08 Dec Best time to hire a craft?

A frequent question at our office is when is the best time to go? Apart from different clients having different tastes there are some important elements to consider when deciding what time you would like to depart in your boat hire, kayak hire or stand up paddle board hire.

Wind

Typically the wind increases throughout the day. Granted that this still can vary throughout the day however as a general rule wind increases as the day progresses. The river system itself is rarely choppy being enclosed however conditions can be significantly smoother at the start of the day giving a more pleasurable experience. If using paddle craft wind can play a factor in how much ground you can cover and the effort needed to cover that ground.

Temperature

Boat hire all comes with a canopy to provide shade. With kayaks and SUP being out on the water you will be exposed to the sun. Some clients love to soak up the rays and work on the tans. Others will appreciate the shade of the canopies or will benefit from departing earlier in the day to avoid those UV rays.

Tide

The tide will vary each day from low to high tide. For boat hire a rising tide would be the best option. This means that the water level is increasing which will make it easier to navigate and if you were to get stuck on a sand bank you can simply float off over time. To give an example if you were taking a boat for 4 hours and high tide was at 2pm then we would suggest 10am for optimal tides. With kayaks and sups if the tide was to change half way through you trip you can even get the water going with you both ways!

Understandably tide cannot always work in you favour but it is certainly worth taking consideration when booking.

So when is the best time to go?

If we had to recommend a time we would definitely go with morning. Apart from what we have mentioned above the Noosa River can get a little busier as time goes on so why not get in early and beat the crowds and wind.

Want to see what the weather is doing today, click here!

Boardwalk Boats has been providing boat hire, kayak hire and stand up paddle board hire for over 30 years