Map › Netherlands › Brouwersdam › Maasvlakte 2 – Slufter
Zuid-Holland · Maasvlakte (Port of Rotterdam) · Oostvoorne
Maasvlakte 2 – Slufter
also known as De Slufter, Slufter, Slufter Bay, Maasvlakte Slufter
Nearby Oostvoornse Meer 5 km · Hoek van Holland 11 km · Ouddorp 12 km · Brouwersdam 21 km · Kijkduin 24 km · Scheveningen 29 km · Vrouwenpolder 44 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Frontal wind, so there is no daily switch-on to time. A westerly is in when the front is in, day or night, and the session window is set by the forecast and by daylight rather than by a thermal cycle. A summer sea-breeze top-up in the afternoon has been mentioned but stays unconfirmed.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
synoptic
fills in: Frontal wind, so there is no daily switch-on to time. A westerly is in when the front is in, day or night, and the session window is set by the forecast and by daylight rather than by a thermal cycle. A summer sea-breeze top-up in the afternoon has been mentioned but stays unconfirmed.
Typical strength
15-25 knots is the working window here, on W, SW and S. Anything under about 12 knots leaves the lagoon flat and unrideable for a normal twintip.
The quiver, in words
No local quiver table is published. Indicative for a 75-85 kg rider across the 15-25 knot working window: 9 m as the everyday kite, 12 m at the bottom of the range, 7 m once it is over 25 knots and the lagoon starts to build. Derived from the quoted wind range, not measured.
Direction to shore
cross-on
Dominant direction
SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW across Maasvlakte generally. For Slufter the safe directions are W, SW, S.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan75
- Feb81
- Mar, riders' month62
- Apr, riders' month69
- May, riders' month60
- Jun, riders' month60
- Jul, riders' month61
- Aug, riders' month48
- Sep, riders' month51
- Oct, riders' month71
- Nov71
- Dec67
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
- 16Jan7°
- 17Feb7°
- 13Mar8°
- 14Apr10°
- 12May14°
- 12Jun17°
- 13Jul19°
- 12Aug20°
- 12Sep20°
- 13Oct16°
- 15Nov12°
- 15Dec8°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75% | 15.8 kt | SW | 5.6°C | 6.9°C |
| Feb | 81% | 16.9 kt | WSW | 6.9°C | 7.1°C |
| Mar | 62% | 12.9 kt | SW | 7.7°C | 8°C |
| Apr | 69% | 14 kt | SW | 9.5°C | 10.2°C |
| May | 60% | 11.8 kt | N | 13.6°C | 13.6°C |
| Jun | 60% | 12.1 kt | NNE | 16.9°C | 17.1°C |
| Jul | 61% | 12.7 kt | WSW | 18.1°C | 19.3°C |
| Aug | 48% | 11.6 kt | WSW | 19.2°C | 20.2°C |
| Sep | 51% | 11.8 kt | SSW | 16.9°C | 19.5°C |
| Oct | 71% | 13.3 kt | SSW | 13.7°C | 15.8°C |
| Nov | 71% | 14.9 kt | SSW | 8.9°C | 11.6°C |
| Dec | 67% | 15 kt | SW | 6.2°C | 8.1°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
mixed
Standing depth
Flat and shallow inside the lagoon, and the lagoon is dynamic: some sections go very shallow. Deeper water starts west of it.
Tides
North Sea tidal spot. High water runs about +93 to +120 cm and low water about -59 to -74 cm against the local datum, and the tidal range is not usually what decides a session inside the lagoon. Current farther offshore and the muien draining the banks matter far more.Which tide states leave the lagoon too shallow or expose the banks is still unrecorded.
Temperature
Summer 16-20 C peak range around mid-August in one dataset; another gives about 16 C average summer water for Maasvlakte.
Winter 3-9 C minimum range around mid-February in one dataset; another gives about 6 C average winter water for Maasvlakte.
Wetsuit
A sealed 3/2 mm suit at the warmest part of summer. Around the February minimum, a 6/5/4 mm or a good 5/4 mm with gloves, 5 mm boots, hood.
Currents
Strong current farther out to sea, and muien with hard flow through them. Very strong seaward current has been reported, along with several drift incidents.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
5 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: huge
Somewhere else
Oostvoornse Meer, 5 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Sand launch and landing at Maasvlakte 2 with plenty of room, off Noordzeeboulevard 501. Free parking on top of the dunes and a 5-10 minute walk down to the water. Limited toilets, no showers, no shop and nothing to buy on site. The 2025-2026 works send access in via P3 while P4 is closed.
Space
huge
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Read the beach signage and the current spot notice before you rig; the legalisation process was still moving in 2026.
- Stay north of the yellow buoys and out of the nature reserve to the south, whatever the rider next to you does.
- Walk the lagoon before you commit to unhooked tricks or big-air landings; the shallow sections move.
- Do not take a first lesson here. Oostvoorne and Rockanje are the beginner beaches.
- Outside high summer bring hood, gloves, boots. The water is cold and the current is real.
- Leave the freestyle and big-air riders in the lagoon a wide lane.
- Check whether P4/Noordzeeboulevard has reopened before you drive to the usual parking.
- Bring everything with you: parking is free, toilets are limited, and there are no showers and nothing to buy.
- Budget the walk. It is 5-10 minutes from the parking to the water with the whole kit.
Getting there
Airport
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) is the closest airport found; Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is the larger international gateway.
Route
Car is the practical option: follow Rotterdam/Europoort/Maasvlakte and the local signs for Strand Slufter/Maasvlaktestrand. The A15/N15 runs toward Maasvlakte, and some routings put you on the A24 toll road. Public transport is thin.A reservable Maasvlaktehopper minibus runs on the Maasvlakte in 2026, but no direct public-transport route to the Slufter launch is on record.
Transfer
About 44 minutes / 51 km by private transfer from Rotterdam The Hague Airport to Maasvlakte; Schiphol to Maasvlakte is roughly 1 h 04 to 1 h 15 by car. Add local beach-access time and check 2025-2026 road works.
Cost level
medium
Staying
Nothing to stay in at the launch. Base yourself in Oostvoorne, Rockanje, Brielle, Hellevoetsluis or Rotterdam; there is a kitesurf camp at Camping Ketjil in Oostvoorne.
No-wind days
Port of Rotterdam/Portlantis visitor centre, Maasvlaktestrand beach walks, fossil expedition from Maasvlaktestrand, birdwatching south of the Slufter, Oostvoornse Meer, Hoek van Holland beach, Rotterdam city and harbour trips.
Photos
FAQ
Is Slufter suitable for beginners?
No, the local federation and schools all identify it as an advanced spot because of strong offshore currents and tidal channels, and direct beginners to Oostvoorne or Rockanje instead.
What is the wind like?
Safe directions are W, SW and S, driven by open North Sea synoptic weather rather than a reliable thermal pattern.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
Yes, kiters must stay inside the buoy-marked kite zone and out of the vulnerable nature reserve immediately to the south; access is currently tolerated while permit work continues.
What hazards should riders know?
Strong current farther offshore, tidal channels known as muien, and reported drift incidents make self-rescue skill and current awareness essential.
Last updated: August 2026