Jet skis are the highest-utilisation, lowest-day-rate boat asset on the Costa del Sol. A single Sea-Doo or Yamaha WaveRunner can clear €90–€140 an hour, run 120–180 paid hours across June–September, and turn over €11,000–€22,000 gross in a single season — without ever leaving its trailer overnight. This page is for owners who want to rent out a jet ski through our Puerto Banús + Marbella Marina operation. For larger boats see the main owner page; this one stays jet-ski-specific.
The economics: hourly rentals, not day charters
| Machine | Hourly rate (peak) | Hourly rate (shoulder) | Paid hours/season | Gross revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea-Doo GTI 130 (no licence) | €90–€110 | €70–€90 | 120–180 | €11,000–€17,500 |
| Sea-Doo GTI 170 (PER) | €110–€140 | €85–€110 | 110–160 | €12,500–€20,500 |
| Yamaha VX Cruiser (no licence) | €90–€110 | €70–€90 | 120–180 | €11,000–€17,500 |
| Yamaha FX SVHO (PER, performance) | €140–€180 | €110–€140 | 100–140 | €14,000–€22,000 |
| Tandem (two-up) RIB+PWC package | €180–€240 | €140–€180 | 80–120 | €14,500–€24,000 |
Subtract: 15–20% commission, fuel (€7–€12 per paid hour pass-through, renter typically pays net), beach team share (~€8/hr), insurance, maintenance, trailer storage. Net to owner: 60–75% of gross.
Licence rules — who can ride
Spanish recreational PWC law splits machines into two bands:
- No licence required for craft up to 110 hp / 5 m hull. Rider must be 18+, stay within 2 NM of coast, complete the operator briefing, wear lanyard kill cord. Sea-Doo GTI 130, Yamaha VX Cruiser, RXP-X 130 fit here.
- PER (Patrón de Embarcaciones de Recreo) required for craft 110 hp+ or 5 m+. Sea-Doo GTX 170, RXT 230, Yamaha FX SVHO, Kawasaki Ultra 310 all need it. Renter shows the card; we verify expiry date and Spanish equivalence on foreign licences.
Renting a PER-required machine to a no-licence renter is a €1,200–€3,000 fine for the operator (us), insurance claim refusal, and a fast end to your charter permit. We document the licence check on every rental.
Where the demand is
Marbella's jet ski demand concentrates at three beach launch points:
- Funny Beach (Puerto Banús). Highest walk-in volume. 65% of our jet ski hours start here. Visitors from Banús bars and beach clubs are the main funnel. Operate 10am–7pm.
- Bajadilla beach (Marbella Marina). ~25% of demand. Locals, repeat renters, families staying near Marbella centre. Operate 10am–6:30pm.
- Cabopino. ~10% of demand. Quieter, family-skewed, lower hourly rate but easier weekdays. Operate 11am–6pm.
Estepona launch operates June–August only and is shared with the local pwc charter operator.
How a rental runs — start to finish
- Renter walks up to beach team or arrives pre-booked. Card pre-authorisation for €500 deposit.
- 15-minute briefing: controls, kill cord, no-go zones (swim areas, harbour mouth), tow rope use, return time.
- Helmet + life jacket fitted. Beach team escorts machine to water, hands over keys at the buoy.
- Renter operates within agreed zone. GPS tracker on every machine logs route + speed.
- Return: beach team meets at the buoy, walks machine up, damage inspection on the trailer.
- Deposit released same day if clean. Owner sees the booking in the weekly statement.
Insurance and the lista question
PWC are lista 7 (recreational) for private use but must be on lista 6 (charter) to be rented. Same process as the larger boats — see the insurance page for the full walk-through. Annual charter premium for a single Sea-Doo / Yamaha runs €700–€1,100 in 2026, with €600k passenger liability and full theft cover.
Two extra requirements specific to PWC charter: (1) GPS / VHF tracker installed on each machine, (2) lanyard kill-cord on every life jacket. Both are insurance-mandated, not optional.
Why list with us vs DIY beach operation
You can apply for your own municipal permit and run a single machine off your trailer — some owners do. The trade-off:
- Municipal beach permit: €4,000–€9,000/season, 4–6 month application, restricted to one or two beaches.
- You staff the beach yourself (or hire) — 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, June–September.
- You take the deposit risk, run the briefings, handle the disputes.
List with us: no municipal permit (we hold them), no daily staffing, no briefing duty, no deposit risk. Trade-off is the 15–20% commission. Math works out for almost every single-machine owner.
Related: more for owners
Frequently asked questions
How much does a jet ski earn per season in Marbella?
A well-maintained Sea-Doo GTI or Yamaha VX runs 120–180 paid hours June through September at €90–€140/hr. Gross €11,000–€22,000. Net to owner after our 15–20% commission, fuel, third-party briefing staff and maintenance reserve: €7,500–€16,000. Top machines on the walk-in line at Puerto Banús clear 220+ hours and €25k+.
Do renters need a licence?
Under Spanish law, recreational PWC up to 110 hp with no licence requires the rider to be 18+, stay within 2 NM of coast, and complete the operator briefing before launch. We run that briefing for every rental — about 15 minutes covering controls, no-go zones (swimming beaches, harbour exits), kill cord, and emergency procedure. Larger PWC (4-stroke 150 hp+) need Patrón de Embarcaciones de Recreo (PER).
Where do you launch from?
Three current beach launch points: Puerto Banús (Funny Beach), Marbella Marina (Bajadilla beach), and Cabopino. Estepona launch operates June–August only. All have municipal permits and lifeguard coverage. Walk-in renters concentrate at Puerto Banús; pre-booked groups go to whichever beach matches the boat-hire booking they're attached to.
Who handles the briefing and safety?
We supply a beach team during all operating hours (10am–7pm peak season). Beach captain runs each briefing, handles helmet / jacket fit, documents the renter, takes the deposit. The team is on radio with the marina coastguard. You don't need to be present.
What about damage and theft?
Deposit €500 per machine, pre-authorised on a card. Standard hire damage (scratches, gelcoat) covered by deposit. Major (hull breach, engine ingestion, theft) covered by the charter insurance policy. We've had three thefts in the last four seasons — all recovered within 48 hours via the GPS tracker we fit to every machine.
What's the daily occupancy realistically?
Peak August: 6–8 hours booked per day per machine on weekends, 3–5 on weekdays. June and September: 3–5 weekend, 1–3 weekday. October–May: minimal — most machines come off the beach. Total: 120–180 paid hours per season per unit on a well-listed fleet.
Can I list just one machine, or do I need a fleet?
Single machine fine, no minimum. Pricing is identical per-machine whether you list one or ten. Many owners start with one Sea-Doo to test, add a second the following season.
How does this compare to the [main owner page](/owners/list-your-boat-marbella/)?
Jet skis are hourly, walk-in, high-volume. Motor boats are day-rate, pre-booked, lower-volume. Commission, insurance and lista 6 requirements work the same way. Different beat — economics are about utilisation hours rather than booked days.