Before you cast off
Boating in Mandurah is easy and safe when you know the water.
A thorough brief on the rules, the shallow spots to avoid, and exactly what to do if anything goes wrong. Watch the video and read this page before you leave the jetty.
If in doubt
Drop the anchor and call us. We’ll talk you through it.
Watch first
The safety briefing
Everything below, shown on the water. Two minutes, worth it before every hire.
The five basics
Learn these five and you’re set
They cover almost everything you need for a relaxed day out. If you’re ever unsure, ask our staff before you leave.
- 1
Keep to the right
Drive on the right-hand side in a channel. Oncoming vessels pass to your left.
- 2
Read the red & green markers
Watch for the channel markers at all times. In doubt, stay well away from rocks and the shoreline.
- 3
5 knots, no wash
Maximum 5 knots in the canals and everywhere on the office side of the first bridge. No wake or wash, and mind your wash even at the right speed.
- 4
Limbs inside the boat
Keep arms and legs in while moving. Never let children sit with legs over the front or sides.
- 5
Anchor & call if unsure
If anything doesn’t feel right, drop the anchor and call us. That’s exactly what the number is for.
At the jetty
Starting up & getting a feel for the controls
Our boats drive much like a car, and our team runs through it with you before you leave. Here’s the quick version so it all feels familiar.
Starting the boat
- 1Throttle in the neutral (upright) position.
- 2Black toggle clipped firmly behind the kill switch.
- 3Twist the key twice: the first turn powers the battery, the second starts the engine, just like a car.
Using the controls
- 1Push the binnacle (throttle) forward. It’s stiff at first until it drops into gear. Every boat except the pontoons has a trigger, a marine clutch, that you lift as you go.
- 2That first bit of throttle is the slowest speed: ideal for leaving and returning to the jetty.
- 3Push further forward for more speed. Accelerate gradually. Gentle is the key. You don’t need to hold the throttle once you’re at the speed you want.
- 4Ease back to neutral to slow down. That alone often takes about half your speed off.
- 5Need to stop quicker? The same idea, in reverse.
Have a go with the throttle, neutral and reverse before you leave the jetty. Our staff will run through it all with you first.
Know the water
Stay between the markers, keep to the right
Mandurah’s waterways are beautiful but shallow in places. Hold a straight line on the right of the channel, the markers keep you in deep water.
Red markers
Keep them on your left heading out. At Stingray Point especially, keeping every red marker to your left keeps you off the shallows.
Green markers
Mark the other edge of the safe channel. Stay in the water between the red and green: that’s where the depth is.
Know where you’re going
Head out into the middle of the channel before you turn. A navigation app such as Deckee helps you stay oriented.
Plan your run
The recommended route
A relaxed loop through the canals and estuary, about 1.5 hours at an easy pace. Tap the spots along the way to see what’s there.
Heading out, keep red markers on your left and green on your right.
The spots to watch
Where boats get caught out
All are shallow. Keeping to the middle of the channel between the markers keeps you clear.
Mandjar Bay
The channel in and out to our office is very shallow. Stay carefully between the red and green navigation markers.
Between the markers, all the way
South entrance
An extremely shallow area at the southern entrance to the canals. Go out into the middle of the channel before you turn.
Reach the middle before turning
Stingray Point
A common grounding spot: shallow and rocky, where boats ‘cut the corner’. Keep every red marker on your left to stay clear.
All red markers on your left
Off-limits
The Venetian canals in the Marina are off-limits due to the low bridges and the increased likelihood of damaging the hire boat. Our vessels aren’t equipped for the ocean, and the ocean is also off-limits under the hire agreement.
No ocean · watch the bridgesOn board every vessel
Your safety card
A laminated card lives in every boat, the emergency number on the front, your pre-departure checks on the back.
Mandurah Boat Hire
Safety card
- Keep to the right in a channel
- Stay between the red & green markers
- 5 knots · no wake or wash
Emergency: if in doubt, anchor & call
0488 017 494 Download the safety briefing card (PDF)Before you leave the jetty
Find each of these on your boat, and try the throttle and reverse before you go.
- Mobile phone on, loud & contactable
- Life buoy & life jackets
- Anchor
- Safety card & emergency number
- Ladder, first aid & fire extinguisher
A life jacket for every passenger
There’s a life jacket on board for everyone. Bringing children? Child-sized jackets are available, just ask us at the jetty before you head out and we’ll fit the right size. We strongly recommend children, and anyone who isn’t a confident swimmer, wear theirs the whole time you’re on the move.
In an emergency
Know what to do before you need to
The same card that’s in every boat. Tap a scenario to see the steps and if in doubt, anchor and call.
If something goes wrong
These are the most likely scenarios, from Marine Order 504. As the master of a self-drive hire vessel, you’re responsible for knowing each one and being able to follow it.
Fire
- 1Isolate the fire: switch the engine off
- 2Isolate the fuel if it’s safe to do so
- 3Call our emergency number
- 4Everyone puts on a lifejacket
- 5Muster away from any potential dangers
- 6Be prepared to abandon ship if the fire is out of control
Fines apply and these end the hire
These keep everyone safe and protect the boats. Breaking them means the hire is stopped with no refund.
- No arms, legs or feet outside the vessel
- No climbing on the roof: it isn’t weight-bearing
- No smoking or vaping
- No speeding, no wake or wash
- No erratic driving: stay right, go straight
- Respect canal residents & other boaters
- Phone on & contactable at all times
- Zero tolerance for intoxication: the skipper stays sober
- Keep 100 m from dolphins: if they approach, slow right down
Failure to comply ends the hire immediately, with no refund.
Straight lines, please not circles
Doing laps churns up wake and wash that unsettles other boaters and the canal banks. Point the boat where you’re going and cruise there gently.
Wildlife
Stop and watch dolphins from a distance
The estuary is home to a resident dolphin population, and seeing them is one of the best parts of a day out. Give them room and they’ll often come to you. Chase them and they leave.
- Stay 100 metres away. Never drive at them to get a closer look
- No circling and no chasing, ever
- If they come to you, slow right down and hold your course so they can choose to pass
- Never feed, touch or swim with them
Large fines apply, and it ends the hire.
Good to know
Common questions
Where can we see dolphins?
Sightings are common at the entrances to the marina and the canals, but dolphins are wild and can appear anywhere on our inland waters. Always stay 100 m away and slow the vessel right down if they come near.
Can we swim from the boat?
Yes. Pick a shallow, calm spot and make sure everyone can climb back aboard (rope ladders can be tricky). Chardonnay Bay is ideal: close in and shallow enough to stand. A vessel at anchor should never be left unattended.
Where can we stop for lunch?
You can moor at several restaurants including Sharky’s in the marina and Boundary Island Brewery. The boat’s ropes are short, so you may need the anchor rope to tie up. We recommend at least a four-hour hire. BBQs aren’t permitted on board, but BYO snacks are welcome.
Can we head into the Murray River?
It’s possible but takes competence, but not for first-time boaters. Install a navigation app like Deckee, expect the return leg against wind and tide (4–5 knots, about 2 hours from the Ravenswood Hotel), and borrow extra ropes from us if needed ($10 deposit per rope).
Where’s good for fishing or crabbing?
Crabs can be caught along the edge of the channel just past the southern entrance to the canals: shallower water, away from boat traffic. Experienced boaters can venture toward Boundary Island, but it’s a challenge for first-timers.
Still unsure about anything? Ask us before you go.
Our team briefs every hirer at the jetty. If you’re ever in doubt on the water, drop the anchor and call, that’s what the number is for.
- Emergency · on the water
- 0488 017 494
- Office
- 08 9535 5877