Boat Rentals in Erie, PA

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

July and August are generally the best months for boating on Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay, combining Erie’s warmest weather with Lake Erie water temperatures typically in the low to mid 70s. June and September can also offer good boating days, although the water is cooler.

Presque Isle’s marina operates from May 1 through October 31, while its boat rental runs daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day and on weekends during parts of spring and fall. Check the Lake Erie nearshore forecast before departure because local water conditions can change dramatically in a short time.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (pa.gov)

From Erie, you can cruise sheltered Presque Isle Bay, follow the Erie Harbor Entrance into open Lake Erie, or slow down inside Presque Isle State Park. The harbor entrance is a slow, no wake area, as are Misery Bay and Marina Lake within the park. The connected interior lagoons between Misery Bay and Marina Lake allow electric motors only. Common put-ins are West Pier Launch for larger boats, Vista Launch for small craft and personal watercraft, and Niagara or Lagoon launches for small to medium boats.

Source: Pennsylvania DCNR and Fish and Boat Commission, pa.gov and pfbc.pa.gov (pa.gov)

Good day-trip destinations from Erie include Dobbins Landing, where the Bayfront offers restaurants, museums and the Bicentennial Tower; the Waterworks Ferry Dock, a cross-bay landing inside Presque Isle State Park; Misery Bay and Perry Monument, for history connected to Commodore Perry’s Lake Erie fleet; and Presque Isle’s interior lagoons, a natural water trail for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Together, these stops give boaters a mix of downtown waterfront activity, park access, maritime history and quieter paddling water around Presque Isle Bay.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (pa.gov)

Pennsylvania does not issue a general recreational boating license, but certain operators need a Boating Safety Education Certificate. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission requires it of people born on or after January 1, 1982 who operate boats with motors greater than 25 horsepower, and of all personal watercraft operators regardless of birth year.

Operators 11 or younger may not operate a personal watercraft or a boat over 25 horsepower, and a renter of a personal watercraft must be at least 16. Rental businesses must give customers a safety and operation orientation before rental, but that is a duty on the rental business and does not excuse the renter from holding a certificate. A temporary certificate issued after an approved course is valid for 60 days.

Source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (pa.gov)

Pennsylvania boaters should know the life jacket, sober operation, registration, personal watercraft and slow no wake rules enforced by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Every person needs an approved wearable life jacket aboard; children 12 and younger must wear one while underway in boats 20 feet or less and all canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. Operating any watercraft while impaired is illegal, with 0.08% BAC the adult limit. All motorboats, including electric powered boats, need registration. PWC operators need a Boating Safety Education Certificate, may not operate from sunset to sunrise, and must be at least 16 to operate a rented PWC. Keep slow no wake speed within 100 feet of shorelines, docks, ramps, swimmers, and anchored, moored or drifting boats.

Source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (pa.gov)

Under Pennsylvania law, a rented personal watercraft operator must be at least 16; for other motorboats, the operating minimum depends on motor power. Boats with motors of 25 horsepower or less have no age restriction, while anyone 11 or younger may not operate a boat powered by more than 25 horsepower.

All personal watercraft operators normally need a Boating Safety Education Certificate, and operators born on or after January 1, 1982, need one for boats over 25 horsepower. The rental operator may set a higher minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (pa.gov)

Alongside the boat rentals on this page, Erie has 1 boat club, 8 marinas and 5 boat dealers.