Advantages of Renting a Boat

There may not be a better way to spend your leisure time than on a boat. From water sports and fishing to cruising, sightseeing, and exploring, boats offer up a slew of memory-making adventures that will last a lifetime. Getting in on the fun, however, has one catch - you need a boat! The good news is that renting a boat is a possibility in most places where boating is a top-of-the-list activity. If a place has boating activities as an option, chances are renting a boat is an option too. Let’s look at the benefits and advantages of renting a boat so you can join in on the fun. 

Why Rent a Boat?

Before diving into the advantages of renting a boat, let’s cover the reasons why you would want to rent one. Besides offering up a lot of fun, you may find that there are scenarios where renting a boat is a preferable option. 

Flying In

Flying to your next vacation destination may mean that bringing a boat with you is out of the question. When you arrive though, you may want to get out on the water and take in some fun water-related activities. Renting a boat makes that possible. Some places may even bring the boat to you through their delivery services. 

Exploring Closer to Home

You may also live near a body of water where boating activities are popular, but have not seen the need to purchase a boat and take on the added responsibility of ownership. Renting a boat is an option for weekend excursions, fishing outings, trying new water sports, or when family or friends are visiting. It’s a great way to enjoy your leisure time or show off specific sights around your home. 

Celebrating a Milestone

Another great reason for renting a boat is to celebrate an upcoming milestone, like a graduation, anniversary or birthday. Having a boat on hand can infuse memorable water-related fun into these milestone events. Family reunions or other large gatherings are also good times to rent a boat. It can easily give fun-focused recreation or celebratory activities to the gathering that everyone can enjoy. 

Boat Rental vs Buying a Boat

When weighing your options between buying a boat or renting one, it’s a good idea to look at both the advantages of renting a boat and the disadvantages.

The Advantages of Renting a Boat 

An Expensive Depreciating Investment

Boats are not cheap. Even if you buy a used boat, it has a large upfront cost. Even so, you may think of this as an investment worth making, and depending on your circumstances and reasons for wanting to buy a boat, it could be viewed that way. But, it is also worth considering that boats are not homes and they do not appreciate in value over time. They depreciate based on the hours of use on the engine, much like a car’s depreciation based on mileage. When you buy a boat, it will never be worth as much as what you initially paid for it. With that in mind, it is important to plan to get a lot out of the boat to justify that initial outlay of money.

When you rent a boat, however, you are only paying for the specific time you plan to use the boat and that does not depreciate over time. Not having to worry about the decreasing value of the boat you use is one of the advantages of renting a boat that cannot be underestimated. 

No Boat Maintenance Costs

One boat rental advantage is no boat maintenance. This is a big one when it comes to the advantages of renting a boat. The expense of owning a boat is not just in the initial cost, but the cost of maintaining it as well. Boats are built to be exposed to the elements, water, of course, but also weather and salt. This makes their maintenance more frequent and more expensive. This includes cleaning, engine upkeep, and parts replacement and repairs. These things not only take money resources, but they take time and planning too.  Having no boat upkeep is easily one of the best advantages of renting a boat. 

No Boat Storage and Insurance Costs

Another one of the advantages of renting a boat is that you do not have to worry about storing it. Boat storage, especially in the off-season, is an added expense to boat ownership. Unless you have a large enough storage facility on your property, you will most likely have to pay to store your boat at a marina or storage yard. This can include membership, docking, and other fees. Even if you store your boat on your own property, you will have the added hassle of making sure it is covered and secure, not to mention needing a boat trailer, hitching it to your vehicle, and hauling it to a launching facility. On top of that, your boat needs to be insured, much like a car. These are all more added expenses to owning a boat. Renting includes none of these costs or added the time, resources, or hassle they involve, which makes it an attractive alternative. 

Versatility and Flexibility

One of the pros of renting a boat is the versatile vessel choices that are available to you. There are many different boat types and each one is designed to support different activities. When you own a boat, you are tied to one type of boat, unless you buy several different ones for different activities, which of course compounds the cost of purchasing, maintenance and storage. Renting on the other hand allows you to get the specific boat you need to fit the activity you are looking to do.

A small boat will take you out for a leisure cruise on the water, yet a fishing boat will be equipped for casting out to make your big catch of the day. A large boat on the other hand can offer up a whole other slew of fun activities or even a multi-day excursion. Other boats are better equipped for water sports, such as water skiing or boarding. There are also pontoon boats that are designed to host any number of memorable get-togethers.

If you want adaptable boat options so you can partake in different water-related activities at different times, renting a boat is the way to go.

This versatility also extends to vacation time. When you rent a boat on vacation, you get a chance to do the things that are popular in that particular place. Some areas are known for their excellent fishing, others are ideal for water sports, and even others for island hopping and leisure. For example, there are areas in Florida that are known for their sandbar culture. Having a boat to partake in this on your vacation is ideal. Renting a boat gives you the flexibility to enjoy what each place you visit is known for. 

Disadvantages of Renting a Boat

Convenience

When you own your own boat, it is easy to know that you can enjoy your favorite boating activity whenever you want. There is no extra planning involved because you know that you can use the boat when and where you plan to go. You do need to consider the extra time involved in getting your boat to your destination, though and knowing where you can launch. There are also some boat rental companies that will deliver a boat to you, like Your Boat Club, which can alleviate this disadvantage. 

Boat Rental Over Time

One calculation when looking at the advantages of renting a boat vs buying one is how often you plan to use your boat. You may be thinking that if you plan to use your boat every weekend, then the cost of a boat rental may accumulate over time to be more expensive than buying a boat in the first place.

This may be true, especially if you are looking to invest in one kind of boat for one kind of activity that you participate in several times a month. This is a much larger commitment to one type of boating activity and may merit a larger investment. If this is not your plan and you take both upkeep and storage into consideration, then renting a boat is more convenient and less expensive, even over time.

Know also that there are places that offer long term boat rentals that may satisfy your long- term boating needs for less than buying a boat and paying for maintenance and storage. It also gives you the option of upgrading or changing your boat type easier than buying a new boat. 

Is Boat Renting Worth It? 

So, is renting a boat worth it? When you consider upfront costs, maintenance, storage, depreciating value, and versatility, it is easy to see that the answer is yes. Whether you are planning your next vacation or special event, or are a sports enthusiast looking for your next adventure, the advantages of renting a boat can bring your leisure game to the next level.

If you want more information about renting a boat for your next vacation, gathering, or adventure, contact Your Boat Club.