Boat hire in Castellammare del Golfo without a licence
Hire a 40 hp boat in Castellammare del Golfo without a licence and see the coast towards Scopello from the water. Rules, prices and licensed Zingaro tours.
Boat hire in Castellammare del Golfo works without a licence: from the Marina di Castellammare you take a 40 hp boat out on the gulf and see the coast towards Scopello and the Zingaro from the water. Italian law allows a licence-free boat with an engine of up to 30 kW (40.8 hp), and the self-drive boats on offer at the harbour are 40 hp. The limit starts at the reserve: no motor within 100 m of the Zingaro shore, and seven coves closed to boats in the bathing season. That is our reading for hire boats, so ask the hirer or the coastguard before you set off. Whoever wants to get near those coves books a licensed tour.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Licence | Not needed within 6 nautical miles of the coast with an engine up to 30 kW and under the limits below |
| Minimum age | By law 16 for boats up to 10 m, 18 above; the listings ask 18 |
| Harbour | Marina di Castellammare, Via Don Leonardo Zangara; 8 km from the villa |
| Zingaro coast | No motor within 100 m of the shore; seven coves closed to boats in the bathing season |
Source: Article 39 of the nautical code (D.Lgs. 171/2005); coastguard ordinance 20/2018 (extract); broker websites, read in October 2026
Hiring a boat without a licence: what Article 39 says
Within six nautical miles of the coast you need no licence for an engine of up to 30 kW (40.8 hp) that stays under the displacement limits in the table. Beyond six miles, on jet skis and with stronger engines a licence is compulsory.
| Engine | Displacement |
|---|---|
| Two-stroke, carburettor | 750 cc |
| Two-stroke, injection | 900 cc |
| Four-stroke outboard | 1,000 cc |
| Four-stroke inboard | 1,300 cc |
| Diesel, naturally aspirated | 2,000 cc |
| Diesel, turbocharged | 1,300 cc |
Source: Article 39, paragraph 1, of D.Lgs. 171/2005 (Normattiva); the 30 kW limit applies on top
The minimum age is 18 for boats over 10 m and 16 for boats up to 10 m (paragraph 3). Sailing a boat that needs a licence without one costs 2,755 to 11,017 euros according to the legal news site Brocardi. Coastguard ordinances apply on top, so ask the hirer which ones are in force this season.
Why hire boats stay away from the Zingaro coast
In ordinance 20/2018 the coastguard of Trapani bans motor navigation within 100 m of the reserve's coast all year. Anchoring within 50 m needs a permit. Engines are allowed only for boats licensed for passenger excursions and authorised dive boats, and then only beyond 50 m and outside bathing areas.
In the bathing season the stretch from Cala Mazzo di Sciacca to Tonnarella dell'Uzzo is also closed, at any hour and to any vessel, in seven coves: Tonnarella dell'Uzzo, Torre dell'Uzzo, Cala Marinella, Cala Berretta, Cala della Disa, Cala del Varo and Cala Capreria. Beach craft without an engine and small sailing boats moved by oars only are exempt.
Our reading, not an official statement: a hire boat without a passenger licence may not run its engine within 100 m of the reserve and may not enter those coves in season. Ask the hirer or the coastguard in Castellammare before you set off.
Distance is no obstacle: the Faraglioni of Scopello are 27 minutes from the harbour at 8 knots, and Tonnarella dell'Uzzo is 51 minutes away. The table gives straight-line distances with times at assumed speeds of 8 and 18 knots.
| Destination | Miles | km | 8 knots | 18 knots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faraglioni di Scopello | 3.6 | 6.7 | 27 min | 12 min |
| Cala Mazzo di Sciacca | 4.3 | 8.0 | 32 min | 14 min |
| Cala dell'Uzzo | 6.4 | 11.8 | 48 min | 21 min |
| Tonnarella dell'Uzzo | 6.8 | 12.5 | 51 min | 23 min |
Source: Our calculation from OpenStreetMap coordinates (Nominatim); nautical miles; speeds are assumptions
At the Tonnara and the Faraglioni the 2026 bathing decree lists a 900 m stretch as closed to bathing for safety reasons, under a 2015 ordinance. Ask the hirer whether it also applies to boats. More on the place is in our article on the Tonnara di Scopello.
Seeing the Zingaro from the water: licensed tours
Licensed boats may use their engines more than 50 m from shore, which is why trips along the reserve exist. The Marina di Castellammare offers berths and skippered trips, not self-drive hire.
| Operator | Trip | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Marina di Castellammare | Zingaro and Scopello, 8 h, up to 12 guests | From €80 per person |
| Marina di Castellammare | Sailing boat, half day, 4 h | From €50 per person |
| Egadi Navigazione | Half day, lunch on board, 9.20 am to 2 pm | Adults €29 (May to July, Sept) or €45 (Aug) |
| Marina di Castellammare | Private motor boat with skipper, Zingaro and San Vito Lo Capo, 8 h | From €1,000 per boat, skipper and fuel included |
Source: Websites of the operators, read in October 2026; no year given for the prices
Entry to the reserve and its rules on land are in our Zingaro article; the paths are in the hiking article.
What a hire boat costs
Self-drive boats are listed by brokers. Their prices carry no year and can change. One broker also shows a larger boat at €330 that does need a licence, so read each listing.
| Broker | Boat | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freedome, 17 listings | 5.5 to 6.4 m, up to 7 people | €70 to €120 per boat, 4 to 8 h |
| Freedome, one listing | 5.75 m, up to 6 people, driver 18+ | From €80, 4 or 9 h |
| Click&Boat | 5.70 m, 6 people, driver 18+ | Day £103 to £250, half day £69 to £155 |
| CheckYeti | 5.75 m, 6 people, briefing | Skipper €40 or €80 extra; hire price not shown |
Source: Freedome, Click&Boat and CheckYeti listings, read in October 2026; no year; Click&Boat prices in pounds by season
Fuel is extra everywhere: you refill and pay on return, at €2 per litre on the Click&Boat listing. Extras include a lunchbox at €15 per person, a snorkelling set at €5 to €10 and a cool box with ice at €10. One broker gives April to November as the season. One provider asks you to be at Cala Marina in the harbour 15 minutes early; parking is paid, about 500 m away, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
Shared by four people, a boat at €80 to €120 for four hours comes to €20 to €30 each plus fuel, against €50 to €80 a head on a Marina trip. That buys a boat for the open water outside the reserve, not for its coves. Ask the hirer about wind and moorings on the day.
From the villa
The harbour is 8 km from the villa, about 20 minutes by car. The villa sleeps up to six guests and has free parking for several cars, which helps, since parking at the harbour is paid. Distances to other places are on the location page, the prices on the rates page. For swimming without a boat, see our beach article. Ask us before you book through the contact page.
Questions and answers
Can you rent a boat without a licence in Castellammare del Golfo?
Yes, with an engine of up to 30 kW (40.8 hp) and under the displacement limits of Article 39, within six nautical miles of the coast. The offers on broker sites are 40 hp boats with a driver aged 18 or over.
Can a hire boat go into the Zingaro coves?
Under the coastguard ordinance no engine may run within 100 m of the reserve, and in the bathing season seven coves are closed to boats. Our reading is that this rules out hire boats; check with the hirer or the coastguard first.
How much does boat hire in Castellammare del Golfo cost?
Brokers list about €70 to €120 per boat for 4 to 8 hours, fuel extra. Click&Boat gives £69 to £155 for a half day, depending on the season.
Sources
- Normattiva: nautical code (D.Lgs. 171/2005), Article 39
- Brocardi: boat licence news (21 August 2026; fines quoted at second hand)
- Riserva dello Zingaro: extract of coastguard ordinance 20/2018 (PDF), accessed 23 October 2026
- Regione Siciliana: bathing decree 2026 (D.D.G. 388, PDF), accessed 24 October 2026
- Nominatim (OpenStreetMap): coordinates; distances and times are our own calculation, accessed 24 October 2026
- Marina di Castellammare: home page
- Marina di Castellammare: boat excursions to Scopello, the Zingaro and San Vito Lo Capo
- Egadi Navigazione: Zingaro excursion from Castellammare del Golfo, accessed 23 October 2026
- Freedome: boat hire in Castellammare del Golfo (broker, prices without a year)
- Freedome: listing for a 5.75 m boat (broker, no year)
- Click&Boat: listing for a 5.70 m boat without licence (broker, prices in pounds, no year)
- CheckYeti: boat hire in Castellammare del Golfo (broker, no year)
Sources accessed on 31 October 2026 unless noted.
