RENTING OFFERS GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE WHO DO NOT OWN A BOAT
Many state park marinas offer boat and personal watercraft rentals
COLUMBUS, OH Renting a boat or personal watercraft is the easy and affordable answer for people who do not own a boat, but still want to enjoy a day or two out on the water. Whether it’s a sport boat, fishing boat, cabin cruiser, pontoon boat, canoe, kayak, or even a high-powered personal watercraft, Ohio offers plenty of opportunities to rent watercraft.
There are more than 80 boat rental facilities located across Ohio, including locations at 28 of Ohio’s state parks. These state park boat rental facilities are located at A.W. Marion, Alum Creek, Burr Oak, Cowan Lake, Deer Creek, Delaware, Dillon, Findley, Forked Run, Grand Lake St. Marys, Hueston Woods, Kiser Lake, Lake Alma, Lake Logan, Lake Hope, Mosquito Lake, Lake Milton, Maumee Bay, Paint Creek, Pike Lake, Punderson, Pymatuning, Rocky Fork, Salt Fork, Shawnee, South Bass Island, West Branch and Strouds Run state parks.
These state park marinas also offer boating supplies, fuel, refreshments and docking facilities. Some additional state parks without marinas also offer rentals that include rowboats, fishing boats, pontoon boats and canoes. For more information visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.com
Other park systems that are controlled by a county, municipality, township or conservancy district also offer marinas and boat rental concessions. The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD), for example, controls eight lakes (Atwood, Charles Mill, Clendening, Leesville, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Seneca and Tappan) that range in size from 850 to 3,550 acres. Visit the MWCD website for more information at www.mwcdlakes.com. The Hamilton County Park District in greater Cincinnati controls recreation on four lakes that offer good boating and fishing opportunities. Rowboats and pedal boats may be rented through the park district at Miami Whitewater Forest, Sharon Woods and Winton Woods lakes. Canoes may be rented at Sharon Woods and Miami Whitewater Forest. Visit the park district website for more information at www.hamiltoncountyparks.org.
Some popular paddling waterways include the Little Miami, Great Miami and Mad rivers in southwest Ohio, the Mohican, Walhonding and Kokosing rivers in north-central Ohio, the Hocking and Muskingum rivers in southeast Ohio, and the Grand and Cuyahoga rivers in northeast Ohio. These and other areas of the state offer canoe and kayak rental liveries that are easy to access, provide for a fun and affordable day on the water, and may last from one hour to a multi-day overnight trip.
Ohio also has a limited number of businesses that rent boats and host waterway tours for company outings, special occasions and romantic getaways. More information on these special tours is available on the Internet at www.ohiotourism.com .
Before renting any watercraft in Ohio, there are a few regulations and recommendations that should first be considered.
Ohio law requires mandatory boater education for anyone born on or after January 1, 1982 who operates a watercraft powered by more than ten horsepower. This includes rental watercraft. Rental businesses in Ohio are prohibited from leasing, hiring, or renting a vessel powered by more than 10 horsepower to a person born on or after January 1, 1982 unless that person:
- Signs a statement they have successfully completed an approved boater education course or proficiency exam; and
- Receives educational materials from the rental business and passed the test examination with a score of 90 percent or more.
Additional information on Ohio’s boating laws, education requirements and opportunities, plus recreational boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing opportunities is available online at ohiodnr.com, or by calling 1-877-4BOATER or 1-800-WILDLIFE.