Rent a Boat on Lake Union —
Minutes from Downtown Seattle
Self-drive cruisers, bow riders, a jet ski, and Seattle’s only electric inflatable lounge boat. Six boats at a public dock — drive yourself or book a boat with a captain. Fuel handled on our time, launch help at the dock, and enclosed boats that cruise year-round.
A Boat for Every Crew and Budget
Same prices here as on the platforms — booking direct just gets you faster confirmation and a person who answers in under an hour.
Sit Back. Your Captain Handles Everything.
- Birthdays, bachelorettes, graduations, proposals, sunset skyline cruises, family celebrations
- July 4 fireworks · Seafair weekend · Husky sailgating
- Corporate outings for SLU teams
- The Sundancer 320 — our 32' flagship — is captained-only
- Licensed captains, hired by you and paid directly · typically $75/hr ($100/hr holidays)
Expand the Fun
Dock to Water in Ten Minutes
Book online
Pick your boat, date, and hours. Add a captain or add-ons in one tap.
Sign the waiver
One e-signature per adult, sent instantly with your dock pin and parking info.
Meet us at the dock
We do a safety briefing, walk you through the boat, and help you launch and land. Ten minutes, then it's all yours.
We handle the fuel
Refueled on our time after your trip — your hours are spent on the water, not at the gas dock.
What Renters Say About Brian
"His boats are well priced and I love that I don't have to bring the boat back fueled up."
"We were literally the closest boat to the fireworks. He handled everything."
"Easiest drop off and pick up. The SLU location is perfect for quick access to Lake Washington."
Read them all on Boatsetter and GetMyBoat.
July 4 · Seafair · Husky Sailgating
The best days on Seattle water are booked weeks ahead. Fixed packages, transparent pricing, first come first served.
When a Slot Opens, You Hear First
Cancellations happen. Join the list and get a text the moment a peak-weekend slot opens up — first come, first served.
Questions, Answered Straight
Your Day. Our Helm.
Add a captain to any boat — or book the captained-only Sundancer 320, our 32' flagship. You bring the people and the playlist; your captain handles the water, the docking, the route, and the timing. Captains set their own fee (typically $75/hr, $100/hr on July 4 and holiday weekends), paid directly to your captain, 3-hour minimum.
Sunset skyline cruise
Boat rate + captain
Golden hour past Gas Works, the houseboats, and the Space Needle skyline. The most-photographed three hours in Seattle.
Birthdays, graduations & proposals
Boat rate + captain
The Sundancer seats 12; both Cobalts seat a crowd. Decorations welcome, floating island encouraged.
July 4 fireworks
6-hour evening block
Anchored at the front of the show on Lake Union. Captain rate $100/hr.
Corporate & team outings
Custom quote
South Lake Union teams: walk from the office to the dock. Weekday availability, multiple boats for larger groups — text 206-552-0868 for a same-day quote.
A list of available captains for hire will be provided for your bareboat rental. It's important to note you as the charterer are responsible for the hiring and payment of the crew, and it is not provided by the owner.
Book the captained Sundancer Choose a boat & add a captainThe Big Weekends
Fixed pricing, published up front. These dates sell out — book early.
July 4 — Fireworks block
Evening 5:30–11:30pm
Six hours, any boat, anchored at the front of the show on Lake Union. Cobalt 240: $2,000 self-captained · $2,500 captained. Cobalt 220: $2,000 self-captained · $2,600 captained. Captained trips at the $100/hr holiday captain rate.
Seafair — Maxum 29'
$2,750 Sat · $2,250 Sun · $2,000 Fri
8.5-hour day (9am–5:30pm), self-captained. Logboom pass available at shared cost. Normal rentals resume after 6pm.
Seafair — Cobalt 220
$2,500 Sat · $2,000 Sun · $1,750 Fri
8.5-hour day, self-captained. Tow-capable and quick — right in the middle of it all.
Seafair — Sea Ray 21'
$2,300 Sat · $2,000 Sun · $1,750 Fri
8.5-hour day, self-captained. The nimble way to be in the middle of it all.
Seafair — Cobalt 240
$2,500 Sat · $2,000 Sun · $1,750 Fri
8.5-hour day (9am–5:30pm), self-captained. Eleven heated seats for the biggest boating weekend in the Northwest.
Seafair — Sundancer 320
Captained · by request
The flagship, your captain, and the best seat on the lake — text 206-552-0868 to reserve.
Husky sailgating
Premium gameday rates
Cruise to the stadium, tie into the sailgate, and never look for parking again.
A Dock, a Fleet, and a Decade on Lake Union
An ever expanding fleet with a decade on Lake Union.
Seattle Rent A Boat is owned and run by Brian from a public dock in South Lake Union — six boats plus a jet ski, 725+ five-star trips across Boatsetter and GetMyBoat, and a response time under an hour. Brian has been on the water in one way or another most of his life, from boating with his grandparents to a decade as a coxswain in the sport of rowing, and he brings that passion to getting as many people as possible the enjoyment the lake can bring — at affordable rates!
The operating philosophy is simple: your rental hours belong on the water. So we fuel the boats on our time, meet you at the dock to do a safety briefing and launch and land, and answer texts like a person, because we are one.
Next door is our partner Seattle Seaplanes — ask about pairing a scenic flight with your day on the lake. And if it's raining? The Maxum, Cobalt 240, Sea Ray, and Sundancer have full enclosures (the Cobalt 240 is heated). Boating is a year-round activity in Seattle with our mild, long grey season.
Find the dock
South Lake Union — the exact pin is communicated immediately after booking. There's parking nearby: the free gravel lot at Seattle Seaplanes, Seattle public parking closest to where the boat will be, or paid parking next to Duke's. Please arrive 10 minutes early!
Mapping address: 1151 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
Talk to a human
Call or text · replies typically under an hour, 7 days a week in season.