Zeilschool It Beaken

What Zeilschool It Beaken does

Zeilschool It Beaken is a Dutch sailing school founded in 1946 and headquartered in Friesland, Netherlands, with operations centered on a waterfront facility at Kooiweg 5A, Lemmer and a secondary camp site at It Butlân 7a. The school delivers week-long residential youth sailing camps and multi-day sailing courses for children and teenagers aged 6-17, segmented into five age-differentiated programs (6-9, 10-12, 12-14, 14-17, plus instructor training) and taught across seven boat types (Optimist, Laerling, Laser Bug, Laser Pico, RS Feva, Laser Bahia, Randmeer) selected to match each cohort's skill and physical profile. The fleet is renewed on a three-year cycle through an exclusive partnership with Sailcenter.

The business is a direct-to-consumer operator: all bookings are routed through the school's own online booking platform (boeken.zeilschoolitbeaken.nl) and complemented by phone and email reservations. Revenue streams consist of per-camper tuition covering instruction, meals, accommodation, and evening activities; on-site bar and concession sales via a camper bar-tab system; and instructor/staff training (stafopleidingen). Acquisition channels are organic search, Instagram, and word-of-mouth from multi-year repeat campers and family/friend networks. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the school references its dates-and-prices portal rather than publishing rates.

Operations are delivered by five year-round opleiders (trainers) coordinating more than 70 NWD-certified seasonal instructors. The school holds industry affiliations including the Nationaal Watersportdiploma (NWD, adopted 2026), the Watersportverbond (Dutch Watersport Association), and the SGR (Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden) consumer guarantee scheme. The company was acquired by Ottenhome Heeg in 2014, underwent major facility expansion in 2021-2022 (dedicated site, recreation building, two residential barges, 14-boat fleet upgrade), and in 2026 is transferring sailing school activities to the operator of Zeilschool Het Molenhuis, Zeilschool De Kikkert, and Zeilschool Wavie.

Name

Zeilschool It Beaken

Legal name

Zeilschool It Beaken

Website

https://it-beaken.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zeilschool It Beaken is a Netherlands-based youth sailing school founded in 1946, operating in Friesland, that delivers week-long residential sailing camps and courses for children and teens aged 6-17 using a seven-boat-type fleet, NWD-certified instructors, and on-site waterfront accommodation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sailing Education

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAJAG

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Marine & Water Experiences (Boat Tours, Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing)

SECONDARYTHAJABAK

Surf, Kitesurf & Wind Sports Adventures

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Adventure & Outdoor Experiences (Hiking, Rafting, Zipline, Safaris)

Keywords

• Youth sailing education
• Sailing camps
• Sailing courses
• Watersport diplomas
• Sailing instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Heeg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Youth Sailing Camps (Zeilkampen): The primary revenue stream is week-long residential youth sailing camps for children and teenagers aged 6-17. Camps include accommodation, meals, sailing lessons, boat usage, evening activities, and certification toward the Nationaal Watersportdiploma (NWD). Bookings are made through the company's own booking platform.
2. Sailing Courses (Zeilcursussen): Separate sailing courses offered in specific boat types (Optimist, Laser Pico, RS Feva, Laser Bahia, Randmeer, Laerling, Laser Bug) for different age groups and skill levels, with courses available during Meikamp, summer weeks, aftersummer weekend, and autumn camp periods.
3. Bar/Concession Sales: On-site sales of snacks, soft drinks, and beverages during camps, purchased by campers using a bar tab system. Additionally, day trips to nearby villages allow purchase of souvenirs like postcards or ice cream.
4. Staff Training Programs (Stafopleidingen): The school offers instructor and staff training programs for young people who want to develop sailing instruction skills, creating a pipeline of qualified instructors while generating additional revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zeilschool It Beaken delivers week-long residential youth sailing camps and dedicated sailing courses for children and teens aged 6-17, divided into four age cohorts (6-9, 10-12, 12-14, 14-17) and conducted across seven boat types tailored to each age group's skill and physical development. Programs combine NWD-certified sailing instruction, supervised accommodation, meals, evening activities, and progression toward official watersport diplomas at the school's own lakefront facility in Friesland, Netherlands.

Product overview

Zeilschool It Beaken offers a comprehensive sailing education platform consisting of sailing camps and courses for children and youth aged 6-17. The product portfolio centers on age-differentiated sailing camps (6-9, 10-12, 12-14, 14-17 years) combined with a fleet of seven distinct boat types (Optimist, Laerling, Laser Bug, Laser Pico, RS Feva, Randmeer, Laser Bahia) and on-site accommodation. Camps include instruction by NWD-certified instructors, meals, evening activities, and multi-day stays at their Friesland facility. Additional offerings include staff instructor training programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zeilkampen (Sailing Camps) Week-long residential sailing camps for children and youth aged 6-17, organized by age group with structured programs combining sailing lessons, supervised accommodation, meals, evening activities, and progression toward NWD/CWO diplomas.
• Optimist Cursus Beginner sailing course using the Optimist dinghy (SailQube model), a fast and stable training boat ideal for children aged 6-12 learning the basics of solo sailing.
• Laerling Cursus Two-person sailing course in the Laerling, the world's smallest keelboat, a stable Scandinavian 2-man boat descended from the Olympic Yngling class, designed for learning two-person sailing basics.
• Laser Bug Cursus Single-handed sailing course for young sailors ready for the next step after Optimist, using a light, maneuverable daggerboard boat suitable for children ages 6-12 learning solo sailing.
• Laser Pico Cursus Sailing course using the Laser Pico dinghy (approximately 3.5 meters long), available as both single and two-person sailing, suitable for teenagers of all skill levels and teaching teamwork and sailing skills.
• RS Feva Cursus Two-person sailing course in the RS Feva, a modern daggerboard boat with gennaker offering a balance between stability, maneuverability, and sporting challenge for ages 12-14.
• Randmeer Cursus Sailing course in the Randmeer, a stable keelboat with streamlined design and spacious cockpit suitable for both beginners and advanced sailors ages 12-17.
• Laser Bahia Cursus Advanced sailing course in the Laser Bahia, a sporty 3-person daggerboard boat with mainsail, jib, and gennaker, featuring trapeze for high-performance sailing for ages 14-17.
• Accommodatie (On-site Accommodation) On-site residential accommodation facility with 21 bedrooms for 6-8 persons each with private bathrooms, central dining and recreation area, sports fields, tennis courts, and direct water access on the Friesche meren in Friesland, Netherlands.
• Stafopleidingen (Staff Training Program) Instructor and staff training program for people passionate about sailing who want to teach youth, developing didactic and organizational skills for instructing at the sailing school.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ campers served per year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SailcentercoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive partnership with Sailcenter for state-of-the-art sailboats and the newest technological developments in the sailing world. The school renews its entire fleet every three years through this partnership, ensuring that every boat in their fleet meets the highest standards of quality and safety. This is described as a differentiating factor that keeps the school at the forefront of sailing technology.
• Nationaal Watersportdiploma (NWD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NWD is the national watersport diploma system in the Netherlands, designed as the future standard for qualitative and safe sailing instruction. The school joined the NWD system around 2026, ensuring all sailing lessons and camps are delivered according to recognized national quality and safety standards. Cursists work toward official NWD diplomas.
• Watersportverbond (Dutch Watersport Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Watersportverbond represents approximately 400 affiliated watersport associations and serves as the representative for the sailing school industry. They support sailing schools through annual meetings for sharing knowledge and experiences, and are passionate about getting children excited about watersports, organizing events like Optimist On Tour.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Watersportverbond: The Royal Dutch Watersport Association representing ~400 affiliated watersport clubs and sailing schools, including Zeilschool It Beaken. Comparable as the industry-body coordinator setting standards (NWD, CWO) and running Optimist On Tour events that both compete for and feed into the school's target audience.
• Sailcenter: Strategic technology and equipment partner of Zeilschool It Beaken via an exclusive 3-year fleet renewal contract. Comparable as an enabling supplier in the Dutch youth sailing ecosystem, providing the modern sailboat fleet that schools like It Beaken depend on.

Direct peers

• Zeilschool De Kikkert: Dutch youth sailing camp operator that is part of the same ownership group taking over Zeilschool It Beaken in 2026. Directly comparable: same age-segment focus, similar Frisian/Friesland-area operations, overlapping Optimist/Laser Pico fleet.
• Zeilschool de Kaag: Dutch sailing school offering youth sailing courses and camps on De Kaag lakes. Directly comparable product category (youth sailing instruction, multi-day camps) though in a different lake district region than Friesland.
• Zeilschool Pean: Dutch youth sailing school based in Friesland offering week-long sailing camps for children and teens. Directly comparable to It Beaken across product (week-long residential sailing camp), age segments (children to teens), and geography (Friesland lake district).
• Zeilschool Wavie: Another Dutch youth sailing school that is part of the incoming-ownership consortium for It Beaken in 2026. Strong direct peer: same residential youth sailing camp product, similar fleet structure, similar pricing tier.
• Zeilschool Het Molenhuis: Dutch youth sailing school that, alongside De Kikkert and Wavie, is taking over operations of Zeilschool It Beaken in 2026. Operates the same product category (youth sailing camps on Dutch lakes) with the same Sailcenter-style fleet-based model, making it the closest direct comparable in catalog and customer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/zeilschoolitbeaken
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zeilschool-it-beaken

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zeilschool It Beaken