The pages we open most often.
Water quality, permits, levels and weather, bridges, clubs and emergency numbers. Sorted by what we need them for, so you can find one on a phone with cold hands.
Water quality and safety
Before anyone goes in, and after a warm week.
- zwemwater.nl
Official swimming water status, including blue-green algae warnings.
- Waternet water quality
Water quality, sewage and the pumping of the canals.
- RIVM blue-green algae
Background on algae blooms and what they do.
Rules and permits
Permits, mooring and registration in one place.
- Varen in Amsterdam
The city page that all boat rules hang off.
- Vaarvergunning
Apply, transfer and check your permit.
- Woonboot en ligplaats
Mooring permits, rebuilding and selling a houseboat.
- Boat registration, RDW
Registration and papers for vessels.
- Kademuren
Which quay is next in the renewal programme.
Water levels and weather
What the water and the wind are doing today.
- Rijkswaterstaat waterinfo
Live water levels, current and wind per measuring point.
- KNMI
Warnings and the marine forecast.
- Buienradar
Rain and wind gusts for the next hours.
- Windfinder IJmeer
Wind for the open water east of the city.
Getting around on the water
Bridges, locks and routes.
- Bruggen en sluizen
Waternet operates the bridges and locks: opening times and how to request an opening.
- Vaarwegeninformatie
Notices to skippers, works and closures.
- GVB ferries
Ferry times across the IJ, useful when the boat stays put.
- Waterrecreatie Nederland
Route planning and national water maps.
Events and community
Clubs, calendars and the people already out there.
- Watersportverbond
Clubs, courses and the racing calendar.
- Grachtenfestival
Concerts on and along the canals in August.
- Amsterdam City Swim
The swim through the centre in September.
- Landelijke Woonbotenorganisatie
The interest group for houseboat residents.
Emergency and safety
Keep these on the boat, not only on your phone.
- 112
Emergency, also for accidents on the water.
- KNRM rescue
Rescue on the IJmeer, Markermeer and the North Sea Canal.
- KNRM Helpt app
Share your position and float plan before you leave.
- Havenmeester Amsterdam
Port control for the IJ and the harbour area.
- Meldingen openbare ruimte
Report a broken bollard, oil on the water or a sunken boat.
Living on board
The practical side of a house that floats.
- Liander connections
Power and gas connections for a mooring.
- Waternet drinking water
Water connection, meter and bills.
- Waterschapsbelasting
Water board taxes for boats and moorings.
- Verzekering woonboot
One of the insurers that covers houseboats and hulls.
Maintenance and winter
Yards, fuel and the cold months.
- Marktplaats boten
Second-hand parts, tenders and engines.
- Botenverzamelplaats and yards
Where boats go for lifting, painting and repair.
- Elektrisch varen laadpunten
Charging points for electric boats.
A link we are missing?
Send it to isabelle.molenaar@boatlifeinamsterdam.nl with one line about when you use it, and we add it here.