Boat Rentals in Cape May, NJ

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

June through September is generally the best time to boat Cape May Harbor and Cape May Inlet. At NOAA’s Cape May station on Delaware Bay, average water temperatures rise from the low 50s in April to around 70 in June, reach the mid-70s from July through September, and fall to the mid-60s in October.

For a wider local season, Cape May’s registration period for boats anchoring or mooring more than 30 days runs April 1 through October 31. On any outing, account for Cape May Inlet current; NOAA’s Coast Pilot reports a velocity of about 2 knots.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (ncei.noaa.gov)

From Cape May, you can boat Cape May Harbor, run Cape May Inlet to the Atlantic, follow the Intracoastal Waterway through Jarvis Sound and Middle Thorofare, or take Cape May Canal to Delaware Bay. The harbor is a busy working harbor with marked channels and small-craft facilities; the inlet leads to exposed ocean water. Jarvis Sound and Middle Thorofare provide an inside route, but ICW shoaling makes channel discipline important. The canal is a 5-knot transit, while Delaware Bay can become choppy when wind and tidal current oppose. Cape May has no public ramp within city limits; trailer boats can use Spicers Creek Boat Access, and city marinas provide access.

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

From Cape May, boaters can head to Cape May Reef, Grassy Sound and the Wildwood waterfront, or the Lewes canalfront. Cape May Reef draws anglers and scuba divers to its artificial structures. The Intracoastal Waterway connects Cape May with Jarvis Sound, Middle Thorofare and Grassy Sound, where a channel leads to Wildwood’s inner waterfront. Lewes offers city-operated transient and hourly docking on the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal, making it a practical stop ashore.

Source: NJDEP Fish & Wildlife (dep.nj.gov)

Yes. New Jersey requires operators 16 or older of power vessels, including personal watercraft, to hold a boating safety certificate. The requirement goes by age, not by birth year. Ages 13 to 15 may operate only an electric powered vessel, or one at least 12 feet long with under 10 horsepower, and still need a certificate; children under 13 may not operate power vessels at all.

Operating on non-tidal waters also requires a New Jersey boat license, an endorsement the Motor Vehicle Commission adds to a driver's license or ID card. It is an additional required document, not a replacement for the safety certificate. Out of state proof is accepted for visits under 90 days, as are Coast Guard operator licenses. The New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau administers certification.

Source: New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau (nj.gov)

New Jersey boaters should know five core rules enforced by the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau. Children 12 or younger must wear a properly fitted Coast Guard approved life jacket while underway; from November 1 through May 1, everyone aboard a recreational vessel under 26 feet must wear one while underway, except inside a cabin. Operating with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more is prohibited. All power vessels and all titled boats must be registered. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 16 and have a boating safety certificate, may not operate between sunset and sunrise, and must obey no wake restrictions.

Source: New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau (nj.gov)

New Jersey does not use an adult supervision exception: the minimum age is 13 for limited power vessels and 16 for any power vessel, including personal watercraft. Operators ages 13 through 15 need a boating safety certificate and may operate only an electric powered vessel or a vessel at least 12 feet long with less than 10 horsepower. Anyone under 13 cannot operate a power vessel, and the State Police manual says there are no exemptions to the age requirements.

The rental operator sets its own minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau (nj.gov)

Alongside the boat rentals on this page, Cape May has 2 boat clubs, 6 marinas and 6 boat dealers.