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Clear turquoise water in Secret Cove, Lake Tahoe where a sailboat, pontoon boat, and motor boat are anchored. Mountains in the background.
  • What is your Cancellation Policy?
    CANCELLATIONS: The booking fee is non-refundable under any circumstance. Any reservation with a maxium rental duration of 8 hours, may be canceled up to seven (7) days prior to the rental start time, for a full refund minus the Booking Fee. Cancellations less than seven (7) days from the rental start time will be refunded 50% of the rental amount and 100% of the optional insurance, up to 24 hours prior to the rental start time. Cancellations less than 24 hours from the rental start time are NON-REFUNDABLE - NO EXCEPTIONS. Any multi-day rental reservation, may be canceled up to thirty (30) days prior to the rental start time, for a full refund minus the Booking Fee. Cancellations less than thirty (30) days from the rental start time will be refunded 50% of the rental amount and 100% of the optional insurance, up to 7 days prior to the rental start time. Multi-day cancellations less than 7 days from the rental start time are NON-REFUNDABLE - NO EXCEPTIONS. If we deem conditions unsafe due to issues stemming from the event of lightning, thunderstorms, heavy rain, or heavy wind at the time of the scheduled rental, reservation may be rescheduled for another open day without penalty. In the event there is no other day that works, a full refund will be issued, minus the booking fee. If we are experiencing smoke from wild fires and the Air Quality Index at the start of the rental period is over 200 at your pickup location, you may choose to cancel and reschedule or keep a credit on file. Cancellations due to AQI over 200 are NON-REFUNDABLE but a credit may be held for future use with no expiration date. Unsafe, weather-related issues after the first day of a multi-day rental, may not be rescheduled and are non-refundable. Cancellation requests must be emailed to info@tahoewaves.com from the email account of record on the existing reservation.
  • How old do you have to be to rent a boat?
    The primary renter, signer of the rental agreement, and payee, must be the same person, and be a minimum of 30 years old, with a valid, government issued ID, or a minimum of 25 years old with a valid USCG Captains License. You must be 21 to drive the boat with a valid driver's or boater's license, under the supervision of the primary renter.
  • Do I need to have a boater's license to rent a boat in California?
    You need to have a valid driver's license or boater's license.
  • Do you offer Captains?
    We do not offer captained charters, only bare boat, but we can provide you with a list of local USCG licensed Captains that you may contact and hire directly. Captains are typically $50-80 per hour with a $200 minimum, plus gratuity.
  • Do you deliver the boat or do we need to pick it up ourselves?
    Single-day rentals are picked up at the dock at 120 Grove St in Tahoe City and handled by NT Watersports. For private dock delivery, we can help you line up a delivery Captain, please call or email to discuss.
  • Can we carry more passengers than the posted capacity if we are under the weight limit? NO
    Capacity is based on number of passengers and weight limit and both must be satisfied per USCG regulations.
  • Do small children and infants count as passengers? YES
    For purposes of capacity, all persons, regardless of size or age, count as passengers. This is a USCG regulation that we have no control over, please do not ask for an exception.
  • May we bring our infant? YES
    Infants are allowed and we will provide infant PFD's for your use. Please let us know in advance so we may accommodate.
  • May we swim from the boat? YES
    You may swim in safe areas when the boat is not underway, the motor is off, and the propeller has stopped spinning. You must fly the orange flag the entire time that you are swimming.
  • Are wetsuits available for rent?
    Yes, we offer 3/2 full wetsuits in the following sizes. Men's XS-XXL, Ladie's 4-14, and kids 6-14.
  • Do the boats have anchors? YES
    All boats are provided with anchors. Anchoring is only allowed in safe, sandy areas. When anchoring be sure to use a minimum of a 3:1 scope. This means if the water is 20' deep, you want to let out a minimum of 60' of line to have good holding.
  • May we beach the boat? NO NO NO
    We do not ever allow beaching of our boats. Even if you think it's sandy and safe, the shoreline is full of hidden rocks below that will cause damage to the hull. We always know when a boat has been beached, and it is an automatic forfeit of your damage deposit, plus the cost of any additional damage to the boat caused by beaching, so please don't do it!
  • Do the boat rentals have coolers? YES
    All boats include a cooler but they're generally pretty small so feel free to bring an extra. Ice is not included so remember to pick some up on the way.
  • Do I need to bring my own life jacket or PFD (Personal Flotation Device)? NO
    PFD's are provided for all guests on all rentals. If you are bringing children 13 years old and younger, they are required to wear a PFD anytime they are on the boat, per California state law. You are welcome to bring your own, but it must be approved by our staff.
  • Do you allow operation after dark? NO
    Our commercial insurance policy does not allow any operation after dark, so unfortunately we do not.
  • Do you offer overnight, multi-day rentals? YES
    A safe buoy or dock is required and must be approved by our staff. Please inquire for rates and conditions.
  • Do you offer private dock delivery? YES
    We can help you line up an independent delivery Captain. Pickup and delivery fees vary by location.
  • Are there bathrooms on the boats? 
    Only our Cobalt 24SD has a marine head, the rest of our fleet do not. If you rent the Cobalt 24SD and use the head, you are responsible for pump-out prior to returning the boat or there is a $500 pump-out fee.
  • May we smoke on the boat? NO
    Vaporizers are okay. No cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or anything with a flame or ember.
  • Is alcohol allowed on board? YES
    Alcohol is allowed on board to be enjoyed responsibly by passengers over the age of 21.
  • Do the pontoon boats have grills? NO
    We do not allow grilling on any of our boats.
  • May I bring my dog or other well-behaved pet? NO
    While we do love furry friends, sadly, we cannot allow them on our boats. We have allowed them in the past and it always created a problem of some kind with the boat or with future guests, so they are no longer allowed. Please do not ask for an exception.
  • What kinds of towable toys are available with my boat rental?
    Depending on the boat we offer wakesurf boards and wakeboards in sizes appropriate for children to adults, as well as tow ropes for surfing or wakeboarding. All our boats that can tow include a two person tube. We also have water skis and knee boards by request.
  • Do towable toys cost extra? Sometimes
    All boats include a 2-Person tube for towing and our surf boats include surfboards free of charge. If you prefer a wakeboard, kneeboard, or water skis instead of a tube you can trade it out at no cost. All additional towable toys are $25-60 per day depending on the type.
  • Do you rent sailboats? NO
    Not yet, but we hope to in the future.
  • Can we bring fishing gear? No
    We do not allow fishing from our boats. Please Google 'Lake Tahoe Fishing Charters' if you're looking to slay some fish!
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