Marinas in Holmes Beach, FL

April through May and late October through November usually offer the best balance for boating on Holmes Beach’s Anna Maria Sound and nearby Gulf waters. There is no temperature driven opening or closing date: nearby NOAA coastal stations show average water temperatures climbing from the mid-60s in winter to the upper 80s in July and August, then cooling to around 80 in October and the low 70s in November.

Summer has the warmest water, but June through September is the area’s core thunderstorm season, when daily sea breezes help trigger storms. Plan an early start and review the marine forecast before launching at Kingfish Boat Ramp.

Source: Manatee County (mymanatee.org)

From Holmes Beach, you can launch at Kingfish Boat Ramp and explore Anna Maria Sound, Bimini Bay, Sarasota Bay, Longboat Pass and Gulf waters. Anna Maria Sound is the inside connection joining Sarasota Bay with Tampa Bay. In Bimini Bay, city waters extending south between Anna Maria and Key Royale to a line parallel to and 200 feet north of the Key Royale Bridge are a slow down, minimum wake zone.

Follow the Intracoastal Waterway toward Sarasota Bay for inner-bay boating near Cortez and Jewfish Key with less open water. Longboat Pass leads to open Gulf waters, but NOAA notes continual entrance changes and shoaling. Coquina Bayside’s north and south ramps provide nearby alternatives.

Source: Manatee County Government (mymanatee.org)

From Holmes Beach, good day-trip choices are Egmont Key, Beer Can Island and the Bradenton Beach City Pier. Egmont Key is a boat-only stop at the mouth of Tampa Bay, drawing visitors for beaches, swimming, shelling and the remains of Fort Dade. Beer Can Island at Longboat Key’s north end is known for its popular sandbar area. At Bradenton Beach, the public day dock provides access to the pier and Bridge Street, while larger vessels can use the temporary anchorage and dinghy dock.

Source: Florida State Parks (floridastateparks.org)

Florida does not issue a boating license, but operators born on or after January 1, 1988, must carry photo ID and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boating education card when running a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more. This includes personal watercraft. There is no general minimum age for boats; personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, and no one under 18 may rent any vessel other than a human powered one. Exemptions include Coast Guard licensed masters, private lake or pond operators, operators accompanied aboard by someone 18 or older who holds the card or is exempt and is responsible for the vessel, and nonresidents with proof of a NASBLA-approved out of state course. Any non exempt operator may instead pass an FWC approved temporary certificate exam and carry that certificate with photo ID for 90 days.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules require boaters to carry life jackets, stay sober, use properly registered vessels, follow personal watercraft limits, and obey posted no wake and manatee zones. Every vessel must carry an accessible U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket for each person; children under 6 must wear one while underway on vessels under 26 feet. Operating while impaired is illegal; a .08 blood or breath alcohol level creates a presumption of impairment. Most vessels must be registered and carry the certificate aboard. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, wear a noninflatable PFD, and not operate from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida law requires you to be at least 18 to rent a livery vessel other than a human-powered vessel. Florida sets no general minimum age to operate a boat, but a personal watercraft operator must be at least 14.

Under section 327.395, anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, operating a vessel powered by 10 horsepower or more must carry the required boating safety credentials. An exemption applies when accompanied by a credentialed or exempt person age 18 or older who is attendant to the operation and responsible for safe operation and violations. The rental operator sets its own booking minimum subject to state law, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Alongside the marinas on this page, Holmes Beach has 9 boat rentals.