Nautica Sagiel review: RIB rental without a licence from Palau to the La Maddalena Archipelago, prices and what to know

Nautica Sagiel is a RIB rental company at pier C of the Porto Turistico di Palau, the main departure port for the Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena. If you are comparing Nautica Sagiel La Maddalena rentals with the other desks on the same quay, its advantage is documentation: the site names every boat, gives capacity and horsepower, and prints a price table by month.

This Nautica Sagiel review uses the operator’s site (home, contacts and excursion pages) and its Instagram and Facebook profiles, checked in September 2026. We could not find an independent Tripadvisor or Google Maps listing under this name, and we say where that limits the review. We are not affiliated with the company.

What Nautica Sagiel offers

Two things, per the operator:

• Self-drive RIB rental by the day. Four hulls at 40 hp that need no licence, and one 7 m Novamarine with 150 hp that does.
• Skippered excursion. A day in the archipelago with a skipper, described on the site as including the island visits, lunch, drinks and fuel. Times, group size and price are not published; it is quoted on request.

The site suggests the classic self-drive loop: Cala Corsara on Spargi, the Porto della Madonna pools between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria, a look at Spiaggia Rosa from the water (landing forbidden since 1994), Cala Santa Maria, La Maddalena town and, on the eastern side, Cala Coticcio on Caprera. Palau is two nautical miles from La Maddalena, so even a 40 hp RIB reaches the first islands quickly. Zone A areas of the park are off limits and anchoring on Posidonia seagrass is forbidden; use the mooring buoys in the main coves.

Boats and comfort

The fleet as published on the operator’s site:

Awnings, coolers, ladders, snorkel gear and GPS are not itemised on the site, so ask which boat has a bimini if you are out with children in July. Testimonials on the operator’s site describe the boats as new; we could not verify model years. The contacts page mentions a safety briefing and a weather check as part of every hand-over, which is what you want from a no-licence desk.

Nautica Sagiel prices and what is included

Nautica Sagiel prices as published on the operator’s site, per boat per day, low to high season between May and October, with August the peak:

• Tempest 570, Tempest 530, BSC 50: €150–400
• Tempest 600: €180–450
• Novamarine 150 hp: €250–650

Two cautions. The table was labelled as the 2025 season when we read it in September 2026, so treat it as indicative until the operator confirms. And the site does not state what is excluded: fuel (normally paid on return at Palau rentals), the security deposit, the park’s daily navigation permit for private boats (bought online from the park, priced by boat length), insurance excess and the cancellation rule if the mistral blows. Get all five in a WhatsApp message.

Insider tip: Buy the park navigation permit yourself on the Parco Nazionale website the evening before, with the boat’s registration number from the rental desk, and keep the PDF on your phone. Park patrols check permits at the popular anchorages, and a permit sorted at 21:00 is one less thing at 09:00.

What customers say

There is no Tripadvisor or Google Maps listing for Nautica Sagiel that we could verify, so the public record is thin. Testimonials on the operator’s own site and comments surfaced in search praise the staff’s helpfulness, patience with docking manoeuvres and clear explanations, the condition of the boats and fair prices for new hulls. Those are the operator’s chosen quotes, so weight them accordingly. We found no recurring complaint, and also no independent source that would surface one.

Departure logistics

Pier C is inside the Porto Turistico di Palau, on the same waterfront as the tour-boat kiosks. Palau is about 40 km and 45 minutes from Olbia airport; ARST buses link the two. Port parking is paid and free spaces are gone by about 09:30 in August, so arrive early or use the multi-storey car park. Opening hours are not published; agree the hand-over time when booking. Sea conditions: the strait between Palau and the islands is sheltered, but the north-west mistral makes the western islands (Spargi, Budelli, Razzoli) uncomfortable in a 5 m RIB; on those days the rental desk will steer you east towards Caprera.

Who should book it, and who should not

Book Nautica Sagiel if you want a no-licence RIB for up to six from a base with a public price list, or a 150 hp boat for ten with a licence. It is a good fit for families with older children and for couples who want their own timetable.

Do not book it if you have never driven a boat and would rather someone else navigated (take a skippered day instead), if you need a published cancellation policy before paying, or if you want to read a hundred independent reviews first.

How to book

WhatsApp or phone on +39 339 399 8689, e-mail nautica.sagiel@gmail.com, or the site’s contact form; quotes are personalised. The company is not on GetYourGuide, so there is no card-based, free-cancellation route for this exact desk.

Alternatives you can book online

For the same idea with platform cover, see all La Maddalena boat tours on GetYourGuide. The inflatable boat tour with guide, no licence required puts you at the helm of a 40 hp Capelli Tempest with a guide alongside, and the private RIB trip for up to eight is the skippered version. Our private charter and rental guide explains deposits and permits, the national park page covers zoning and permits, tours from Palau covers the port, and the operators hub lists every company reviewed.