Mid-Atlantic Watersports Boat Sales, Service, & Rentals

Rentals from Mid-Atlantic Watersports Boat Sales, Service, & Rentals include life jackets, safety equipment, fuel, cooler storage, fishing gear, a bimini top, a sunshade, comfortable seating, a swim ladder, a Bluetooth stereo and GPS navigation. Amenities vary by boat and by season, so confirm what comes with the boat you book.

Virginia sets no minimum age to operate a motorboat, but Code of Virginia § 29.1-748 requires a personal watercraft operator to be at least 16; a 14- or 15-year-old may operate one only after completing an approved boating safety course and carrying proof. DWR says all personal watercraft operators age 14 and older and all operators, regardless of age, of motorboats with engines of 10 horsepower or more must meet boating safety education requirements. Onboard direct supervision requires a qualified person to maintain close visual and verbal contact, provide adequate direction, and be able to immediately assume control. Each rental operator sets its own minimum age, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (law.lis.virginia.gov)

Virginia requires boating safety education and proof of compliance rather than a separately named boating license. All personal watercraft operators age 14 or older and every operator, regardless of age, of a motorboat with a 10 horsepower or larger engine must comply and carry proof; the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources administers the program.

A PWC operator must be at least 16, except a 14 or 15 year old may operate after completing an approved course and carrying proof. Compliance can also come from a rental or lease agreement naming the authorized operator, a nonrenewable 90 day temporary operator’s certificate issued with a newly acquired boat’s registration, direct onboard supervision by a compliant operator, or certain qualifying maritime, military, nonresident, and commercial fishing credentials.

Source: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (dwr.virginia.gov)

From Bumpass, Lake Anna’s public side gives you the clearest day-boating choices on one connected reservoir. Use the broader main Lake Anna basin for cruising and watersports, then reach The Splits, the junction of the North Anna River and Pamunkey Creek arms. For shallow upper-lake exploring, choose the North Anna arm near the Route 719 Bridge or the Pamunkey arm around Henry’s Point; DWR identifies both as upstream shallows. A practical put-in is Lake Anna State Park’s public boat ramp. The separate warm side is private, so rental trips should remain on the public lake.

Source: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (dwr.virginia.gov)

Boaters from Bumpass make Lake Anna day trips to The Sandbar, Cocktail Cove and Lake Anna State Park. The Sandbar, at the mouth of Gold Mine Creek, draws crews for shallow water recreation and socializing. Cocktail Cove offers a sandbar between the shoreline and an island for boat picnics. At Lake Anna State Park, a boat dock sits beside the beach complex, picnic area and visitor center, making it a practical shore stop during a day on the lake.

Source: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (dcr.virginia.gov)