Harbours in Stavoren on the IJsselmeer: Getting There, Harbour Info and Sailing Destinations

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Stavoren lies at the southwestern tip of Friesland and is surrounded by the IJsselmeer on three sides. Yachts berth here mainly in the two harbours of Marina Stavoren, the Buitenhaven right on the IJsselmeer and the Binnenhaven behind the Johan Friso Lock, as well as in the municipal harbour at the Oude Haven in the old town centre. Here you can read how to get to Stavoren for the start of your sailing trip, where each harbour is, where to park and shop, what sailing weather to expect, which sailing destinations are nearby and what skippers should know about the lock and the weather on the lake.

Which harbours are there in Stavoren?

Yachts berth at three places in Stavoren. The Marina Stavoren Buitenhaven is on the southern edge of the town, right on the IJsselmeer, just south of the Johan Friso Lock. The Marina Stavoren Binnenhaven lies east of the lock on the inland side, and from the IJsselmeer you reach it through the lock. The Oude Haven is the municipal harbour in the historic town centre, around 1.2 kilometres north of the Buitenhaven at the old sea lock.

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Buitenhaven and Binnenhaven belong to the same operator, who also runs a campsite, a bungalow park and a yacht service there. Alongside the Oude Haven, the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân runs its own Binnenhaven in the town. Its harbour office, with a sanitary block and washing machines, is on the southern edge of the old town right by the Johan-Friso lock. It should not be confused with the marina's Binnenhaven.

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip in Stavoren

Stavoren is at the end of a railway line and on a ferry route, so it is easy to reach even without a car. What follows applies to all three harbours; where it does not, the name is given.

From Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Stavoren

The nearest major airport is Amsterdam Schiphol, around 75 kilometres as the crow flies from Stavoren.

By public transport you have two options. One is by train via Leeuwarden and Sneek, on the regional line to the terminus at Stavoren. The other is by train to Enkhuizen, where the station is right at the harbour, and then, in season from mid-April to the end of September, by ferry across the IJsselmeer to Stavoren (as of November 2026).

By train or ferry

The regional train from Leeuwarden stops at Sneek, Workum, Hindeloopen and Koudum-Molkwerum, among others, before ending at Stavoren. Stavoren station is about 1.3 kilometres as the crow flies from the Buitenhaven. The ferry between Enkhuizen and Stavoren is the oldest surviving connection between North Holland and Friesland. It runs in season only, in 2026 from 18 April to 27 September: on two weekends in April, daily except Mondays in May, June and September, every day in July and August, and not at all in October. It departs from Enkhuizen at 8:45, 12:45 and 16:45, and from Stavoren at 10:25, 14:25 and 18:25 (2026 timetable, as of November 2026).

In Stavoren, the ferry berths on the Stationsweg by the Oude Haven, around 100 metres from the station. You can buy tickets online, on board in Enkhuizen, and in Stavoren at the visitor centre (VVV) at the landing stage, where card payment only is accepted. You can take bicycles with you for an extra charge, and there are sockets on board for charging e-bike batteries.

Which harbour is mine?

The full name is what matters. “Buitenhaven” means outer harbour: it lies on the IJsselmeer, and the address is Suderstrand 2. “Binnenhaven” means inner harbour: the marina's Binnenhaven is at Middelweg 15, which is also the address of the campsite and the yacht service. The Oude Haven is in the town centre, and the municipal harbour master's office is on the street Noord. So tell the taxi driver “Marina Stavoren Buitenhaven”, “Marina Stavoren Binnenhaven” or “Oude Haven”.

Parking

At the Buitenhaven and the Binnenhaven you leave your car in a fenced marina car park. At the Buitenhaven there is one car park for berth holders and another for visitors. There are also public car parks a few hundred metres from the Buitenhaven.

Near the Oude Haven and the ferry landing stage, the marked spaces on the Stationsweg are a blue zone with a maximum parking time of two hours. You can park for free by the tennis courts on the Stationsweg, about a seven-minute walk from the ferry (as of November 2026).

Showers and sanitary facilities

Both marina harbours have sanitary facilities that are accessible around the clock, in two buildings at the Binnenhaven. Both harbours have a laundry. For marina guests, use is included in the berthing fee, as is the indoor pool at the Binnenhaven.

In the municipal harbour, the showers at the Oude Haven are open daily from 7 am to 9 pm, and those at the municipality's Binnenhaven from 7 am to 9.30 pm. The washing machine and dryer are in the sanitary block by the harbour office at the municipality's Binnenhaven.

Shopping for the trip

For your first shop, each of the marina's two harbours has a watersports shop with a small supermarket. The Buitenhaven also has a croissanterie, and at the Binnenhaven you can order fresh bread rolls in the morning.

The nearest proper supermarket is the PLUS on the street De Bleeck in the town, about 1.1 kilometres from the Buitenhaven. For a big shop by car, there is a SPAR about eight kilometres away and an ALDI about 13 kilometres away.

Doctor and emergency calls

There is a GP practice in the town, on the southern edge of the old town near the Johan-Friso lock. The nearest hospital is the Antonius Ziekenhuis in Sneek, around 26 kilometres away.

In the evenings from 5 pm, at weekends and on public holidays, Dokterswacht Friesland is responsible, the provincial GP out-of-hours service, telephone 0850 820 820. You only go there after calling first.

• 112: emergency number for police, fire brigade and ambulance service, on land and by mobile
• On the water: Kustwacht, the Dutch coastguard, on VHF channel 16 (monitored around the clock) and DSC channel 70, call sign “Den Helder Rescue”
• Without a radio, you can reach the Kustwacht on 112, in the Netherlands also on 0900-0111, and internationally on +31 88 958 4040

The harbours of Stavoren compared

The Buitenhaven is the harbour right on the lake, the Binnenhaven is the family harbour with an indoor pool behind the lock, and the Oude Haven is the berth in the middle of the old town.

Feature	Marina Stavoren Buitenhaven	Marina Stavoren Binnenhaven	Oude Haven (municipal harbour)
Location	on the IJsselmeer, south of the Johan Friso Lock	east of the Johan Friso Lock, inland side	town centre, by the old sea lock
Address	Suderstrand 2, 8715 HP Stavoren	Middelweg 15, 8715 ET Stavoren	Harbour master: Noord 16, 8715 HR Stavoren
Berths	for boats from 7 to 20 m	for boats from 7 to 20 m	Visitor berths, almost all with electricity
berthing	Box berths with finger pontoon and side lines, draught up to 3.80 m	–	–
Visitor berthing fees	–	–	€2.15 per metre per night plus €2.00 tourist tax per person (as of November 2026)
Electricity and water	Electricity at every berth, water at every pontoon	Electricity at every berth, water at every pontoon	Electricity at almost all berths
Refuelling	Diesel (HVO100)	Fuel station at the harbour office	–
Further	Watersports shop with supermarket, laundry, yacht service, slipway, beach, beach pavilion	Watersports shop with supermarket, indoor pool, laundry, fitness room, yacht service	Showers, Blue Flag
Harbour office	+31 88 0504122	+31 88 0504110	+31 514 681216

Where is Marina Stavoren Buitenhaven?

The Buitenhaven lies on the southern edge of Stavoren, right on the IJsselmeer, south of the old town and just south of the Johan Friso Lock. This means you head straight out onto the lake without passing through a lock or under a bridge.

The harbour includes a beach with a windsurfing area and the beach pavilion De Potvis. A footpath leads from the Buitenhaven to the marina's Binnenhaven. In high season, the pavilion has a children's club.

Facilities at Marina Stavoren Buitenhaven

The berths are designed for boats from 7 to 20 metres, and the harbour is built for a draught of up to 3.80 metres. You moor in boxes with a finger pontoon and side lines at high, fixed pontoons, from which you can usually step aboard at deck level. Every berth has its own 16-amp power connection, and there is drinking water on every pontoon. For visiting boats, electricity and water are included in the berthing fee, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the harbour. On the works island there is a diesel pump with HVO100, a slipway for trailers and the yacht service for maintenance and refits. You can hire bicycles and e-bikes at the harbour office.

Where is Marina Stavoren Binnenhaven?

The Binnenhaven lies east of the Johan-Friso lock on the inland side, between the IJsselmeer and the Frisian Lakes. It is around 900 metres from the Buitenhaven, and the old town is within walking distance.

The Binnenhaven is a family harbour. Next to it are the campsite and the bungalow park, and the main building houses the harbour office, an indoor pool and a watersports shop. To reach the IJsselmeer, you go through the Johan-Friso lock; for the Frisian Lakes, take the Johan-Friso Canal.

Facilities at Marina Stavoren Binnenhaven

As in the Buitenhaven, every berth has electricity and every pontoon has drinking water. There is a fuel station by the harbour office. In the main building you will find the indoor pool, a small gym, the laundry and the watersports shop with a supermarket section. Winter storage is available in halls. The harbour staff check all boats twice a day.

Where is the Oude Haven?

The Oude Haven is the old town harbour in the historic centre, north of the marina. The historic sea lock of 1576 is located here, the fishing harbour adjoins it on the seaward side, and a red and a green harbour light from 1884 stand at the harbour entrance. The statue of the Vrouwtje van Stavoren is near the old lock.

It is run by the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân, whose harbours fly the Blue Flag, an environmental award for harbours. Visitor berths are marked in green on the municipality's harbour plan.

Facilities at the Oude Haven

Almost all berths have shore power. There are showers at the Oude Haven, while the washing machine and dryer are at the municipal harbour office at the Binnenhaven. There is no Wi-Fi in the municipal harbour.

What is the weather like for sailing in Stavoren?

In the winter months the wind in the Netherlands most frequently blows from the south-west. For the IJsselmeer the Dutch weather service KNMI issues a wind warning from wind force 6 onwards.

There are no tides. The water authority Rijkswaterstaat regulates the water level via the locks in the Afsluitdijk: in summer it keeps the level slightly higher so that enough fresh water is in reserve. Strong wind pushes the water towards the downwind shore, where the level rises, while it falls on the opposite shore. In strong wind, the waves on the lake are fully developed after only about an hour, and in a storm they reach a height of around 1.5 metres.

Which sailing destinations are near Stavoren?

From Stavoren, you can reach the harbours around the IJsselmeer on day sails, with Enkhuizen and Medemblik directly opposite. Through the Johan-Friso lock and the canal, you can also head inland to the Frisian Lakes.

The distances are rounded stretches over water on the usual course from the Buitenhaven. For precise planning, refer to the chart.

• Hindeloopen: around 5 nm, north along the Frisian coast
• Medemblik: around 11 nm, south-west across the IJsselmeer
• Makkum: around 12 nm, further north along the Frisian coast
• Enkhuizen: around 12 nm, south straight across the IJsselmeer
• Lemmer: around 14 nm, east along the coast of Gaasterland

For a week-long sailing trip, a circuit via Enkhuizen, Medemblik, Makkum and Hindeloopen is a good option. You can read more about the harbours on the opposite shore in the profile of harbours in Enkhuizen, and about the neighbouring village on the Johan-Friso Canal in the article on the harbours in Warns.

What can you do on a day in harbour in Stavoren?

Stavoren is small, and the sights are all around the Oude Haven. For longer excursions, you can hire a bicycle at the Buitenhaven harbour office.

• Vrouwtje van Stavoren: The statue near the old sea lock commemorates the legend of the great fall of the old trading town.
• Old sea lock: It dates from 1576 and was important for trade with the hinterland for centuries. Since the Johan-Friso lock was built in 1966, it has been operated by hand only on special occasions.
• Harbour lights and lighthouse: The two harbour lights from 1884 stand at the harbour entrance. The cast-iron lighthouse is over 15 metres high but not open to visitors.
• Museum ’t Ponthús: The small town museum on the Hellingspad tells the story of Stavoren, from the Vikings and the Hanseatic League through whaling and fishing to the steam ferry and the railway line. The legend of the Vrouwtje has a room of its own with a film.
• Spoorhaven and fish fountain: In the railway harbour, a memorial with a replica bridge recalls the ferry that carried loaded goods wagons to Enkhuizen until 1934. On the Stationsweg stands Mark Dion's fish fountain from the 11fountains series, which is switched off from November until spring.
• Beach at the Buitenhaven: Right by the harbour are a beach with a surfing area and the beach pavilion De Potvis.
• Red Cliff: On the IJsselmeer shore near the neighbouring village of Warns rises the Rode Klif, some ten metres high. A boulder there commemorates the Battle of Warns in 1345.

For skippers: mooring and marine weather in Stavoren

You reserve a visitor berth in the marina by phoning the relevant harbour office from 1 pm on the day of arrival. In the Oude Haven you moor at one of the visitor berths and pay the harbour master.

Registration and Berthing

• Marina Stavoren Buitenhaven and Binnenhaven: call from 1 pm on the day of arrival, Buitenhaven +31 88 0504122, Binnenhaven +31 88 0504110. The harbour master will reserve a berth for you. If you cannot reach anyone, moor at the reception pontoon and the harbour master will then assign you a berth. The mooring fee includes electricity, water, sanitary facilities, Wi-Fi and the indoor swimming pool.
• Oude Haven: Visitor berths are marked in green on the municipality's harbour plan. A berth with electricity costs €2.15 per metre per night, plus a tourist tax of €2.00 per person per night; children under four pay nothing (as of November 2026). You pay by card at the harbour master's office or via the QR code at the berth; harbour master +31 514 681216.

Harbour rules

In the municipal harbour, the mooring fee falls due from 4 pm. Tapping electricity from the sanitary building is prohibited. Dogs must be kept on a lead throughout the municipality.

Johan-Friso Lock

The Johan-Friso Lock on the southern edge of Stavoren has connected the IJsselmeer with the Johan-Friso Canal since 1966. You pass through it when you move between the Binnenhaven and the IJsselmeer or want to head into the Frisian lakes. Because waiting times in summer sometimes ran to as much as two hours, a second, slightly curved chamber 65 metres long was added in 2014. There you moor to floating pontoons that rise and fall with the water level, and in the summer months lock assistants help with mooring.

The province of Fryslân operates the lock and bridge daily from 9am to 8pm from the end of March to the end of October, and even until 10pm Monday to Saturday from June to August. From November to the end of March it operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, on Saturdays only on request at least two hours in advance on 058 292 58 88 (option 4, reachable on weekdays from 8:30am to 4pm), and not at all on Sundays. The lock stays closed on New Year's Day and on both Christmas days. The 2027 season begins on 20 March (as of November 2026). You can reach the Johan Friso lock on VHF channel 18. The exact times are given on the Fryslân province page.

Bridges in town

The bridge at the old sea lock near the Oude Haven and the Koebrug in town open daily from the end of March to the end of October, from 9am to 12 noon and from 1pm to 7pm, and until 8pm from June to August. The Kleine Koebrug opens only for boats whose destination lies beyond it. Outside the season the bridges open only to a limited extent on request via the harbour master on 0514 681216, and not at all from mid-November to mid-March (as of November 2026).

Which marine weather forecast applies to Stavoren?

For Stavoren and the IJsselmeer, the Marifoon (VHF) forecast from the Dutch weather service KNMI applies. It covers coastal waters up to 30 nautical miles offshore and the large inland waters, including the IJsselmeer and Markermeer. It is issued four times a day, at 0, 6, 12 and 18 hrs UTC, and is valid for 24 hours each time. It includes wind warnings from force 6.

The Kustwacht broadcasts the weather report on VHF channels 23 and 83, daily at 08:05, 13:05, 19:05 and 23:05 Dutch time. In these reports the sea area is called “IJsselmeer”. The current version is available on the KNMI website.

Sailing trips from Stavoren on Törnfinder

An overview of the sailing area is given on the page Sailing on the IJsselmeer; trips throughout the country can be found under Sailing in the Netherlands. All current offers are listed in the trip overview.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Stavoren without a car?

Take the train via Leeuwarden and Sneek to the terminus at Stavoren. During the season, currently from mid-April to the end of September (as of November 2026), you can also take the train to Enkhuizen and cross to Stavoren by ferry in around 80 minutes.

Where do I park at the start of my trip in Stavoren?

In the Buitenhaven and the Binnenhaven, on the marina's fenced car park. There are a few public car parks a few hundred metres from the Buitenhaven. For the Oude Haven, you can park free of charge by the tennis courts on the Stationsweg.

Are there showers in the harbours of Stavoren?

Yes, in the municipal harbour the showers at the Oude Haven are open daily from 7 am to 9 pm. Both harbours of the marina have sanitary facilities accessible around the clock, and a laundry.

Where do I buy provisions for the trip in Stavoren?

For the essentials, go to the chandlery with a supermarket in both harbours of the marina. The nearest larger supermarket is a PLUS in town, about 1.1 kilometres from the Buitenhaven.

Do I have to go through a lock in Stavoren?

From the Buitenhaven and the Oude Haven you can sail out onto the IJsselmeer without passing through a lock. To reach the marina's Binnenhaven and the Frisian lakes, you go through the Johan-Friso Lock.

How far is it from Stavoren to Enkhuizen?

Around 12 nautical miles over water, straight across the IJsselmeer to the south. With a suitable wind, it makes a relaxed day's sail.