Boat Clubs in Eagle River, WI

Summer is the best time to boat the Eagle River Chain, with mid-summer offering the warmest open-water conditions but also the most traffic. Travel Wisconsin says the chain can be crowded with tourists and boats around midday in mid-summer, making early morning and evening better choices for a quieter outing. By late September, local reports show many Eagle River-area lakes cooling into the mid-60s and crowds thinning. The season is governed by ice rather than fixed dates: the area’s lakes support ice fishing in winter, so spring and late-fall boating depend on open-water conditions.

Source: Travel Wisconsin (travelwisconsin.com)

From Eagle River, launch at the city’s T-Docks on the Eagle River and cruise the connected Eagle River Chain toward Yellow Birch, Catfish and Eagle lakes. The river provides a close-to-town starting corridor, while Yellow Birch is the in-city gateway and has public access.

Catfish is the chain’s largest lake and offers a broad open-water run, plus a popular sandbar. Eagle Lake is another roomy cruising choice with public access and a favored sandbar near the launch off Chain O Lakes Road. Use extra care in the narrower waterways connecting the lakes.

Source: City of Eagle River (eagleriverwi.gov)

From Eagle River, boaters make day trips along the connected Eagle River Chain to sandbars, city docks and the Burnt Rollways Boat Hoist. The northern Catfish Lake sandbar draws pontoons for wading and swimming, while the Eagle Lake sandbar near the boat launch is another popular gathering spot. Riverview Park on the Eagle River offers boat docking, picnic tables and a playground for a shore break. Farther along the chain, the Burnt Rollways Boat Hoist carries boats between Cranberry Lake and the Three Lakes Chain, making the lift itself a memorable destination.

Source: Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce (eagleriver.org)

Wisconsin does not require a general boating license, but operators born on or after January 1, 1989 generally need boating safety certification or an accepted out of state equivalent and must carry proof aboard. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources administers the rule. No one under 10 may operate a motorboat. For motorboats other than personal watercraft, qualifying adult accompaniment is allowed for operators age 10 and older instead of certification. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 12, and those subject to the cutoff must be certified; accompaniment is not a substitute, and renters must be at least 16. Rental customers 16 or older may use the state rental education certificate, valid through that calendar year only for watercraft they rent. People born before the cutoff are exempt.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (dnr.wisconsin.gov)

Know Wisconsin’s life jacket, alcohol, registration, operator and invasive species rules before launching. Carry one U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket per person; personal watercraft riders must wear one. On federally controlled waters, children under 13 must wear one while underway in an open vessel. Operating with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher is illegal. Motorized boats and sailboats over 12 feet generally require registration.

No one under 12 may operate, lease or rent a personal watercraft; operators ages 12 to 15 need an approved safety certificate, and renters must be at least 16. Remove attached plants and animals and drain all water before transporting your boat. Check landing signs for stricter local rules.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (dnr.wisconsin.gov)

At 12, a person may operate a motorboat without supervision in Wisconsin after completing a boating safety course accepted by the Wisconsin DNR. Ages 10 or 11 may operate only with a parent, guardian, or designated adult at least 18 who has a valid boating safety certificate or was born before January 1, 1989. Ages 12 through 15 may use that supervision option instead of certification. Operators 16 or older born on or after January 1, 1989 must have completed an accepted course. No one under 12 may operate a personal watercraft, no one under 16 may rent one, and operators 12 or older must be certified; adult supervision is no substitute. The rental operator sets its own minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (dnr.wisconsin.gov)

Alongside the boat clubs on this page, Eagle River has 8 boat rentals and 2 boat dealers.