-
Pontoon Boats - $75 deposit to confirm. Deposits are only refunded in the
event of bad weather.
-
You are a
NO SHOW after 30 minutes. CALL
IMMEDIATELY if you are running late
(727) 326-7391
or you lose your deposit and we charge your credit card
for the full amount of the rental.
-
No drinking and driving.
It's the LAW! If you get a BUI (Boating Under the
Influence) it goes on your permanent driving record. No
kidding!
-
The boat may only be
driven by the designated driver/s on the contract who
must be over 25 years old.
-
Boats WILL be cruised
at 3/4 throttle,
not full throttle.
Not only is this better for the engine, but outboard
engines at full throttle are going to use a lot more
gas, for very little extra speed. And yes, YOU pay for
the gas!
-
BALANCE the passengers
on the boat so it does not list to one side or ride bow
down in the water. To many people in the bow converts
the pontoon into a submarine, and that is never good!
-
You MUST have a fully
charged cell
phone on board and keep it turned on. We recommend you
bring a zip lock bag as cell phones and salt water are
not friends.
-
No towing of any boat for any reason.
Leave that to us, we're professionals.
-
No skiing or tubing or
towing of persons in the water.
-
No diving or jumping off boats,
as tempting as it may seem at the time.
-
No bow riding - all
passengers MUST remain inside the railings while the
boat is in motion.
-
No fires or grilling on boats
- you may bring a grill to cook out on the island.
-
All passengers must
board at our docks.
No picking up of extra passengers during the rental.
-
No mooring
at other docks.
-
Children 6 and under must wear a life jacket at all times
while on the boat - it's the LAW!
-
Stay between channel markers at all times
while in a marked channel. Remember:
RED, RIGHT, RETURN.
-
Obey
No Wake Zones
at all times. If we receive a complaint from a Gulf
Harbors resident that you have broken this rule you will
be fined $150. The designated No Wake Zone is from our
docks to the last house in the channel as well as 200
feet away from any anchored vessel or island beach.
-
You are responsible for your boat, motor, equipment and
passengers. You break it, you bought it! Se our
list of charges for any items
lost or broken. And nope, we do not offer insurance.
-
When trimming up the
engine, do NOT allow the propeller to come out of the
water. Not only will you loose steering but you could
damage the engine and then we'll have a field day with
your credit card!
-
Stay at least one mile from the mainland shoreline.
Watch your depth sounder, when it reads 3 feet or less
slow down and be careful. If you ding the prop, you will
be charged $175 to replace it!
-
When a larger boat
approaches you in the channel be aware that their wake
could flood your boat, SLOW DOWN.
-
Stay away from
Styrofoam balls and other buoys - these are crab traps
that can rip up your propeller. And don't even THINK
about retrieving those crabs - that carries a $5000 fine
in the State of Florida!
-
If a storm comes in,
call for instructions. Then make sure the boat is
anchored solidly at the island and take shelter under
the bimini. DO NOT attempt to return to dock during a
storm.
-
DO NOT beach the boat.
Drop a stern (back) anchor first, then set a front
anchor ensuring that the boat is floating at all times.
As the tide drops, move the boat out. If the boat is
beached on an outgoing tide you will be charged $200 as
we have to pick you up and leave a staff member to guard
the boat for 10 hours until the tide comes in.
-
When dropping an
anchor, yank on it first to make sure it is set - the
grass flats in our area can sometimes jam up an anchor
so it just skids and does not set properly the first
time.
-
Rinse the mud off
anchors before stowing them on board. If you tie knots
in the anchor line, untie them before you get to the
dock because we will make you untie them in front of
everybody!
-
If you get lost, call
for instructions.
We will talk you
through using the GPS to find your way home.
-
DO NOT call the Coast
Guard on your VHF radio unless you are unable to contact
us by cell phone and it is a life threatening emergency.
We can get to you a lot faster than they can.
-
If your boat does not
start, call us. We can probably figure it out on the
phone. If not, we'll come and get you. If we find it was
"operator error" due to you not following the
instructions, you will be charged $75 per hour for our time and
gas.
