivalent at the mooring, no exceptions. It is the boat that really makes it to Sotogrande and back.
Sea Ray 33
Twelve metres and ten seats. It is not rented out for you to drive: one of our professional skippers is always on board and fuel is included in the price.
What you can drive without a boat licence
Spanish rules let you drive boats of up to 6 metres in length with an engine of up to 15 hp without any licence, always in daylight and less than 2 miles from the coast. That covers three of our five boats in La Duquesa: the Octopus 470, the Saver 495 and the Astromar 470. No course, no exam, no paperwork: you sign the contract, we run through the controls at the mooring and off you go.
And what you cannot: the Aqua 620 and the Sea Ray 33
This is where people get caught out, so let us be blunt: not every boat we have in Manilva is licence-free. The Aqua 620 carries 130 hp and therefore requires a PER or equivalent qualification because of the engine, not because of its size, and we check it when we hand the boat over. The Sea Ray 33 is simply not rented without a skipper. If you have no licence and want one of the big boats, the way in is a skippered trip.
What the price covers and what is paid separately
Included in the rate: third-party liability insurance, certified safety equipment and the handling briefing before you leave. You can add accessories to your booking — paddle board, wakeboard, kneeboard, inflatable ring or fishing gear — and they will be on board before you arrive.
Fuel is separate on all four self-drive boats: you refuel on your way back and pay exactly what you used. The only exception is the skippered Sea Ray 33, where fuel is included. We spell this out because it is the most common misunderstanding and we would rather you knew before you hand the boat back.
The deposit is 300€ on the three no-licence boats and 500€ on the Aqua 620. It is held when you pick the boat up and released when you return it undamaged. We charge no cleaning fee and no seasonal surcharge.
What we do not do, here or at any other base: catering, an open bar, a DJ or a photographer. Food and drink you bring yourself.
Where we are and how to reach the mooring
Puerto de la Duquesa, in Manilva, at the western end of the province of Málaga. This is the exact address of the base.
Solboat - Alquiler de barcos Manilva
Calle Delfin, Nº Atraque, 61 - 63
29692 Manilva, Málaga
On the A-7 it is about 15 minutes from Estepona, about 40 from Marbella and about 30 from the Gibraltar border. From the city of Málaga allow a little under an hour. Take the La Duquesa exit and the marina is right by the road.
There is parking inside the marina itself and around the Castillo de la Duquesa. Because it is a small port you can park close to the mooring almost any day of the year, August included.
What else you can do from the Manilva base
For the days when you would rather someone else drove, experiences with everything arranged leave from the same berth: dolphin watching, wakeboard and water-ski sessions, private tours towards Sotogrande and the Strait of Gibraltar, and a wine tasting on board.
Would you rather not take the helm?
If what you want is to sit back, put music on and let someone else drive, this is not your page. Skippered trips are booked separately, follow their own routes towards Punta Chullera and Sotogrande and come with fuel included.
See the skippered boat trips from ManilvaFrequently asked questions
What people ask us before renting a boat in Manilva.
See you at moorings 61-63
Pick a boat, pick a date and turn up at Puerto de la Duquesa. The paperwork and the handling briefing are on us.
Book a boat in Manilva