Film boat hire in Bangor
Bangor sits on the County Down shore near the mouth of Belfast Lough, with its marina in the middle of the town, Ballyholme Bay just round the point and the North Down coast running east towards Groomsport and Donaghadee. Yacht racing, ships heading up the lough to Belfast and long views across to the Antrim shore give a shoot plenty to work with.
The lough opens straight onto the Irish Sea, so we use a seaworthy camera boat that can run beside racing yachts and still hold a steady line when the breeze builds. Inside the marina a smaller boat works slowly between the pontoons. We source the boat locally and bring our crew over.
Permission. Ards and North Down Borough Council has run Bangor Marina and the harbour directly since April 2026. We agree positions and timings with the marina team, and with the yacht clubs on race days.
Shipping. Ferries and cargo ships bound for Belfast pass up the lough all day, so the camera boat keeps well clear of their track.
Weather. Bangor faces north across the lough, so a northerly wind sends a swell straight onto the shore. We pick the day by the forecast and keep a calmer option in reserve.
Drones. Bangor is clear of restricted airspace, with no zone within 4 km of the marina; Belfast City Airport's zone starts much further up the lough. The seafront and the marina walkways get busy, so take-off spots are chosen away from people.
Filming somewhere else? See all our film boat hire locations, or tell us where and we will find the right boat.
Ards and North Down Borough Council has run Bangor Marina and the harbour directly since April 2026. We agree positions and timings with the marina team, and with the yacht clubs on race days.
Yes. Bangor is clear of restricted airspace, with no zone within 4 km of the marina. The seafront and the marina walkways get busy, so take-off spots are chosen away from people.
Bangor faces north across the lough, so a northerly wind sends a swell straight onto the shore. We pick the day by the forecast and keep a calmer option in reserve.
