A proposal at sea depends on three things: the boat, the time and your partner not suspecting anything. This is how to arrange each one without leaving it to luck.
For a marriage proposal or an anniversary on a boat at sunset, the most relaxed option is the 12.2-metre sailing boat that leaves from Puerto Banús: it takes 9 passengers and always goes out with a skipper, so neither of you has to think about the helm. The trip is booked for the last hour before sunset, and the skipper knows in advance what is being celebrated.
If the couple want more space or to spend the night on board, there are two yachts with crew included in Puerto Banús, of 21.7 and 31.7 metres, and the larger one has cabins for eight people overnight. In both cases the secret is kept the same way: you book by phone, mention that it is a proposal, and your partner only knows there is a plan at sea.
For two people, or for the couple with a photographer and a few friends, the 12.2-metre sailing boat is the best fit. It takes 9 passengers and always goes out with a skipper, who can also teach you to sail it if one of you fancies taking the tiller for a while. For an anniversary with someone who already sails, it is a plan with something to do on board.
The Puerto Banús yachts are on another scale: the 21.7-metre yacht takes 12 passengers and the 31.7-metre one 15 by day. They come with crew included, and catering and berths at other marinas are quoted separately and in writing. In Marbella there is also an 11.5-metre catamaran for 12 people, with cabins, which is booked by the hour or for half a day.
The departure is worked out backwards from sunset. That time changes a great deal between December and June, so you check it for the exact day and set the departure with enough margin to sail out, reach open water and have the boat calm at the key moment. The sensible thing is to agree it with the skipper when booking, because the skipper knows the route.
On this coast, from midday the sea breeze comes in and, with a westerly, the water gets choppy in the afternoon. For a sailing boat some wind is a good thing, because it sails under canvas without engine noise. With less than 15 knots almost everything goes out; if the forecast shows more, it is worth confirming the trip by phone the day before.
Bookings are made by phone on +34 669 06 27 56, Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 20:00 and at weekends from 10:00 to 18:00. If you leave your number in the form on the website, they call you back, so do it when you know you can answer alone. When booking, say that it is a proposal so the skipper knows before casting off.
For your partner, a believable plan is enough: a boat trip for your anniversary, for a birthday or just because. What you do need to tell them is what to wear, without giving anything away: shoes that do not mark the deck and a warm layer for the way back. That way nobody turns up in heels or gets cold when the sun goes down.
With the boat calm and both of you sitting down, better in the cockpit than on the bow. The skipper is the one who anchors or slows the boat, so you can agree a signal with the skipper for that moment. Standing on the bow while the boat moves, any wave turns the gesture into a balancing act, and whatever falls overboard does not come back.
The ring travels in its box inside a waterproof pouch or a zipped pocket, never loose in your hand during the trip. If a photographer comes along, they should know where they will shoot from before leaving: on a 12.2-metre sailing boat space is limited, and everyone who comes aboard counts within the 9 passengers.
No glass comes on board, not even for a special occasion. A broken glass on deck, with people barefoot, means a cut. For the toast, hard plastic, steel or reusable cups are fine, with drinks in cans or poured beforehand into a bottle that will not break. Whoever is at the helm drinks no alcohol, and here that is the skipper.
On the yachts catering is separate and quoted in writing, so for an anniversary with dinner on board it is worth requesting it in good time. For the sailing boat, ask when booking what you can bring aboard. And no petals, confetti or balloons go into the water: whatever falls into the sea cannot be picked up, and the photo looks just as good without them.
Puerto Banús is about 28 kilometres from Fuengirola along the A-7, roughly thirty minutes by car. It has a paid underground car park that fills up in August, so in summer leave with plenty of time or take a taxi. Arriving in a rush to a proposal is the surest way to make your partner suspect something.
If you choose the Marbella catamaran, the marina is next to the old town and about 6 kilometres from Puerto Banús, so you can have dinner in the centre afterwards without taking the car. In July and August all of this is booked several days ahead; from October to May, calling the day before is usually enough.
If the forecast does not allow a safe trip, the date is changed at no cost. For a proposal that means having a plan B ready: an alternative date close by and an excuse that works for both. The easterly brings a swell, which is what makes being on board least comfortable, and with more than 20 knots only the large boats sail.
To follow it in the days before, the official reference is the AEMET marine forecast for the coastal waters of Málaga. The home page of the website also shows wind, waves and water temperature off Fuengirola every half hour. On 2 October 2026, for example, the water was at 23.2 °C.
If it is not here, call us: two minutes on the phone and it is sorted.
The 12.2-metre sailing boat in Puerto Banús takes 9 passengers and always goes out with a skipper. A photographer, if one comes, counts within those places.
Yes, on the 31.7-metre yacht in Puerto Banús, which sleeps 8 overnight: two cabins with a double bed and two more cabins for two. The price is given by phone.
The sailing boat always goes out with a skipper, who can teach you to sail it during the trip if you fancy taking the tiller for a while.
If the forecast does not allow a safe trip, the date is changed at no cost. It is worth having an alternative date in mind when booking.
Leave us your number and we will call you. In July and August it is worth booking ahead.
Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola, local 367. You can drop in and see the boats before you book.
At no charge. Going out to see what happens is never worth it.
Life jackets for everyone on board, included in the price.
