Pearls of The Langstraat: BOEI35 and Jachthaven De Wiel

When you think of Heusden, you think of the Meuse River. There is a lot of boating on this river, but if it is up to Rein and Jelle, there is a lot more to do on the water. Together they told me about the family business BOEI35 and Jachthaven De Wiel.

A real family business
Rein de Ruiter, director of BOEI35 and Jachthaven De Wiel, has been on the water all his life. So it came as no surprise when he and his brother Koen joined the family business in 2000. His father started boat storage in Heesbeen in 1997. Even then Rein helped with everything: getting boats out of the water, hosing down, sanding, painting and transporting them. In 2005 they bought part of the shipyard in Heusden. This was the beginning of the Nautical Center Heusden.

Full-service
In 2012, they acquired Jachthaven De Wiel. This allows the brothers to offer full-service. Boats are stored and launched with them. If desired, the purchase, management and maintenance are also taken care of. This, combined with the central location and the attraction of the beautiful fortified town of Heusden, ensures that people from all over the world entrust their boats to Rein. Proudly, Rein explains that his customer base includes Americans, Canadians, Belgians, Germans, Swiss and Czechs. This is only natural with this unique location. There are still some berths available, so I certainly invite boat owners to take advantage of them.

BOEI35
Keeping in mind the full-service that family De Ruiter wants to offer, they started a catering business at the harbor in 2013. Initially called De Toren, aimed primarily at harbor guests, it later became BOEI35, to which many Heusdeners and tourists know their way. The menu at BOEI35 describes Rein as burgundian, unique and seasonal. The location is perfect for those seeking quiet and culinary enjoyment. "Still many tourists stay at Vismarkt, while the view is nowhere as beautiful as here.

Future plans
Since 2020, nephew Jelle Morriën has also been working in the company as Leisure Manager. His mission is to ensure more liveliness and activity in Heusden. "We want there to be more to do in Heusden and have been working hard on this. For example, it is possible to rent a sloop. There are several sloops available! You don't have to have a boating license to do this. You can also choose to have a skipper sail. There are several packages offered where you can take a picnic or drinks board on the sloop.

Besides sloop rental, you can also rent supboards at BOEI35. Suppen stands for Stand up Paddle. You stand on a surfboard and you have a paddle with which you move forward. You can do this on your own or under the guidance of an instructor. A fun and active outing thus. BOEI35 offers numerous group outings and meeting arrangements.

Click on the links to learn more about BOEI35 and Jachthaven De Wiel.