Need info about renting a boat for a day near Tampa in 2 weeks

skibum

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2007
2,732
Perry Hall, MD
Boat Info
2005 Sundancer 260
Engines
496 Magnum HO
I'm going to visit 2 of my cousins in Port Richie for a week. I'd like to surprise them with a boating trip to a sandbar or beach for a day. I'm hoping that CSR members familiar with the area can help with recommendations for a place to rent a boat as well as s destination.

Ideally, I'd like to rent the boat in the morning and head off to a sandbar, island, or beach to hang out for a few hours. Then maybe head somewhere for lunch and some sightseeing or another beach. Most full day rentals seem to be 8 hours so I'd like to make a couple of stops at interesting places.

I'm willing to make my cousin drive from Port Richie to the rental location, so any rental location within a half hour to 45 minute drive (maybe an hour for access to an exceptional destination) is fine.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.
 
There is a rental company which has day boat rentals located at Clearwater Harbor Marina. Not directly affiliated with the city marina, but has been located there for 2-3 years at least.

Don't recall the name of it. I am sure you could contact Harbor Marina and ask them the name.

No personal experience.

I would add that the clearwater location would give you easier access to what you are looking for. Renting something in Tampa would open up Tampa bay but would be long trip to get over to the ICW headed north.
 
Are you ok with a pontoon boat? Sunset Landing Marina right on the Cotee river used to rent them. Not sure if they still do or whether they have a season or not. From there it's an easy boat ride to the sand bar. Probably about 7-8 miles shore to shore. There's also a smaller island/sandbar just outside the river mouth. I see quite a few people anchored there as well. That will be 1-2 miles from the marina.
 
Place in Clearwater that I mentioned - 1-2 miles to sandbars. 7-8 miles to Dunedin, 7-8 miles to Indian Rock. Then options also around clearwater.
 
Just south of Port Richie is the city of Tarpon Springs, which has several boat rental places on the Anclote river, which is a 15-40 minute ride to the Gulf, then another 5-15 minutes to Anclote key which is a beautiful place to anchor, swim, lay on the beach, check out the light house, etc. It's a state park, no facilities, all natural, only way there is by boat. I rented a couple of times from the Tarpon Landing Marina, they have several styles in the low 20 foot range (center console, deck, pontoon, etc), think I paid $250 for 1/2 day plus gas. There's a nice dockside restaurant at the same Marina (Captain Jack's) where you eat dockside, and a couple of others down river you can pull up to. The marina website is, https://www.tarponlandingmarina.com

We live in Tarpon, let me know when you'll be in town, maybe we can meet up. If my interior refurb is finished maybe we can take you all out for a ride.

A couple of months back we were out at Anclote key for the day, our boat was surrounded for 30 minutes by a pod of 5-7 dolphin in 3-4 ft of water, with 10 yards of us, amazing to watch them play.
-Michael
 
Just FYI, if you want to stay close to home I verified that Sunset Landing Marina in Port Richey is still renting pontoon boats.
 
That's a nice boat for $300 a day considering it's a 2017. Maybe a bit small at 17' but if there's only 3 of you it may work perfectly.
I have been impressed with the amount of boat you get for the money. I was looking in fort Myers and they had a great selection
 
Hey guys, thank you for all of the feedback. I actually arrived in Florida last night. Sorry I haven't been back on CSR in the past 14 days. 2 funerals, 2 software releases, and a house emergency kept me away. I'll be here until the 30th, so I will check out those suggestions. Looking forward to getting in some time on the water.

Thanks again!
 
Well, I'll have to go back if I want to do any boating. I spoke with Tarpon Landing and had a rental for a 20' boat all set up for Friday afternoon. Out of the blue on Friday morning I got a phone call from yet another cousin that I hadn't seen in many years. It turns out that he was visiting a friend in Clearwater and was leaving Saturday. We elected to skip the boat ride and go meet up with him lunch. We had some awesome fish tacos and beer at the Bait House and then spent a couple of hours on the beach catching up. Was a great day nonetheless. My cousin told me that I needed to visit more often. I told her to be careful what she wishes for as I get more than 6 weeks of vacation every year. lol.

Thanks for the information. It almost happened.
 

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