Boat Rentals in East Hampton, NY

Rental fleets in East Hampton include Sailboats and Wake 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 generally the best time to boat from East Hampton’s Three Mile Harbor into Gardiners Bay. Coastal water near East Hampton averages in the low 60s in June, reaches around 70 to the low 70s in July and August, and remains in the upper 60s in September. Seasonal dockage at a Three Mile Harbor marina runs from mid-April through October.

Time your departure through the harbor entrance carefully: NOAA’s Coast Pilot reports tidal current there at about 3 knots. Check the local marine forecast before choosing your day, especially when wind could oppose the current.

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

From East Hampton, you can boat Three Mile Harbor, Gardiners Bay, Northwest Harbor and Accabonac Harbor. Three Mile Harbor is a sheltered choice: a marked channel opens to Gardiners Bay, its anchorage has good holding ground, and a 5 mph limit applies; put in at Gann Road or Head of the Harbor. For more open water, launch at Alewive Brook into Northwest Harbor, following marked channels around shallow areas and boulders. Accabonac Harbor suits small boats; Landing Lane is best used at higher tides, while Shipyard Lane provides another launch.

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

From East Hampton, boaters can make Gardiners Bay day trips to Cedar Point County Park, Sag Harbor and Greenport. Cedar Point draws crews for its bay beach, picnic areas and sandy walk to the historic lighthouse. Sag Harbor offers transient docks and moorings within a short walk of shops and restaurants. Greenport pairs waterfront marina access with downtown attractions, shops and dining, making it an easy shore stop before returning to East Hampton.

Source: Suffolk County Parks (suffolkcountyny.gov)

Yes, but New York calls it a Safe Boating Certificate rather than a boating license. The state generally requires recreational operators of motorized vessels to complete a state-approved course and carry the original certificate, including for personal watercraft. Operators of other motorboats must be at least 10, while PWC operators must be at least 14. Renters age 18 or older may operate a livery motorboat without a certificate after receiving basic instruction and safety information; a rented PWC may be operated without one only within a marked area near the livery. Renters under 18 need a certificate, and no one under 16 may rent a PWC at all. Course graduates receive a temporary certificate valid for 90 days. Valid U.S. Coast Guard operator licensees are exempt. New York State Parks administers the program.

Source: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (parks.ny.gov)

New York boaters should carry one U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket per person; children under 12 must wear one while underway on any boat 65 feet or less, including rowboats, canoes and kayaks, unless inside a fully enclosed cabin. Operating while impaired by alcohol or drugs is illegal, and a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher is intoxication. Mechanically propelled boats must be registered. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, complete a boating safety course, wear an approved life jacket, and operate only between sunrise and sunset. Statewide, boats and equipment must be Clean, Drain, Dry or treated before launching in public waters. New York State Parks oversees boating safety.

Source: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (parks.ny.gov)

New York's only statutory rental age is for personal watercraft and specialty prop-craft: Navigation Law §73-a bars a livery from renting one to anyone under sixteen, and in the same clause requires genuine proof of identification and age plus compliance with the boating safety certificate rule in section 49. A personal watercraft renter over eighteen may skip that certificate only where the livery keeps them within five hundred feet of the agent assigned to supervise, on a clearly marked craft.

Operating age is separate. Section 49 sets ten years for a mechanically propelled vessel and fourteen for a personal watercraft, each with a certificate; a personal watercraft operator may instead be accompanied by a certificate holder over eighteen. Rental companies set their own minimum age.

Source: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (nysenate.gov)

Alongside the boat rentals on this page, East Hampton has 1 boat club, 8 marinas and 1 boat dealer.