Boat Dealers in Sarasota, FL

Dealers in Sarasota carry Alumacraft, Avalon, Azimut, BOTE, Bayliner, Beneteau, Bennington and Boston Whaler, both new and pre-owned depending on the dealer.

Spring and late fall are usually the best times to boat Sarasota Bay, combining warm water with less rain than summer. Boating is practical year-round: Sarasota’s bay and Gulf waters run from the low 60s to around 70°F in winter and the low to upper 80s in summer. December through March brings an influx of winter visitors, so expect a busier area.

From mid-May into October, daily sea breezes help produce the local thunderstorm season, with the wet pattern peaking in midsummer. On exposed parts of Sarasota Bay, a strong breeze or tide can make conditions harder, so check the marine forecast and tides before departure.

Source: Visit Sarasota County (visitsarasota.com)

From Sarasota, point into Sarasota Bay for protected but shallow water, follow the Intracoastal Waterway for an inside cruise, or use New Pass or Big Sarasota Pass to reach open Gulf waters. Stay in marked channels in Sarasota Bay because broad seagrass flats are shallow. New Pass has a dredged channel but is subject to shoaling; Big Sarasota Pass also changes continually, so both require careful navigation. Hudson Bayou offers excellent shelter for small craft near downtown. The city’s public boat ramps include Ken Thompson Park on City Island and Centennial Park on North Tamiami Trail.

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

Boaters leaving Sarasota can make day trips to Jewfish Key’s sandbar for shallow-water anchoring and socializing, Beer Can Island for driftwood formations, tidepools and shade, and the New Pass sandbar for views of the downtown skyline. Sharker’s Island near Lido Key attracts lively gatherings on its bayside sandbar, while Edwards Islands Park in Roberts Bay offers a quieter stop for a picnic. Sandbars shift and may be submerged as the tide rises, so approach cautiously.

Source: Visit Sarasota County (visitsarasota.com)

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, Sarasota has 29 boat rentals, 6 boat clubs and 10 marinas.