Boat Rental FAQ
Boat Rental FAQ for renting a boat in Vero Beach
Have questions about renting a boat with Vero Watersports? This page should answer all your questions.
What do I need to Rent a Boat?
Renting a boat at Vero Watersports is very easy, you’ll need the following to start your day on the Indian River Lagoon:
- You’ll need basic boat handling experience to rent a boat.
- To be 21 years old to operate rented boat.
- Credit Card.
- New Florida law starting July 1st, 2023, changes how boat rental insurance works. Because of this, the renter needs to either obtain a third party insurance OR, have a boater safety course. The insurance can be very expensive at approximately $90 for every 4 hours. Because of this large expense, and safety being a core value of Vero Watersports, we recommend you take the Boaters Safety course option for free (lifetime, but it’s a long test), or temporary for $10 that expires after a year.
Free lifetime boaters safety course: https://www.boat-ed.com/florida/
Temporary boaters safety course ($10): https://boattests101.com/united-states/florida/florida-rental
We have no affiliation with either of these tests, we want you to be safe and knowledgeable boaters.
How much to Rent a Boat?
We have two options; you can rent a pontoon boat or a Bayliner. They are the same price at $380 for a half day, 9am-1pm, or 2pm-6pm. Full day rental is $550 for 9am-5pm. These prices include tax and fuel! No hidden fees here.
Do prices change seasonally?
We do not change boat rental prices seasonally, but we do occasionally offer discount specials from guests who follow our social media. So go give us a like!
How old do you need to be to rent a boat?
The minimum age to drive a boat in Florida is 14, and Florida state law regulates the minimum age at 18 to rent a boat. However, our insurance requires the operator of our boat to be at least 21 years old.
Does Vero Watersports offer the test for the boater’s safety license?
Safe boaters’ tests is not something we offer, but we can help you get the right test for what you need. First, it’s good to point out there are two types of tests in Florida.
Lifetime License: takes a long time to take, between 5 and 8 hours. The benefit of this test is its lifetime and is reciprocal to other states, and it’s free to take.
https://www.boat-ed.com/florida/
Temporary License: very fast, only good for one year, and it costs $14. This test is great for someone visiting Florida that may not need a boater’s license any other time soon
https://boattests101.com/united-states/florida/florida-rental
Does Vero Watersports offer Boat Rental insurance?
We do! We use a company called Bouy. If this is something you’d like to have, it can be purchased when going over the orientation for the boat. Here’s a link to Buoy Insurance for more information.
Do note: starting July 1st 2023 Florida state law requires the renter to have their own insurance or a boaters safety license. We can help you get either option.
Does Vero Watersports allow pets on Boat Rentals?
We do! Pets are allowed on our boat rentals. It’s recommended dogs have a life jacket; they are under the same category as children when it comes to boaters’ safety requirements. We do have dog life jackets to lend if you need one. To be honest, we aren’t sure about other animals needing life jackets, kind of assume it’s a dog you’ll be bringing, maybe we’ll be surprised at your water adventure pet.
Where can we go with our rented boat?
Lots of options on the Indian River Lagoon to take your boat rental.
if you head south there are several sandy beach islands to picnic and spend the day. The southern route also leads to the Fort Pierce Inlet and a wonderful hangout spot for locals called The Cove. You’ll also find some nice restaurants with gusts docks: Little Jim’s and Dockside are some great examples.
The Northern route is also worth the trip. You’ll also find several sandy beach islands and a large sand bar area near Sebastian Inlet Park. Crab Stop and Capt. Hiram’s are great places to grab a bite to eat too.
Here’s a link to more details on places to eat while on your boat rental adventure. https://visitindianrivercounty.com/restaurants-you-can-boat-to-in-indian-river/
Do you offer overnight boat rentals?
We do not offer overnight boat rentals currently. Unfortunately, our insurance company is “camp no fun”, and they do not allow it. All boat rentals need to be back at our home marina every day. We can work out a deal for multiday rentals. We are actively looking for a better insurance company.
How do we know where to go or what to do on our Boat Rental?
First and foremost, stay within the channel markers, the Indian River Lagoon, often referred to as The River, can be very shallow, even if it looks deep. Assume anywhere outside the channel is too shallow.
There are a couple of ways to know where to go on your boat rental. The best resource is the dock crew that helps get you underway, they know the River like no one else, and they’ll give you the locals insight on where to go. They’ll ask you what you’d like to do, then give you the perfect plan for your day.
Google Maps works surprisingly well. You’ll be able to see your location and what restaurants might be in your area and accessible by boat. Often you can even see the channelways and shallow sections.
Do Rental Boats have restrooms?
Nope
Do I need a reservation for a boat Rental?
How much time or notice do I need to make a reservation for a boat?
Same day reservations are great. Obviously, the more time we have to get your boat ready the better. You can book online through our website 4 hours before the start time. Or come on into the tackle shop to see what we have available.
Here’s a link to book online: Book Online Now
What is the cancelation policy for Boat Rentals?
You can cancel at any time for any reason. You’re most likely on vacation or on a needed day off, we want you to have fun and enjoy yourself. We do ask that you give us a heads up if you’re not going to make your reservation time or date. That way we can let others enjoy the day. Please call 772-234-9585 to cancel or reschedule your adventure.
What happens if there’s bad weather?
Florida weather can be tricky, ideally, we’ll be able to inform our guests before they head out. Happy to reschedule or refund if the weather is unsafe to operate a boat rental.
While on your boat rental adventure, be sure to have the ringer turned on the phone number listed on your check out forms. If we see weather forming in your area, we’ll give you a call with instructions on what to do.
Florida can form out of nowhere, and it rarely just rains. Storms here will have severe winds, tornadoes, lightning, and possibly hail. Best to take Florida weather seriously, it’s not fun getting stuck in a storm here.
What are your boat rental hours?
We offer three times for our pontoon boat rentals or Bayliner boat rentals. Half Day AM is 9am-1pm, Half Day PM is 2pm-6pm, or, Full Day 9am-5pm.
We can offer other time slots, only if the standard times are not full. Would need to make that call the day of.
Do you have life jackets for kids during Boat Rentals?
We do! Children under 6 years old must wear a life jacket when the rented boat is underway. We have several different sizes of vest-style life jackets, so they’ll be as comfortable as possible. We also have dog life jackets in different sizes.
CONTACT US
SEND US A MESSAGE
MORE INFO
Vero Tackle & Watersports
3321 Bridge Plaza Drive
Vero Beach, FL 32963
Open:
Mon 7am-6pm
Tues 7am-6pm
Wed 7am-6pm
Thur 7am-6pm
Fri 7am-6pm
Sat 7am-6pm
Sun 7am-6pm
772-234-9585