Regulations for Operating Boats and Jet Skis
TLDR; Ready to go to Crab Island, or take a Jet Ski tour? First, you’ll need your I.D, a major credit card, and if you were born on or after January 1st 1988, a temporary Florida boater Safety Certificate that you can get HERE. *We highly recommend you take the test before arriving at our location.Â
We are not responsible for late or missed activities because a boat or jet ski driver did not get their certificates in time.
Here is the detailed version often enjoyed by Moms, Engineers, and of course Lawyers!
- MANDATORY: MUST be 18 or older to rent or reserve a Boat and/or PWC
- MANDATORY: MUST provide at least 1 Credit Card per reservation
- MANDATORY: MUST Bring 1 valid photo I.D. for each guest (ages 18+) that will operate a Boat and/or PWC
- MANDATORY: MUST Present the Credit Card used for the reservation and the card holder’s I.D. at check-in
- MANDATORY: A pre-authorization hold is required for each reserved Boat and/or PWC at the start of the reservation to cover incidentals.  The hold may be on a credit or debit card presented at check-in.  The hold will be released within 24 hours after an inspection of the returned watercraft is completed.
- Boat Rental: $600 for each Boat
- PWC Rental: $500 for each PWC
- PWC Tours: $300 for each PWC
- Hold will be waived if Damage Protection Coverage is purchased.
- MANDATORY: Guests born on or after 01-01-1988 may operate a Boat and/or PWC if they have a photo I.D. and meet ONE of the following criteria:
- They have a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Lifetime Boater Safety Certification from their home state.
- Have completed Florida’s Temporary Boaters Safety Test and have a copy of the valid Certificate (as a print-out or on their phone).
- Guests are encouraged to use THIS LINK to take the test before arriving to save time at check-in (and not lose time or miss their tour).
- Guests MUST be at least 18 years old to operate a Boat and/or PWC after they present a valid Boater Safety Certificate and valid photo I.D.
- A safety lanyard (key) MUST be attached to the operator of a PWC at all times
- A safety lanyard (key) MUST be attached to the operator of a Boat while underway
- Life jackets/PFDs will be provided for all guests and MUST be worn at all times by:
- Any minor 6 years or younger while on any watercraft.
- Anyone (all ages) operating/riding on a PWC or paddle craftÂ
- Two (2) guests are allowed on a PWC at a time and the total weight cannot exceed 400 lbs (182 kg)
- PWC operators MUST be at least 18 years old
- PWC riders MUST be at least 6 years old
- PWC riders MUST be positioned behind the driver at all times
- The Operator of a Boat and/or PWC shall have a basic understanding of the English Language to understand and follow staff briefings and instructions
GUESTS CANNOT OPERATE A BOAT AND/OR PWC IF THEY:
- Possess or are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- Have any existing medical conditions that put them or others at risk.
- Are over 18 years of age but do not have a valid government-issued photo I.D. and/or credit card
- Were born ON or AFTER 01-01-1988 and do not possess a NASBLA Lifetime or a Florida Temporary Boater Safety Certificate.
- Do not have a basic understanding of the English Language to follow staff briefings and instructions
CANCELLATION AND WEATHER POLICY:
- Cancellations MUST be made at least 48 hours before the scheduled reservation start time (*by the scheduled start time if Booking FLEX was purchased) to be entitled to a refund, otherwise, Destiny Water Adventures reserves the right to charge full price for the reservation.
- No-Call/No-Shows will be charged in full, with no exceptions.
- No refunds will be issued once a watercraft leaves our dock/beach.
- Refunds/prorated time will be issued only if a reservation is canceled or recalled by Destiny Water Adventures due to weather.
- Rental begins at agreed upon reservation time. Please allow ample time to park, gather belongings, and sign all necessary paperwork. We cannot prorate for late arrivals.
- Reservations for tours must be present, have all necessary paperwork completed, checked in, and ready to go at the scheduled tour start time.
- Tours will not be delayed for late arrivals. No refunds will be issued to participants who miss the start of their tour. We recommend arriving at least 30min early and having all required documentation completed.
CODE OF CONDUCT:
Renters are responsible for the watercraft while in their and/or their guests’ care. Renter is responsible for all damages incurred while in possession of Boat and/or PWC including loss of detachable equipment.
Destiny Water Adventures reserves the right to charge the renter for any loss of revenue resulting from damage to the watercraft.
Destiny Water Adventures reserves the right to refuse or end service without refund to anyone under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, behaving inappropriately, behaving in a manner we deem to be unsafe, or if we believe the rental will be used for any illegal activities.
The use of boats for third party, bareboat charters (as defined by 46 C.F.R.), charter for hire, or third-party special events without insurance, permits, or prior authorization from Destiny Water Adventures management is strictly prohibited. Destiny Water Adventures reserves the right to refuse or end service without refund if such activities are identified.
Destiny Water Adventures reserves the right to refuse or end service if renter and/or operator cannot demonstrate the basic necessary skills it requires to safely and reasonably operate their assigned watercraft.
Hard liquor is strictly prohibited aboard our boats, Destiny Water Adventures reserves the right to check bags and coolers for prohibited items.
Each concurrent reservation must be made with an unique method of payment. Destiny Water Adventure reserves the right to refuse services if this policy is violated.
Boats may not be tied up to each other and a minimum safe clearance of 20ft must be observed between every vessel when anchored.
Destiny Water Adventure reserves the right to refuse or end services without refund should management find the renter and/or their guests to be in violation of any of our policies.
Please Drink Responsibly.
ADDITIONAL FEES:
The following fees may apply and will be charged to the card on file:
- Late Return Fee – A fee of $50 per 15 minutes per vessel will be charged for any rental returned past the scheduled return time.
- Retrieval Fee – If a renter fails to return the watercraft on time and staff must locate and retrieve the renter and/or vessel, a retrieval fee of $150 per vessel will apply in addition to any late fees.
- Rescue / Grounding Fee – If a vessel must be recovered due to grounding or mechanical failure caused by the operator, a rescue fee of $200 will apply. This fee does NOT apply when a vessel breaks down or becomes disabled through no fault of the renter/operator (e.g. mechanical failure).
Special Event Policies:
Please be aware that for special events (i.e. promoted parties at Crab Island) the following additional or modified rules will apply:
Security Deposit – A mandatory $600 security deposit hold will be placed on the renter’s card at check-in. This applies to all special event rentals with no exceptions.
Zero Tolerance on Alcohol – There is zero tolerance for alcohol of any kind. We will conduct bag and cooler checks at check-in, and we reserve the right to decline service to anyone who is found with alcohol or who refuses inspection. Spotters will be on the water during the event, and the rental will be terminated if customers are seen drinking on the boats that day.
Retroactive Application – If a reservation is booked under our standard rules and the date is subsequently identified as a special event, these Special Event Policies will be applied retroactively to that reservation. In addition, if the booking was made before the special event was identified and does not include the Damage Protection option, the security deposit hold for that reservation will be $1,100 rather than $600.
Right to Cancel – Any customer whose existing reservation becomes subject to these Special Event Policies after booking has the right to cancel their reservation with no penalty once the special event has been identified and communicated to them.
Failure to Comply – Failure to comply with these policies will result in immediate termination of the rental and forfeiture of any payments made.