It’s 5.15pm on an autumn afternoon, and the salt-laced Sydney air is unseasonably warm. We pour the last drops of Limoncello Spritz into our cups and look out across Middle Harbour as the sun drops behind the hills and sends sparkles dancing across the surface of the water.
From across the bay, a speed boat pulls up beside us, and the driver smiles and asks “Did you hire that?”
We tell him yes, assuming that he’s about to mock us for not owning our own vessel, but instead, he asks more: he wants to know where we hired it from, what the company’s called, and whether you need a boat licence.
“I heard they were coming here, but didn’t realise they’d launched. Enjoy!” he tells us. As he zooms off into the distance, he seems impressed, and we can’t help but feel proud of our slow-moving little machine – capable of attracting the interest of a licence-owning, sea-faring local.
And though we’re disproportionately proud, we can’t say we can blame him for taking an interest in our charming little chugger. Designed in Denmark as an ode to the Scandinavian picnic boats seen floating around the waterways of Copenhagen, these Australian-built boats are as sustainable as they are chic: all grey tones and tasteful wooden panelling made from sustainably-sourced recycled wood.
The all-electric engine means zero noise pollution, and the boats are designed for minimal environmental impact, with zero operating emissions and zero waterway erosion. A large table (complete with cup holders) sits in the middle under a fabric canopy, surrounded by bench-style seating with space for eight passengers (captain included). The simple tiller steering at the back of the boat is easy to handle, even for the most incompetent drivers (for context: I’m yet to pass my car driving test, but found steering this boat a breeze).
The lack of license requirement is the real clincher here. With an electric motor able to reach a top speed of just four knots, all you need to do in order to rent out one of these lovely little picnic boats is round up a few friends, pack a picnic and climb aboard. If you forgot your Bluetooth speaker, you can hire one from the team for an additional $20, and sustainably-made captains hats (made from recycled PET) are also available to buy for $20 – so it's totally worth it for the “captain for a day” content. Got a seadog you’re keen to bring aboard? GoBoats are also pet-friendly, just make sure to pack some treats so your doggo doesn’t feel left out when you’re parked up with a picnic.
Another key drawcard of GoBoat is the location: with the original GoBoat Sydney setting sail from Cabarita Point, and the recently-launched GoBoat Mosman launching from Spit’s sun-soaked D’Albora Marina. Since launching in Canberra in 2017, GoBoat has now welcomed more than 350,000 guests, and played host to more than 50 wedding proposals. And while the Cabarita location was already a hit, GoBoat Mosman is set to become a go-to option for Sydneysiders looking for an easy-to-access day out on the water.
Our tip? Go light on your picnic while you’re aboard, then book lunch or dinner at Ormeggio for an Italian feast when you're back on dry land.
GoBoat picnic boat rates start at $149 per hour (that’s less than $20 per person) or $349 for a leisurely three hour outing ($44 per person for a whole afternoon of boat-based fun).
You can learn more and book over here, and you can discover other ways to get on the water in and around Sydney via the Discover Boating website.
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