Boat Rentals in Fort Pierce, FL

Rental fleets in Fort Pierce include Pontoon boats. What is available on the day depends on the company and the season, so it is worth checking a few listings.

April and November are the best all-around months for boating Fort Pierce’s Indian River and Fort Pierce Inlet. Fort Pierce climate normals put April days in the low 80s and November days in the upper 70s, while May through October is generally the wetter season.

The Florida Climate Center’s Fort Pierce planner uses nearby Stuart sea readings; these show coastal water in the low-to-mid 70s in April and mid-70s in November, versus upper 60s in winter and around 80 in summer. Summer boaters should watch for late-afternoon sea-breeze storms. At the inlet, NOAA flags strong currents and rougher entrances when an ebb current meets adverse weather.

Source: Florida Climate Center (climatecenter.fsu.edu)

From Fort Pierce, you can boat the Indian River Lagoon, follow the Intracoastal Waterway through Fort Pierce Harbor, visit the lagoon’s spoil islands, or pass through Fort Pierce Inlet to the Atlantic Ocean. The lagoon is a shallow estuary suited to inshore cruising, while the Intracoastal is the main channel route and the spoil islands are local day trip stops. The inlet provides the connection to open ocean water. Common put-ins include Fort Pierce City Marina and Stan Blum Boat Ramp, where the county lists four ramps and a floating dock.

Source: City of Fort Pierce (cityoffortpierce.com)

From Fort Pierce, boaters commonly head to The Cove, the downtown waterfront at Fort Pierce City Marina, and the Curtis Bostick Artificial Reef. The Cove is a sandbar just inside Fort Pierce Inlet where boats gather and anchor for a day on the water. The city marina provides access to downtown restaurants, shops, galleries, museums and parks. Offshore, the Curtis Bostick reef draws anglers and divers because the sunken cargo ship provides habitat for fish.

Source: Visit St. Lucie (visitstlucie.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 rentals on this page, Fort Pierce has 7 boat clubs, 11 marinas and 7 boat dealers.