52°30′ N · 5°04′ E · Volendam
IJsselmeer
Shallow water, old harbour towns and flat-bottomed ships: sailing in the Netherlands.
Sailing trips / IJsselmeer sailed
The IJsselmeer is a huge freshwater lake, created by the Afsluitdijk in 1932. The water is usually only three to five metres deep and the waves are short and steep. If you can sail safely here, you are ready for almost anywhere.
The harbours make up for it: Volendam with its fish stalls, car-free Marken, the old trading towns of Hoorn and Enkhuizen and, on the Frisian side, Stavoren and Hindeloopen.
The route
A typical week in this area. We decide the actual route on board, depending on weather and crew. ≈ 86 nm.
- Day 1Volendam → Marken 4 nm
A gentle start and a walk through the old fishing village with its green wooden houses.
- Day 2Marken → Hoorn 13 nm
Across the Markermeer into the historic harbour of Hoorn.
- Day 3Hoorn → Enkhuizen 11 nm
Along the coast; in the evening the museum harbour and the Zuiderzee Museum.
- Day 4Enkhuizen → Stavoren 12 nm
Through the lock in the Houtribdijk onto the IJsselmeer and across to Friesland.
- Day 5Stavoren → Hindeloopen 6 nm
A short hop to the little town famous for its painted furniture.
- Day 6Hindeloopen → Medemblik 15 nm
Across the IJsselmeer to Radboud Castle.
- Day 7Medemblik → Volendam 25 nm
Back through the lock onto the Markermeer and to Volendam.
Good to know
- Always watch the depth: outside the channels it gets shallow quickly.
- Look out for commercial traffic and the large traditional ships of the "brown fleet"; they have little room to manoeuvre.
- For locks and bridges keep lines and fenders ready on both sides.
Photos from the trip
