Boat Dealers in Destin, FL

Dealers in Destin carry Avalon, Bennington, Boston Whaler, Chaparral, Cobalt, Everglades, Godfrey and Grady-White, both new and pre-owned depending on the dealer.

May and October are the best all-around months for boating from Destin Harbor into Choctawhatchee Bay and nearby Gulf waters. Nearby NOAA coastal averages for Pensacola and Panama City Beach put the water in the mid-to-upper 70s in May and October, compared with the upper 50s to low 60s in winter and the mid-80s in July and August.

Summer brings bustling boat traffic in Destin Harbor, so spring and fall avoid that summer bustle. Whenever you go, choose a calm-weather window for East Pass: NOAA advises against passage in rough weather and notes that the channel shoals rapidly between dredgings.

Source: NOAA NCEI and Office of Coast Survey (ncei.noaa.gov)

From Destin, you can cruise Destin Harbor and Old Pass Lagoon, Crab Island, Choctawhatchee Bay, East Pass into Gulf waters, or the Intracoastal route through The Narrows to Santa Rosa Sound. The harbor and lagoon offer marina access and anchorage; Crab Island is a submerged sandbar gathering spot; and the bay offers broader water. East Pass is marked, but the channel changes and shoals rapidly, and NOAA advises against passage in rough weather. The Narrows and sound include dredged Intracoastal channel sections. Public launch choices include Joe’s Bayou in Destin and Ross Marler Park on Okaloosa Island.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)

Common day trips from Destin include Crab Island, Norriego Point, Spectre Island and the Okaloosa Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore. Crab Island is a submerged sandbar in Choctawhatchee Bay where boaters gather in shallow water. Norriego Point draws families to protected tide pools for swimming and snorkeling beside East Pass. Spectre Island in Santa Rosa Sound offers a quieter stop for anchoring, swimming and fishing. The Okaloosa Area provides a bayfront outing with beach access, picnic facilities and opportunities to see native wildlife.

Source: Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism (nps.gov)

Florida does not issue a boating license, but operators born on or after January 1, 1988, must carry photo ID and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boating education card when running a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more. This includes personal watercraft. There is no general minimum age for boats; personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, and no one under 18 may rent any vessel other than a human powered one. Exemptions include Coast Guard licensed masters, private lake or pond operators, operators accompanied aboard by someone 18 or older who holds the card or is exempt and is responsible for the vessel, and nonresidents with proof of a NASBLA-approved out of state course. Any non exempt operator may instead pass an FWC approved temporary certificate exam and carry that certificate with photo ID for 90 days.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules require boaters to carry life jackets, stay sober, use properly registered vessels, follow personal watercraft limits, and obey posted no wake and manatee zones. Every vessel must carry an accessible U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket for each person; children under 6 must wear one while underway on vessels under 26 feet. Operating while impaired is illegal; a .08 blood or breath alcohol level creates a presumption of impairment. Most vessels must be registered and carry the certificate aboard. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, wear a noninflatable PFD, and not operate from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida law requires you to be at least 18 to rent a livery vessel other than a human-powered vessel. Florida sets no general minimum age to operate a boat, but a personal watercraft operator must be at least 14.

Under section 327.395, anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, operating a vessel powered by 10 horsepower or more must carry the required boating safety credentials. An exemption applies when accompanied by a credentialed or exempt person age 18 or older who is attendant to the operation and responsible for safe operation and violations. The rental operator sets its own booking minimum subject to state law, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Alongside the boat dealers on this page, Destin has 48 boat rentals, 2 boat clubs and 3 marinas.