If you're planning a holiday on the water anytime in the near future, you may want to consider renting a fishing boat. This is a great way to enjoy the open waters or to hunt down that bass you love, without having to invest in your own boat and then haul it back and forth to your holiday destination. When you are ready to rent a fishing boat, note a few factors to keep in mind,\ so you know what's involved in the rental and aren't left with any surprises once you arrive.

Experience needed

Most small fishing boats don't require any type of special experience to handle, so you can usually rent them easily. However, sailboats, powerboats, and large catamarans may require specialized training and experience to manage safely. In turn, a boat rental company may require certain experience or even a particular license before you can rent these types of vessels. Some boats may also require a captain onboard to operate them; if you don't have a boat operating license, be prepared to have someone else manning certain boats for you.

Dogs and children

Don't assume that dogs and children will be allowed on the boat; there may be age limits for those on a rental boat, and dogs may not be allowed at all. This is for their safety, and to ensure that you are not distracted by them while manning the boat. If you want to bring your family or pets, always ask if there are age limits or any type of limitations to having pets on the boat with you before making your rental.

You can't always extend the charter

Don't assume that signing up for an all-day charter means you can take the boat overnight or linger on the water; you may get charged a steep fee for returning the boat late. Keep in mind that the rental agency may have other renters waiting and may have a limited number of vessels, which is why charters are often limited to a certain number of hours and you're given an expected return time.

However, the rental agency may have arrangements for keeping the boat out longer than you expected, if you were to call them on the radio or otherwise notify them in advance that you'd like to extend your charter. Whatever the case, always find out about this beforehand so you can know what to do if you get on the water and decide that you want to stay out longer than expected.

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