Velero Impaciente

Waiting at the dock in Villa La Angostura is an offering that stands apart from the rest of Lake Nahuel Huapi’s nautical options: the Velero Impaciente, an 11-meter wooden motor-sailer built in 1985 at the Mazzoli shipyard. While shared launches load passengers in large groups and race across the water, this sailboat operates at a different pace — closer to a voyage than a ferry run.

The hull combines materials rarely used in recreational boats anymore: cedar above the waterline, and lapacho, viraró, and cedar below. The teak deck features a sun area for lounging as the boat moves through mountain scenery. A stern cockpit allows for open-air seating; at the bow there is a double cabin with its own bathroom. The central area includes a galley and dining space, and the covered wheelhouse offers 360-degree visibility — useful for the skipper and for passengers who want to follow the navigation without headwind.

Outings cover some of the lake’s most recognizable stretches. The Brazo Angostura arm connects the town directly with Cumelén Bay and Las Balsas Bay, two sheltered inlets where the water changes color with the light and weather. A short two-hour loop through this section works well as a first encounter with the lake or as a sunset cruise with onboard catering.

The most-requested destination is the Quetrihué Peninsula, home to the Arrayanes Forest within Los Arrayanes National Park. This myrtle woodland with orange-ochre bark trunks is one of the most photographed forests in Patagonia; arriving by sailboat makes a concrete difference compared to the standard catamaran: travel time is similar — three hours round trip on the transfer option — but the boat carries far fewer passengers. The half-day option extends the itinerary by adding coastal navigation along the Brazo Angostura before or after the forest.

The longest excursion heads to Piedras Blancas beach on Isla Victoria, the largest island in Lake Nahuel Huapi. Departure is around ten in the morning, with return close to six-thirty in the evening. During the day, a barbecue is held on the beach as part of the included service, along with all-day beverages. Isla Victoria has its own forests and the pale-pebble beach that gives the destination its name, set against the cordillera silhouette from nearly every angle.

The operator is César Peláez, licensed to navigate within Nahuel Huapi National Park. All formats include catering — this is not a bare-charter sailboat where passengers bring everything, but a full-service excursion. Maximum passenger capacity is not specified on the official website, though the vessel’s scale suggests small groups.

For visitors to Villa La Angostura, the Velero Impaciente offers a way to experience the lake from within, at the pace of a wooden boat with its own history and routes that go beyond the standard catamaran circuit.