Gabriels Watersports Boat Rental Rhodes: Self-Drive or With a Driver From Zefiros Beach

Gabriels Watersports

Licence-Free Private Boat Rental

★ 4.9 (44) · from $202

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Prices and timetables checked 2026-10-17. This page contains an affiliate link, explained in the booking section.

The Gabriels Watersports boat rental is the flexible option among the Rhodes boat hires I track: you choose the length, from 2 to 7.5 hours, and the listing offers a driver if you would rather not steer.

What changes the decision is a mismatch between the listing and the operator's site.

The listing sells a licence-free rental for up to five and adds about EUR 40 for fuel, while the operator says the five-person boat needs a licence and that fuel is included. Sort this out before you pay, then compare the boat rentals in Rhodes or return to the Harbour Advisor home page.

What is the Gabriels Watersports boat rental in Rhodes?

It is a private boat hire from a beach base, with a safety briefing, local route advice and the choice of steering yourself or paying for a driver.

• Self-drive: the listing says no licence is needed and staff explain the controls first.
• With a driver: a stronger boat comes with an experienced driver, per the listing and the operator's site.
• Route: Kallithea, Anthony Quinn Bay, Ladiko Bay and Traganou Caves.
• Extras on board: a portable speaker, masks for everyone and a cool box with ice packs.

The listing does not name the boat or its engine. The operator's site fills the gap, as the next section shows.

Which boats does Gabriels Watersports rent?

The operator's site lists two boats with specifications and a third without, and only the smallest is marked licence free.

A group of five therefore needs either a licence for the 60 hp boat or the driver option. Ask which boat your $202 covers and whether a driver is added to the price.

What does the Gabriels Watersports boat rental cost per person?

The boat plus fuel comes to about $247, which is $49 each for five people and $124 each for two.

Fuel is the first uncertainty: the listing bills it when you return, about EUR 40, while the operator's page says fuel and taxes are included in all prices. Treat EUR 40 as the cautious figure. The listing also does not say which duration the $202 from-price covers.

A guided trip such as the Adventure Rib snorkeling cruise costs $62 each, so the hire is cheaper only for groups of four or more.

Where do you board the boat?

You board at the Gabriels Watersports base on Zefiros Beach, about 2.2 km on foot from the Old Town's Sea Gate.

The listing says it is the only watersports operator on that beach. The operator's site gives two bases, Elli Beach and Zefiros Beach, and asks you to arrive 30 minutes early with a passport or national ID. Late arrivals may have to reschedule.

How many minutes does each bay take?

The listed speedboat legs total 60 minutes one way, so a round trip to Traganou Caves uses the whole of a 2-hour slot.

The itinerary gives 25 minutes to Kallithea, 25 more to Anthony Quinn Bay, then 5 to Ladiko Bay and 5 to Traganou Caves. The table doubles those for the return and subtracts them from each rental length. It is my arithmetic from the listing's times, and a slower boat will take longer.

1. Zefiros Beach base - briefing and departure. Base on Google Maps
2. Kallithea - the first swim stop. Kallithea on Google Maps
3. Anthony Quinn Bay - snorkel stop. Anthony Quinn Bay on Google Maps
4. Ladiko Bay - sightseeing stop. Ladiko Bay on Google Maps
5. Traganou Caves - the far end of the route. Traganou Caves on Google Maps

For anything beyond Kallithea, I'd book at least 4 hours.

Do you need a licence, and what are the other rules?

The listing says no licence is needed, and I could not confirm that against an official Greek source, so ask the operator before you pay.

The operator's site marks only the 30 hp boat as licence free and the 60 hp boat as licence required. That is the operator's own labelling. Ask for written confirmation of which boat your booking includes, and check the rules with the Hellenic Coast Guard, the authority for pleasure craft in Greece.

• Age: the driver must be at least 21, per the operator's site.
• Swimming: basic swimming skills are required, and the listing excludes non-swimmers.
• Alcohol and drugs: not allowed.
• Seasickness: the listing excludes people prone to it.

What is included and what costs extra?

The boat, briefing and basic gear are included, and food, drinks and possibly fuel are not.

• Included on the listing: the boat, a safety briefing, local information, a portable speaker, masks for everyone and a cool box with ice packs.
• Included on the operator's site: insurance, a canopy, hydraulic steering, safety equipment, snorkelling gear and soft drinks.
• Not included on the listing: food, drinks and about EUR 40 of fuel.
• Bring: sunglasses, swimwear, a towel, a camera, sunscreen and biodegradable sunscreen.

The listing says it does not provide food or alcohol, and alcohol is banned. Pack your own lunch in the cool box.

Is the Gabriels Watersports boat rental worth it against a guided trip?

It is worth it for groups of four who want time to swim at their own pace, and not for anyone who wants a guide or a certain price.

Reviewers say the staff gave a clear explanation and called the value good, and one wrote that other providers do not explain the boat as well. The cost is uncertainty: engine, fuel and the duration behind the from-price all need a message to the operator.

1. Pick it for four people who want to choose their own bays and have the licence-free boat.
2. Pick the Dream Boats rental if you prefer a fixed 4-hour slot with the fuel fee stated.
3. Pick a guided trip if you want a crew and a snorkel guide.

When is the best time to go?

The calmest months are June, July and October, with 0 to 3 days of waves of 1 m or more in 2025, and the sea peaks at 28.4°C in August.

The table uses 2025 daily data. The listing states no season and no sunset rule, so ask the operator when the last slot ends.

You steer yourself, so wind matters. In 2025 the daily gust maximum reached 25 knots or more on 20 of 31 days in August and 17 of 31 days in May, against 3 days in January (Open-Meteo archive, fetched 2026-10-17).

7 million+ passengers used Rhodes airport in 2025, up 2.5% on 2024, so summer harbours and bays are busy.

Rhodes is busy in summer, so reserve July and August slots early. Greek public holidays, such as Ochi Day on 28 October 2026, add local boaters. For the island overview, see Visit Greece's Rhodes page.

What do renters say?

Renters praise the friendly, clear introduction and say beginners felt safe, and I found no complaint in the sample.

• Briefing: described as straightforward, even for complete beginners.
• Staff: called helpful and informative.
• Value: several reviewers call the price good for the day.
• Length: one couple had the boat for three hours and found it right.

The sample is positive-only, and only 44 reviews sit behind the 4.9 rating, so it is encouraging but thin.

Who is the rental for, and who should skip it?

It suits small groups who can swim and want their own pace, and it does not suit non-swimmers or anyone prone to seasickness.

• Good for: couples and groups of four who like privacy.
• Skip if: you cannot swim or get seasick; the listing excludes both.
• Skip if: you want a meal, a guide or a fixed itinerary; see the guided boat tours in Rhodes.
• Ask first if: you are five people, because the 5-seat boat is labelled licence required.

How do you book the Gabriels Watersports boat rental?

Frequently asked questions

Sources: GetYourGuide listing 1390197 (checked 2026-10-17); Gabriel's Watersports rentals page; Hellenic Coast Guard; Fraport Greece; Visit Greece; Open-Meteo archive and marine APIs; Frankfurter API; OSRM.