High Performance Boat Rentals
 

Are there any out there? Thinking about starting up a business. Don't have time and money to tow your boat to Desert Storm, SCOPE, Big Cat and other West Coast Poker Runs? Going to Vegas on business and want to run Mead or Havasu? Or maybe a run from Long Beach to Catalina or Channel Islands to Santa Barbara, Lake Tahoe or Discovery Bay? Fly in, go to the water, get in the boat and go! Also would provide guide service or captain service. Can do just boat rental or complete trip packages (lodging, food, even exotic car or motorcycle rentals). Would any of you be interested in this?

Check into the liability insurance, I'm afraid it's going to be stout! And you will probobly need to be a USCG certified Captain to get ins. Hope it works out for you.
Dean

I think John Arruda tried it in S. Fla.

Too many barriers to list and not enough people willing to pay 10 grand for a day.

I think the insurance deal will be the biggest expense. Depends on what we have for boats but I'm thinking we will have used, but clean & reliable, stock powered 29 - 38 footers that we can buy for under $100K. With a high deductable on our end and customer can purchase additional insurance (like car rental) it shouldn't be too bad. I'm checking locally here with exotic car rental places and the Lake Mead boat rentals to see who they use for insurance.
Captains license would be required for us.

Do you have a Scarab? I've seen a 30' or so CC with twin wackers on it out there, is that you?

What color is the Hallet?

Did the SCOPE run last weekend so probably not going to be out there this weekend. Plus there are a couple other things (car) going on. Maybe next weekend in my 29 Outlaw or my buddy's 36 (or both).

High Perf Boat Rental
 

Did check into this myself for the Virginia Beach tourist trade. Was going to sell high performance boat rides to tourists. Saw this done in San Fran a few years ago and thought I could do it here. I am a licensed USCG Master - 50 Ton and did attend Tres's Performance Boat School (I recommend it by the way), and have completed the RYC Yacht Master courses. Also, already am a licensed charter guide and have commercial coverage. Checked with my current Insurance provider, MARKEL, the whole lot - no one will write coverage for that type of business any longer. Just too many hi-perf accidents. Good luck if you can set it up. I would rent from you.

Lots of guys doing this- it's affordable and for the average person, they feel like they're flying

http://www.seascreamer.com/boat_rides_clearwater1.htm
http://www.rbmarina.com/ocean_racer.html
http://www.talbotstreetpier.com/boatrides/rocket.html
http://www.seadogcruises.com/Chicago...atLakeTour.cfm

I've done this a few times and it's a wild ride-
http://www.whirlpooljet.com/

The Seadog in Chicago is ok but my kids asked if they could go any faster. It ran about 40 MPH with diesels out on Lake Michigan for about 25 minutes of run time and pointed out landmarks like a tour bus would.

I think an older top gun with stock power and fresh paint/ interior would get a lot of attention. The rentals for poker runs would be hard to value but a guided/ capt provided event would be easier to get done. There was a guy renting rides on a Top Gun out of Miami Beach about 10 years ago. The boat was like a genie/merlin theme (pink and white paint) and is in the City Furniture commercial still used on TV today.

The big tour boats look like fun and are cheap but not quite what I had in mind. I'd like to be able to bring the poker run experience to both non-boaters as well as boaters that don't have performance boats and perofrmance boaters that can't haul across the country. Maybe even joint venture with performance boat dealers to bring in sales (once you do a PR you're hooked!).

As a retired Coast Guard Officer/Marine Inspector and a Performance Boat Owner etc, etc There are many reason this is not done, well; not done properly.

The large boats which carry over six passengers must have a certificate of Inspection. Commercial Insurance limits the speed to not more than 40 maybe 50 MPH without paying incredibly large premiums. Then you have to measure the risk upon repitition or $$$ in gross reciepts.

I am not a bizman but would be surprised to see plan which made sense with a uninspected small PAX Vsl.

The large boats such as THRILLER and the others make $$$$$.

Having said all this... Best of luck to you and you are welcome to call or PM me with any questions regarding commercial boat operations.

Brad

I think it's a great idea but I would take a little different approach.....

I would buy up some cheaper/ older "go fast" boats....like a 85 Formula 242LS type of boats....The 242LS had twin 350's.....I only suggest it because the boats can be bought for under $7k so you can have a small fleet of them for half you'd spend on a 100k boat.

Buy one or two $100k boats for the super serious people who will drop $10k a day to rent it, but use your Cheap Formula fleet to pay the bills.

Your average novice boater would never know your Formula's are older boats if you dressed them up right. Not to mention twin 350's to a novice boater....I guarantee you the novice is going to think the boat will do 100+mph and rent it.....

Let's suppose for a minute that getting permits and insurance were a conceivable possibility. How many trips a day, how long are the trips and how much will you charge for them?

You should call Arruda at Turbine Marine. If a guy that deep in the biz didn't make a go of it in a populated tourist magnet location like S. Fla, I'm not sure anyone could do it.

I know insurance is always an issue but you have to look at all the exotic car rental CO. here in Vegas and wonder about there Ins. You can rent a Lambo, Viper, Porsche and in the wrong hands could do some damage. You can even rent Bullet bikes now and it's hard for some to get Ins. for them selves. I say you can do it. Don't let anyone discourage you from your idea's. Or Bill's!!:ernaehrung004:

I have seen the OC Rocket many times and it is always full. As someone in OC once told me, "the people pay their money come back soaking wet with a big smile fo their face" Makes me wish I had thought of it.

Is that one still in operation down in Key West? He was very busy when we were down there.

I remember the PT boat in KW. I thought it was up for sale last year.

The Niagara jet boat is a riot. I didn't think you could get that wet. The cockpit fills with water up to your waist when the bow stuffs, then dumps out the back. They do a neat S-turn then a hard cut that makes the boat spin out. Cool ride.

Here u go!
 

http://www.miamicharters.com/2002/ve...rill-rides.asp

http://www.miamicharters.com/2002/vessels/air-sea.asp

http://www.millionairesconcierge.com/powerboats.htm

Thanks for the links. Will definately contact them and pump them for info! :D

I also know there is one in Cancun Mexico

http://www.cancuncd.com/cancun-yacht...yacht-boat.php

$550 an hour is a steal.

We already have enough boat owners that dont know how to drive there boats let alone loading up the waterways with complete idiots that will pin the throttles try to jump a wake and end up killing themselves and there passengers. Hence; waverunner rentals.:violent-smiley-045: