Markol

What Markol does

Markol is the trading name of Stichting Gehandicapten Watersport Grou, a Dutch non-profit foundation (KvK 01106702) founded in 2004 and headquartered in Grou, Friesland. The foundation operates a single 20-meter accessible activity vessel, the ms Markol, originally built for the Floriade 2002 and converted between 2006 and 2007 by volunteers at Jachtwerf de Boarnstream in Jirnsum. The vessel was christened on 5 June 2007 and equipped with custom accessibility features including a hydraulic wheelchair/bed lift, spacious rear deck with high railing, accessible boarding ramps, an adjustable sun awning, a disabled toilet, an AED, and onboard amenities (music installation, karaoke/DVD TV, small galley).

The foundation serves people with physical disabilities — including wheelchair users, bed-bound individuals, and those with mobility impairments — alongside care institutions, schools, foundations, and community organizations that book the vessel for group outings. Revenue is generated primarily through boat rental fees (€275 per half-day session, €750 per full day, €50 per additional hour, excluding 9% VAT), supplemented by donations, legacies and sponsorships, and onboard consumables sales. The operating model is entirely volunteer-driven: skippers hold the 'groot-vaarbewijs' large-vessel license, and crew are scheduled by availability. Distribution is via direct website/phone/email booking plus referral partnerships with Stichting De Zonnebloem, Stichting Wensambulance, and regional care institutions.

The geographic operating area is limited to the Friesland lakes region of the Netherlands, with routes departing from Grou to destinations including Sneek and Terherne. Marketing is conducted through the foundation's website, Facebook page, and email newsletter to 'vrienden van de stichting', supplemented by word-of-mouth and participation in local watersport events such as Skûtsjesilen. The foundation maintains an 8-person volunteer board (chairman, secretary, treasurer, vice-chairman, marketing, technical/construction, crew coordination, and safety) and depends on multiple external foundations for capital maintenance, with no institutional investment or revenue-based funding model.

Name

Markol

Legal name

Stichting Gehandicapten Watersport Grou

Website

https://msmarkol.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Markol (Stichting Gehandicapten Watersport Grou) is a Dutch non-profit foundation operating the ms Markol, an accessible 20-meter vessel in Friesland offering chartered watersport outings for people with physical disabilities, booked primarily by care institutions, schools, and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Recreational Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAJAB

Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters)

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

SECONDARYTHAAALAB

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Adventure & Ecotourism Equipment Rental & Guiding Services

Keywords

• Accessible boat tours
• Disability watersport
• Inclusive boat trips
• Accessible recreation services
• Disabled sailing charters

Headquarters

HQ city

Grouw

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations

Revenue model

1. Boat Rental Fees: The Markol is rented out to institutions, schools, foundations and care organizations for half-day (4 hours), full-day or multi-day trips at fixed rates. Rental prices range from €275 for a half-day session to €750 per day, plus €50 per additional hour.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: As a non-profit foundation, the organization depends on gifts, donations, legacies and sponsoring from individuals and organizations. The foundation receives both financial support and hands-on volunteer assistance.
3. Consumables: Onboard sale of coffee, tea and soft drinks to passengers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stichting Gehandicapten Watersport Grou operates ms Markol, a 20-meter accessibility-modified activity ship that provides chartered watersport excursions on the Friesland lakes for people with physical disabilities. The vessel is rented on a half-day (€275), full-day (€750), or multi-day basis to institutions, care organizations, schools, and foundations, with a trained volunteer crew and on-board amenities including a hydraulic wheelchair/bed lift, ramps, AED, music/TV system, and small galley.

Product overview

Stichting Gehandicapten Watersport Grou operates ms Markol as a single, unified service offering — an accessible activity ship purpose-built for disabled watersport recreation in Friesland. The 20-meter vessel, launched in 2007, serves as both the core product and the entire service offering, providing chartered sailing trips, group outings, and special event transportation for people with physical disabilities. The service includes volunteer crew, accessibility features (hydraulic lift, ramp), and onboard amenities (music, TV, small galley). No modular products, add-ons, or separate product lines exist — the company is a non-profit foundation whose sole activity is operating ms Markol for its beneficiaries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ms Markol Accessible Boat Charter

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stichting De ZonnebloemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration with Stichting De Zonnebloem to provide memorable boat trips for seriously ill people. Multiple Zonnebloem chapters (Stadswesthoek Zwolle, Gorredijk) organize regular trips on the Markol.
• Stichting WensambulancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide memorable day experiences on the water for seriously ill people in collaboration with the Wensambulance foundation.
• Jachtwerf de Boarnstream (Jirnsum)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShipyard that provided shelter and facilities for the year-and-a-half renovation of the Markol in 2006-2007, where a large group of volunteers transformed the vessel.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stichting VaarKracht: Dutch foundation offering accessible boat trips for people with disabilities, often in partnership with care institutions. Highly comparable to Markol in mission, target audience, and volunteer/charter operating model.
• SailWise: Dutch non-profit foundation providing accessible sailing and watersport experiences for people with disabilities in the Netherlands. Operates adapted vessels and trained crew, directly comparable in mission, customer base, and operational model to Markol.

Broad incumbents

• Stichting De Zonnebloem: National Dutch disability organization that Markol already partners with. While broader in scope (social activities, outings, events), Zonnebloem is a key referral and co-organization partner for accessible recreation in the Netherlands.

Regional players

• Stichting Wensambulance: Dutch wish-fulfillment foundation organizing meaningful day experiences for seriously ill individuals. A direct partner of Markol for boat trips, comparable in mission (quality-of-life for vulnerable populations) but broader in service category.

Emerging players

• Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST): UK-based charity operating accessible tall ships for disabled and non-disabled sailors together. Comparable in mission of inclusive watersport, with a larger vessel scale and a more developed volunteer/training ecosystem.

Others

• Sail Training International: International membership organization promoting sail training and accessibility at sea. Comparable in advocacy for inclusive watersport, though focused on federation-building rather than direct charter operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/msmarkol
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-gehandicapten-watersport-grou

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Markol