Dubhe — Cheapest Boat Charter in Puerto Banús | From €230

Not every Marbella charter needs to be a 12-metre flybridge yacht with a full drinks service. Sometimes you want to get on the water, have a couple of hours of freedom, and do it at a price that doesn't require a group of ten to split. That's exactly what the Dubhe is for.

The Dubhe is the smallest and cheapest boat in the Puerto Banús charter fleet — an 8-metre day boat available from just €230 for a 2-hour hire, with no licence required and a 10-minute briefing as the only prerequisite for taking the helm yourself.

Dubhe pricing

• 2 hours — €230
• 3 hours — €280
• 4 hours — €350

Note: Fuel is not included in the Dubhe price — budget approximately €30–€60 depending on your route and how aggressively you use the throttle. All other inclusions (drinks, snacks, insurance, safety equipment) are standard.

The licence-free rules in Spain

Spain has a specific category of recreational boat that anyone can hire without a maritime licence — vessels of a certain horsepower and engine configuration, operated within 2 nautical miles of the coast during daylight hours. The Dubhe falls within this category, which is why the only requirement before departure is a 10-minute marina briefing from a qualified instructor.

The briefing covers the basic controls, safety equipment location, VHF radio operation, and the specific rules for the 2 NM zone around Puerto Banús. It's genuinely beginner-friendly — most guests have the boat underway comfortably within a few minutes of leaving the dock.

Who is the Dubhe for?

The Dubhe is the right choice for couples and small groups (2–5) who want an active, self-directed experience rather than a guided charter. You drive, you decide where to go within the coastal zone, and you have the boat entirely to yourselves. There's no skipper to coordinate with and no schedule to follow.

It's also the entry point for first-time boaters — a genuinely low-pressure introduction to handling a boat that often converts guests who weren't sure they'd enjoy being on the water into enthusiasts booking bigger boats on their next visit.

For budget-conscious travellers staying in Marbella for a week or more, the Dubhe makes it possible to get on the water multiple times during a stay — an afternoon here, a morning there — in a way that would be financially impractical on the larger charter boats.

What the Dubhe can't do

The 2 NM coastal limit means the Dubhe can't reach the deeper offshore anchorages used by the larger yachts, and the daylight-only rule rules out sunset charters. For a group of more than 5, the Dubhe isn't an option — you'll need to step up to the Astondoa 40 or Azimut 39 at that point.

But within its parameters, the Dubhe is one of the best-value propositions on the Costa del Sol. €230 for two hours of self-drive freedom on the Mediterranean, departing from one of Europe's most famous marinas, with a cold drinks box on board. Hard to argue with.