Sailboat rental in Rio de Janeiro starts from R$1,250 per charter for a private sail of 3 to 8 hours on Guanabara Bay and along the Atlantic coast. All prices on this page are in Brazilian reais (BRL).
Choose from monohull sailboats of 33 to 54 ft and sailing catamarans for up to 20 guests, always chartered privately for your group. A skipper sails every boat, and the skipper’s fee is usually included in the price.
Quick summary
A private sailboat tour in Rio de Janeiro shows the city from the water, where Sugarloaf Mountain, the beaches of the South Zone and the Niterói skyline line up in a single panorama. With the engine off and the sails up, you get a smooth and quiet ride powered by the wind.
Guanabara Bay is the natural starting point. Sugarloaf rises 396 m from a peninsula at the bay’s mouth, and the Rio–Niterói Bridge crosses the water for 13.29 km. Seen from the deck of a sailboat, both look very different from the viewpoints on land.
Sailing suits couples looking for a romantic and intimate setting, families who want a calm day together and groups of friends celebrating something. Late-afternoon sails are a favorite, because the light over the bay softens as the sun goes down.
Sailboat rental in Rio de Janeiro costs from R$1,250 per charter for the smallest boats, on day sails of 3 to 8 hours. Larger boats start from R$2,000 per charter for monohulls from 40 ft, R$3,700 per charter for sailboats over 50 ft and R$3,000 per charter for sailing catamarans.
The final price depends on a few factors:
The skipper is usually part of the price. Fuel, drinks and any extras vary by boat and must be confirmed with our team in your quote. Compare sizes and starting prices in the table below. For motorboats and other options, see all boat rental in Rio de Janeiro.
| Size | Capacity | Ideal for | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 40 ft (e.g. Samoa 36, Farr 38) | Up to 14 guests | Couples, families and small groups | R$1,250 per charter |
| 40 to 49 ft (e.g. Beneteau Oceanis 40, Jeanneau Sun Kiss 47) | Up to 17 guests | Larger groups and longer sails | R$2,000 per charter |
| 50 ft and over (e.g. Beneteau Oceanis 54) | Up to 10 guests | Extra space and comfort for smaller groups | R$3,700 per charter |
| Sailing catamarans, 36 to 47 ft | Up to 20 guests | Large groups and families with children | R$3,000 per charter |
Models such as the Peterson 33, Samoa 36, Farr 38 and Fast 395 make up the most affordable band, with prices from R$1,250 per charter. Capacities range from 6 to 14 guests, which suits a couple’s sunset sail or a family afternoon on the bay. Smaller hulls also feel the wind more directly, so the sailing itself becomes part of the fun.
This band covers cruisers such as the Beneteau Oceanis 40 and 41, Jeanneau Sun Kiss 47 and German Frers 46, plus racer-cruisers such as the Farr 40 and First 40.7. Prices start from R$2,000 per charter, and capacity reaches 17 guests. The extra length brings wider cockpits, more shade and more room to move around on longer routes.
The Beneteau Oceanis 54 starts from R$3,700 per charter for up to 10 guests. The low guest count relative to its size leaves generous deck and cabin space for each person. It’s a strong choice for special occasions and slower days anchored off a beach.
Sailing catamarans such as the Dolphin 46, BV 36 and Praia 47 rest on two hulls, so they lean far less than a monohull. That stability and their wide, flat decks make them popular with families and bigger groups, with capacity of up to 20 guests from R$3,000 per charter. Compare more options on our catamaran rental in Rio de Janeiro page.
If you’d rather travel faster or need more space for a party, Rio also has powered options. See yacht charter in Rio de Janeiro for motor yachts with large saloons, or motorboat rental in Rio de Janeiro for quicker trips to the beaches and islands.
Routes depend on the boat, the duration and the day’s wind and sea, and many charters combine stops from the areas below.
Sail around Rio’s most iconic postcard views. This route is ideal for first-time visitors and photography lovers.
Head toward Praia Vermelha, Copacabana and the Cagarras Islands for a more immersive seaside experience, with swimming stops when the sea allows.
Some sailboats and sailing catamarans with cabins can sail south-west along the Costa Verde on multi-day trips, on request. That coast includes boat rental in Ilha Grande and the islands of Angra dos Reis. If you want to sail from Paraty instead, see our sailboat rental in Paraty.
Most sailboats in Rio run as day charters, and a few sleep on board. If the charter terms are new to you, here’s what each one means.
Each sailboat has its own home berth, so the boarding point depends on the boat you choose. Possible boarding points include:
Your exact boarding point and time are confirmed with your quote.
You can sail in Rio de Janeiro all year round, and each season changes the experience on the water.
High season runs from November to April and includes Carnival and New Year’s Eve, when Copacabana’s fireworks draw boats offshore. For that night, see our New Year’s Eve boat rental in Copacabana.
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, an anniversary or a proposal, or simply enjoying a day off, a sailboat on Guanabara Bay creates a memorable backdrop. A quiet deck and Sugarloaf on the horizon make a sunset proposal especially popular. Decoration, drinks, catering and other extras vary by boat and must be confirmed with our team.
Navegue Temporada, a Brazilian boat rental platform, makes sailboat rental in Rio de Janeiro simple, from the first message to the moment you step on board. To compare sailboats with every other type in Brazil and Portugal, browse all our boats.
Sailboat rental in Rio de Janeiro starts from R$1,250 per charter for a private sail of 3 to 8 hours. Monohulls from 40 ft start from R$2,000 per charter, sailboats over 50 ft from R$3,700 per charter and sailing catamarans from R$3,000 per charter. Prices are in Brazilian reais and confirmed in your quote.
Week-long and other multi-day charters are priced on request. The cost depends on the boat, the number of nights and the itinerary. Only some sailboats in Rio offer overnight stays, so send us your dates and group size and our team will check which ones can take a longer trip.
No. Sailboats in Rio de Janeiro are chartered with a skipper on board, and the skipper is usually included in the price. You don’t need a license or any sailing experience, because the skipper handles navigation, sails and anchoring. On many boats, guests who want to can take the helm for a while under the skipper’s guidance.
The 12-person rule comes from SOLAS, the international convention on safety at sea. A vessel carrying more than 12 passengers is treated as a passenger ship and must meet stricter standards, so many charter yachts worldwide cap guests at 12. In Rio, capacity varies boat by boat, from 6 to 20 guests among our sailboats and sailing catamarans, and each listing shows its maximum.
It depends on the boat. The skipper is usually included, while fuel, drinks and other items vary from one sailboat to another. Our team confirms exactly what’s included in every quote.
On most sailboats you can bring your own food and drinks, though rules vary by boat, for example about glass bottles. Some boats also offer catering or drinks as extras. Ask our team about the boat you choose before your sail.
Children are welcome on most sailboats in Rio. Tell us their ages when you request a quote so our team can confirm child-size life jackets on board. Families with young children often prefer sailing catamarans, because their decks stay nearly level.
Monohull sailboats heel, or lean, when sailing with the wind, and that feeling is part of the experience. The skipper can reduce sail to keep the boat flatter. Inside Guanabara Bay the water is usually calmer than outside it, which helps anyone prone to seasickness, and catamarans lean very little.
The skipper decides whether conditions are safe to sail, and a sail may be shortened, rerouted or postponed if the weather turns. Rescheduling options depend on the boat and are confirmed with our team.
For New Year’s Eve, Carnival and summer weekends, book several weeks ahead, since demand peaks in high season from November to April. Outside those dates, a few days’ notice is often enough, depending on the boat.
Yes, many sailboats in Rio offer late-afternoon sails timed for sunset over Guanabara Bay. The sun sets around 5:15 pm in June and around 6:45 pm in January. Departure time and duration are confirmed with your quote.
Sailing further along the coast, or planning a trip to Portugal? These pages are a good next step.
