Boat Rentals in Sister Bay, WI

July and August are generally the best months to boat Sister Bay’s Green Bay waterfront, when local water is warmest; summer water temperatures average in the low-to-mid 60s. Sister Bay Marina’s 2026 schedule lists in-season transient dockage beginning May 16 and an October 13 closing date, making late spring and fall cooler shoulder periods.

Choose the specific day by checking Green Bay’s nearshore forecast for wind, waves and weather. The National Weather Service covers these waters and issues marine warnings when short-lived hazards such as thunderstorm winds develop.

Source: Sister Bay Marina (sisterbaymarina.com)

From Sister Bay, launch at Sister Bay Marina and choose Sister Bay, Green Bay, the Sister Islands, Ellison Bay or Eagle Harbor. Sister Bay opens directly onto Green Bay and offers good anchorage with protection from a broad range of winds. Green Bay is the more exposed water connecting the nearby bays. The Sister Islands sit on a shallow bank with marked shoals nearby, so they call for careful chart use. Ellison Bay provides protected anchorage, launching ramps and boating services. Eagle Harbor has deep water well toward its head and an outer anchorage protected from most winds, making it another practical day cruise.

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

From Sister Bay on Green Bay, boaters can make day trips to Fish Creek, Washington Island, Rock Island and Horseshoe Island. Fish Creek has a busy harbor just steps from downtown; Washington Island offers several marinas and anchorages; Rock Island is a picnic and beach destination with a historic boathouse, restored lighthouse and Icelandic cultural center; and Horseshoe Island, part of Peninsula State Park, is accessible only by boat and has a rustic trail around the island.

Source: Sister Bay Marina (sisterbaymarina.com)

Wisconsin does not require a general boating license, but operators born on or after January 1, 1989 generally need boating safety certification or an accepted out of state equivalent and must carry proof aboard. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources administers the rule. No one under 10 may operate a motorboat. For motorboats other than personal watercraft, qualifying adult accompaniment is allowed for operators age 10 and older instead of certification. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 12, and those subject to the cutoff must be certified; accompaniment is not a substitute, and renters must be at least 16. Rental customers 16 or older may use the state rental education certificate, valid through that calendar year only for watercraft they rent. People born before the cutoff are exempt.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (dnr.wisconsin.gov)

Know Wisconsin’s life jacket, alcohol, registration, operator and invasive species rules before launching. Carry one U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket per person; personal watercraft riders must wear one. On federally controlled waters, children under 13 must wear one while underway in an open vessel. Operating with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher is illegal. Motorized boats and sailboats over 12 feet generally require registration.

No one under 12 may operate, lease or rent a personal watercraft; operators ages 12 to 15 need an approved safety certificate, and renters must be at least 16. Remove attached plants and animals and drain all water before transporting your boat. Check landing signs for stricter local rules.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (dnr.wisconsin.gov)

At 12, a person may operate a motorboat without supervision in Wisconsin after completing a boating safety course accepted by the Wisconsin DNR. Ages 10 or 11 may operate only with a parent, guardian, or designated adult at least 18 who has a valid boating safety certificate or was born before January 1, 1989. Ages 12 through 15 may use that supervision option instead of certification. Operators 16 or older born on or after January 1, 1989 must have completed an accepted course. No one under 12 may operate a personal watercraft, no one under 16 may rent one, and operators 12 or older must be certified; adult supervision is no substitute. The rental operator sets its own minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (dnr.wisconsin.gov)

Alongside the boat rentals on this page, Sister Bay has 3 marinas and 4 boat dealers.