Rules
North Haven Rentals has a lot of rules. Please read all of them carefully, some include additional charges for not following the rules.
While we want you to have a wonderful time exploring all the Maine coast has to offer, we also want you and our equipment to be safe when doing so. Filling out our required liability waiver & agreement which you will find on a separate page, acknowledges you are agreeing to pay for all repairs to damage incurred during your rental, additionally, you might be responsible for reimbursing a delay in the next customer rental.
What could go wrong you might ask? Typically, with an outboard, the propeller breaks a fin or three if you hit a rock. The boat could sustain damage to the fiberglass hull if you hit a rock, or it was beached improperly or lost due to not securing the dock lines or mooring properly, or if you throw the anchor over without tying the line…..These examples are from our real experiences in the last few years. Bottom line, you will be responsible for any and all damage or loss during your rental.
While we do not require any licensing or proof of competence, there is a certain level of skill needed to safely operate a boat. It might look like driving a car but it’s really not. Adam is more than willing to go over the instructions on how to operate our boats. He’s patient and knowledgeable but please for everyone’s safety please think about this carefully.
The same financial responsibility for damage applies to our bikes. You will be charged for broken reflectors, ripped bike seats, and any repairs by our bike repair specialist. Flat tires happen to everyone so there is no charge in that instance.
We have a minimum 5-day rental for boats; bikes can be rented by the day.
Starting in January 2024, Maine now requires a Boating Safety Certificate if you were born on 1/1/1999 or after to operate a boat with more than 10hp motor. If you do not have this certificate, you will not be allowed to rent. You can obtain this certificate HERE
Boats and bikes must be returned to us on the last day of your rental. Often, they are turning around to go out the next day. Please be considerate of this. If the boat or bike is not returned by the final day of your agreement, you will be charged for two additional days of rental. We do not pick up.
If you change dates or boats within one month of the start date, you will be charged 50% of the day rate for the boat/bike you originally booked.
If the rental boat is returned in an excessively dirty condition, a $75 cleaning fee will be charged.
Cancellations will only be refunded if made two weeks before your start date. For extended rentals of three weeks and longer, cancellations will only be refunded if canceled one month before your start date. We cannot refund or change because of inclement weather or illness.
There is a charge of $20.00 per day for additional operators. If you intend to have someone else in your party at the helm at any time during your rental, please add that to the booking. We must have that information for our records.
If you are booking a SAME-DAY pick-up, please call or email us immediately so we know you are coming. Due to the limitations of our booking software, it won't send us a notice of booking until 24 hours after you make it.
Boats are for use on Penobscot Bay. However, the mooring of the boat should remain on North Haven unless previous arrangements with North Haven Rentals have been reached. Not all of our boats are suitable for use or mooring in distant mainland areas.
We are not able to deliver our rental boats to the mainland. Areas like Camden, Rockland, Castine, Searsport, Islesboro, Deer Isle, and Stonington, while as the crow flies, they are not too far away from North Haven, towing a boat or taking two captains to deliver is not a cost-effective business plan for us. We apologize for not being able to offer this service. If you were to pick up a boat from us, it would entail driving to Rockland from wherever you are, catching the ferry, getting the boat, and then driving it to your location. Returning it would mean a reverse trip; that’s not a great use of your vacation time. Not to mention tricky weather and ferry schedules. Another reason for not having our boats taken far away from our location is if something goes wrong, engine or equipment trouble, we wouldn’t be able to get to you to fix it.
Please use only NON ETHANOL gasoline in our outboard motors. Our family boatyard on North Haven carries this, but it’s hard to find on the mainland. It makes a tremendous difference in the way an outboard motor runs (or does not run as the case is with ethanol gas). Please make sure if you are taking the boat to somewhere other than our vicinity, you check in advance to find a location that sells ETHANOL gas. Remember you are responsible for the care and upkeep while the boat is in your possession; one tank of regular ethanol gasoline can separate and coagulate in a matter of hours, especially if it’s humid out. The motor will cough and sputter, not run efficiently, and possibly not start at all if it’s a bad case. You will be charged for this repair.
You may not leave our boats overnight or for extended periods of time at Brown’s Boatyard float. That is a very busy working waterfront and can not accommodate overnight docking. If you don’t have your own transport to and from the boat at the mooring, you will need to rent a tender from us to get you back and forth. After the initial pick-up of the boat, we are not available to take you to and from the mooring. If you leave your boat overnight at Brown’s boatyard float, there will be an additional charge of $30. each time this occurs.
We're sorry, but due to liability issues, we do not allow waterskiing tubing or any other towing activities with any of our boats. Thanks for understanding.
North Haven Boat Rentals reserves the right to substitute boats for a booking.