Boat Rentals in Detroit, MI

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

Late June through September is usually the best time to boat Detroit’s Detroit River and nearby Lake St. Clair. NOAA’s long-term Lake St. Clair graph shows surface water warming through spring, reaching the mid-70s in July and August, then cooling quickly in fall. A practical local season marker is Erma Henderson Marina’s regular season, April 15 through October 31.

Lake St. Clair is usually open by early April, while navigation becomes extremely limited by early December. Choose individual days carefully: squall lines can bring strong winds, storms can shift lake levels rapidly, and Detroit River current is generally faster at midstream.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey and NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, nauticalcharts.noaa.gov and apps.glerl.noaa.gov (apps.glerl.noaa.gov)

From Detroit, you can boat the Detroit River, pass Belle Isle, enter Lake St. Clair, or continue through the lower river to Lake Erie. St. Jean Boat Launch gives direct access to the upper Detroit River and Lake St. Clair; Riverside Park has another city riverfront launch. Fleming Channel beside Belle Isle is the marked main channel, while the island’s north channel is mainly for local and pleasure craft and skirts extensive shoals. Lake St. Clair is shallow near the Peche Island entrance. Farther downriver, the water broadens around islands and shallow expanses before dredged channels cross the Lake Erie shallows.

Source: City of Detroit (detroitmi.gov)

From Detroit, three practical day-trip destinations are Lake St. Clair Metropark, Peche Island and Elizabeth Park. At Lake St. Clair Metropark, transient docks put boaters near a sandy beach and picnic areas. In season, Peche Island in Windsor is an international option with a docking area, a rustic trail, river lookouts and picnic tables. Elizabeth Park offers a transient marina on the Detroit River, plus a riverwalk and park space for time ashore.

Source: Huron-Clinton Metroparks (metroparks.com)

Michigan requires a boating safety certificate rather than a recreational boating license for anyone born on or after July 1, 1996, operating a motorboat over 6 horsepower. A child under 12 may operate 6 to 35 horsepower only with a certificate and direct onboard supervision by someone at least 16, and may not operate more than 35 horsepower.

For personal watercraft, no one under 14 may operate. Ages 14 and 15 need a certificate plus either accompaniment by a parent, legal guardian or designated adult 21 or older, or operation within 100 feet of one; operators born after December 31, 1978, need a certificate. A renter who completes livery safety training may use the written rental agreement as a certificate only for the listed rental dates. Michigan DNR administers the program.

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources (michigan.gov)

Michigan boaters should follow Michigan Department of Natural Resources rules on life jackets, sober operation, registration, personal watercraft and invasive species. Carry a Coast Guard approved life jacket for each person; children under 6 must wear a Type I or II jacket on an open deck while underway. Operating with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher is illegal. Unless exempt, watercraft must be registered and display a decal. PWC operators must be at least 14, with certificate and supervision rules for ages 14 and 15, and PWCs may not operate from sunset to 8 a.m. Before launching or transporting, remove plants and debris from boat and trailer, and pull drain plugs and drain all water before hauling; local no wake rules may also apply.

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, michigan.gov/dnr (michigan.gov)

The legal minimum depends on vessel class and power: Michigan has no minimum operating age for a motorboat of 6 horsepower or less. For more than 6 horsepower, unsupervised operation starts at 12 with a boating safety certificate. Under 12, operation through 35 horsepower requires that certificate and direct onboard supervision by someone at least 16; stronger boats are prohibited. Personal watercraft require age 14. Ages 14–15 need a certificate and either a parent, legal guardian, or designated adult 21 or older onboard, or within 100 feet while that adult operates another personal watercraft; independent operation starts at 16. Certificates are compulsory for motorboat operators born on or after July 1, 1996, and PWC operators born after December 31, 1978. Rental operators set their minimums, so confirm when booking.

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources (michigan.gov)

Alongside the boat rentals on this page, Detroit has 2 boat clubs, 9 marinas and 1 boat dealer.