General Boat Rental Information

This is a list of most of the boat rental companies in Marathon. There are a couple I have missed that I need to visit to complete the list. Addresses change, but I have the list pretty current for now.

Captain Pips Marina and Hideaway.

1410 Overseas Highway Marathon, Florida 33050
(305) 743-4403 http://www.captainpips.com

18 to 24 foot center consoles most with four stroke Yamaha engines and full electronics. Several of the guest boats have Bimini tops that are a pain to fish around. They are fine if you need the shade, but tough to handle big fish. I recommend upgrading to a larger boat with a Tee top if you want to tangle with big fish. Range is limited to fifteen miles. As with all rental boats night time operation is prohibited.

Vacation Boat Rentals

Located on the causeway to Key Colony Beach

1-(866)420-1515 http://vacationboatrentals.com


20 to 29 foot center consoles with four stroke engines. Good selection of serious fishing boats. Some of their boat are just amazing fishing machines. All the bells and whistles with sizes over 26 foot for braving the stronger winds to catch fish. Range is not specified, they determine how confident they are in your ability to get the boat back in one piece. With a local guide you can normally do 25 miles or more given weather conditions. On your own, how big a check can you write?


Quality Boat Rentals

(305) 743-2895 or 1 (877) 743-2895 http://qualityboats.net/

20 to 29 foot boats with full electronics power by mostly four strokes with a couple Yamaha HPDI engines. Solid fishing boats with good live wells. Range is limited to 25 miles.

Into the Blue Boat Rentals
50 Coco Plum Drive
Marathon, Florida 33050
(305) 289-0285 or (305) 587-3333 no website yet e-mail patandstacy@bellsouth.net

Brand new to the boat rental business. Boats available 20 and 22 foot Triumphs with 150 four strokes available with tee tops out riggers and full electronics. These Triumph boats look like they will fish just fine. The deck design is definitely non-skid, but may be a challenge to clean.

Harbor Point Marine Boat Rentals

20 to 32 foot center consoles with tee tops. All boats 25 foot and over have twin engines. Makes are Mako, Seacraft, Prosports cat, Defiant cat and one Bayliner.

4681 Oversea Highway
Marathon, Florida 33050
305-289-0505

WWW.keysmako.com

Nice Makos and Seacraft to 32 feet. Everything is pretty new. Total electronics and four stroke engines. Their smaller boat may have a Bimini top but the real beef of their fleet is serious fishing machines. Larger boats require a local captain or guide to evaluate your performance. Not a bad thing because it is easy to turn a vacation sour with one brain fart. Allowable range can vary pending the captain's evaluation of your abilities.

Captain Hooks Boat Rentals

1 (800) 278-4665 right at the west side of Vaca Cut.

20 to 24 foot boats all have Bimini tops. Good for snorkeling or diving but a bit of a challenge fishing for bigger fish. They do have four stroke engines that will save you money and full electronics. Range is limited to really what the smart captain would limit them to.

I am really emphasising the higher fuel efficiency boats. My last dolphin trip on a twin engine 24 foot boat with Merc EFI's burnt 101 gallons. That is a pain in the wallet big time. The same trip on twenty two footer with a four stroke would have been less than fifty gallons. The twenty two footer fishes just fine compared to the 24 footer. It also costs less to rent. Bimini top boats are a big thing for people that need maximum shade.

Tight lines,

Captain Dallas