September 16, 2020

A Useful Guide to Choosing a Boat Rental Company in Orlando

Boat cruising is one of the most memorable experiences a person can enjoy while listening to the sound of the waves and looking at the crystal clear waters. Since not many people can afford to purchase a vessel to take pleasure in boating adventures, boat rentals have become increasingly popular.

In recent times, a myriad of rental companies, such as Orlando Boat Rentals, provides customers with the opportunity to enjoy the exceptional weather and freshwater lakes in Florida by renting a vessel. These providers are supposed to abide by boating laws and regulations, provide passengers with safety equipment, and offer a variety of watercraft.

The following guide will help you make the right choice.

Choose a type of rental boat

Boat rental companies provide clients with a multitude of watercraft to choose from, mainly depending on the purpose of renting such a vessel. Adventurers are usually provided with the opportunity to choose between monohulls and catamarans.

The former are equipped with solely one hull and a keel to provide greater stability against the wind. In contrast, the latter are designed with two hulls for better stability, being both sail and motor powered. Needless to say, catamarans are known for being much steadier and more resistant to water, hence being considerably more popular among clients.

In terms of power, sailboats use the strength of the wind to power the sails or a motor in case there’s not enough wind. These are predominantly rented for daily use due to the lack of cabins. Conversely, motorboats use fuel to power the engines, either gasoline or diesel. These watercraft are capable of taking you to your destination in a much shorter time as long as the weather conditions aren’t rough.

Moreover, sailing vessels are known to be environmentally-friendly, cost-effective, and much quieter than motorboats, hence ideal for adventurists. Motorboats, on the other hand, are more spacious, convenient for docking, and travel at a higher speed. Visit this page for some useful tips about tying up a boat at the dock.

If you’re renting a boat for a wedding, choosing a catamaran would be the right choice owing to its incredible stability and resistance to waves. It’s the only way to make both young and elderly guests feel comfortable during the ride. Anyhow, when organizing an excursion with your adventurist friends, make sure you opt for a monohull sailboat. Also, fishing boats are ideal for fishermen, looking for a leisure river cruise.

Look for rental companies

The following step of your journey towards the ideal boating adventure is looking for companies that rent vessels. You’re recommended to search for boat rentals online by placing your focus on the region where you’ve chosen to take a trip.

The most effective method of comparing rental companies is by checking the rating of their operators, as well as the prices these professionals charge for renting a vessel. It’s paramount to go through some online reviews, written by former customers, sharing their experiences of hiring a watercraft. These are the essential factors to check before a rental company becomes a part of your shortlist.

Check licensing and regulations

Another crucial factor to consider when hiring such a company is whether the operators and charter captains abide by the boating laws and regulations. These professionals are obliged to have a boating license, which enables them to carry a maximum of eleven people on board.

Keep in mind that both age and licensing requirements vary across states, thus requiring you to check the laws of your state. In addition, some states require passengers to have completed a boating safety course in order to be allowed to rent a vessel.

Conduct a rental check

Prior to hiring a rental boat, every customer is strongly advised to perform a rental check in search for previous damage done to the vessel. Make sure you look for hull dents and scratches, windshield cracks, motor damage, broken fitting, etc. Also, it’s important to inspect the seats for stains, as these are known to be incredibly common. For guidance on the most common boat engine problems, visit the following link, https://www.boatingmag.com/top-10-reasons-boats-break-down-0/.

After completing the inspection, you’re supposed to summarize the detected issues in writing, as part of the rental agreement. Consequently, you won’t be held responsible for any kind of deterioration done to the watercraft prior to renting it out by yourself.

Look for safety equipment

The safety equipment is yet another crucial factor to consider when hiring a vessel. Rental operators are expected to provide passengers with the required safety equipment in the form of life jackets, signaling devices, fire extinguishers, and floating devices. These professionals are supposed to show you where the equipment is placed and how to operate it properly.

Don’t forget about pricing

Boat rental services vary in terms of pricing, depending on the type of vessel, the region, and the amount of time you’ll rent it for. Consequently, motorboats are known to be costlier than sailboats, just like luxury cruisers are more expensive than fishing vessels.

The size of the watercraft and the destination play a major role in pricing as well. Hence, renting a large vacation vessel in Greece or Italy would cost you much more than renting a watercraft in a non-tourist destination.