Have Any Questions?

NLTBR only rents to customers over the age of 21.

No, It is not required. We do recommend getting your CA Boaters Safety card for an optimal time out on the water.

CA BOATERS CARD

We will give you a safety and operation briefing before every rental! We want to make sure you are comfortable before leaving the dock.

BRING:

• Water, Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Hats, Swimsuit, Towels
  • Reusable water bottles preferred
  • Rub-on sunscreen preferred
• Jackets and layers recommended
• Food and drinks
  • We can provide a cooler & ice for no additional cost
  • Alcohol is permitted but not allowed for any drivers

Do NOT Bring:

• Messy foods: anything that will leave stains
  • i.e. Cheetos, mustard, nacho cheese
  • We will charge a cleaning fee if our seats are stained
• Styrofoam coolers
  • These are not allowed on Lake Tahoe

We suggest showing up 31 minutes BEFORE your rental time to sign waivers, use bathrooms, and for us to thoroughly review our safety speech and operating instructions. If you show up at 9 for a 9 o’clock rental that will eat into your time on the water.  We do have rental groups going out after your group and we need time to clean and gas the boats between rentals.  Please be aware of your travel time to get here so there is no rush and you are able to receive your full time on the lake!!

Parking is EXTREMELY limited in Tahoe.  We are lucky to have a private lot in Tahoe Vista, in the heart of the North Shore.  Each rental group (or boat if you have multiple rentals) will be limited to parking for ONE vehicle on site.  We share a lot with the Tahoe Vista Inn and also have private buoy customers.  If your are taking more than one car, we have free street parking in front of our location as well.  Street parking may be filled early on weekends and even weekdays.  There is a public lot on National Ave .1 miles away; you can park a car in the public lot and have the first car pick up the rest of your group up after dropping their passengers off. Please plan in advance if you have a larger group, or many vehicles.

We do not allow renters to dock, anchor or beach the boat at any point during the rental. Anchoring in Tahoe is EXTREMELY difficult with our depths and weather.  You are aware of your surroundings better when floating with the boat in the off or accessory position while hanging out. There are too many expensive boats and tricky maneuvers to pull into tight spots for us to allow you to pull up to the on the water restaurants. If this is something you would like to do you can hire one of our captains!
Beaching the boat IS NOT ALLOWED! You will be fined $500 if excessive sand is in the boat. The only way that can happen is if you beached the boat or brought it to a dock.

We offer a complimentary tube upon request with any of our speedboat rentals. For pontoon boats, we provide lily pads (large foam rollout that floats on top of the water) as an optional add-on for $40.

Please note that personal equipment is not permitted for use behind our basic, premium, deluxe, or pontoon boat rentals. 

Yes! 

Life jackets are required to be worn THE ENTIRE TIME when jet skiing, tubing, or for everyone under 13 years of age (USCG law). We provide life vests in sizes infant- 3XL, but you are more than welcome to bring your own coast guard approved life vest.

Unfortunately, puddle jumpers are not coast guard approved since they are not designed to keep an unconscious child’s face out of the water and do not undergo the same rigorous testing as a coast guard approved life jacket. 

Yes, subject to availability. If you wish to change your boat type or upgrade, please contact us as soon as possible. We’ll do our best to accommodate your request.

Yes, we offer multi-day rentals. For extended rentals, your accommodation must have a private mooring or boat lift for safe overnight mooring options. Please contact us directly to discuss your specific needs.

Yes, we provide U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets for every passenger, including children and infants. You’re welcome to bring your own if preferred, but we require that all children under 13 wear a life jacket at all times.

Yes, you may fish from our boats.  You need to purchase or have a valid California or Nevada fishing license, depending on your location on the lake.  

Unfortunately, late arrivals do not receive extra time. Your rental period starts at the scheduled time, so we strongly encourage early arrival to ensure you get your full time on the water.  We do our best to accommodate everyone but we do need to respect the time of the renters who have the vessel after you or our closing time for our employees to get home on time.

Afternoon timeslots are priced higher due to higher demand. Many visitors prefer the afternoons, assuming it’s the best time to be on the lake, making this slot more popular. However, we highly recommend the morning timeslot for an even better experience.

In the mornings, the lake is typically much calmer, with glass-like water and fewer boats, providing the perfect conditions for tubing, cruising, and soaking in the serene beauty of Tahoe. We understand that sleeping in while on vacation is tempting, but trust us—waking up a bit earlier is worth it. The peaceful mornings on the lake are unmatched and create memories that make your entire day more enjoyable. Plus, morning slots come at a lower price, giving you an exceptional experience and greater value. Don’t just take our word for it—try the morning slot and see the difference for yourself!

Fuel is not included in bareboat rentals.  Only pay for what you use!  Filled before a every rental and upon your return for accuracy.  Often when rentals return gas dock will be closed and you will be charged the following day.  Deluxe rentals DO include the price of fuel.

Fuel is currently $8.58gal at North Tahoe Marina. Half Day rentals average 10-15 gallons while Full Days average 15-30 gallons.  THIS IS NOT A QUOTE only an estimate for your budgeting purposes.  Fuel consumption will vary based on  activities, speed, engine off time and other variables.

Decided you don’t want to rent? If you cancel 14 days or more before your trip you will receive a refund (Minus NON-REFUNDABLE booking fee and credit card processing fee). Within 14 days we will refund 50% or schedule you for another day.

In the event of bad weather NLTBR reserves the right to reschedule. Tahoe is a massive lake, there are no refunds because it is a little wavy. Safety is our priority and we will not let you go out if NLTBR does not deem it safe. This is solely NLTBR’s decision and will not be canceled until the DAY OF your rental, if you choose not to reschedule you will get a full refund (Minus NON-REFUNDABLE booking Fee).  If there is an state of emergency (wildfire, weather, ect) we will hold a FULL CREDIT for you.  No cash refunds will be given.  These credits can be used for ANY future rental with us.

If AQI is measured DAY OF at 150 AQI we will start canceling rentals unless the groups want to go out. and at 201 AQI we cancel all rentals. We do make these decisions day by day because it can vary 100% each day on what our smoke and weather conditions are.

Partial Refunds

Tahoe weather is extremely VARIABLE, that means sometimes it is a little cold or wavey and we still send out our rentals. We will offer a full refund (Minus NON-REFUNDABLE booking Fee) if conditions are deemed unsafe by NLTBR on the DAY OF YOUR RENTAL. If you get less than half of your rental time due to weather, we will compensate for time lost on the lake. TIME DOES NOT DIRECTLY CORRELATE TO THE PRICE.

Unfortunately we can not allow dogs on most of our vessels. 3-7 hours is not fun for a dog to stay on the boat with no bathroom breaks.

Our Pontoon is the only vessel that we allow dogs on.  MAXIUM of 2.  We need to keep these boats in the best condition and although we love dogs, cleaning up the hair after them takes a long time.

Please call or email for weekly discount 5 FULL days or more (Applies to full day rentals ONLY). We CANNOT discount our half day rentals even if you book 50 of them. We already have our prices as low as possible to allow as many people to be able to enjoy the lake without a price barrier.

What is a Bareboat Charter?

Because Lake Tahoe is a federally governed lake the rules may be different than the lake you are coming from, even if you live in California.  A bareboat charter is defined as:

Charter (bareboat) Operation: A valid (bareboat) charter is an agreement where the charterer has use of the vessel for a period of time and is considered the owner. A charterer takes on the legal obligations, is responsible for the crew, passengers carried, and others.

Elements of a valid bareboat charter may include:
1) The charterer must have the option of selecting & paying crew, although the owner may require general levels of proficiency for the crew that is retained based on federal statutes
2) The master/crew are paid by the charterer
3) All food, fuel and stores are provided by the charterer
4) Insurance is obtained by the charterer
5) The charterer is responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel
6) A platform for events that does not involve consideration, even when moored at the pier
7) The vessel is surveyed upon return to the owner

If you would like to bring your own captain for your bareboat charter than they must bring:

1. Valid MMC
2. Proof of 2 years employment on Tahoe (Pay stub/W2)
3. Possess a basic CPR/First Aid card (Current)

We also have our own list of captains you may choose from.

USCG Bareboat Charter Information

Pricing does not include gratuity for Captains or Dockhands. IF they provided you with above and beyond service, Its a great way to show your appreciation for their work.

Here is a guide created by our employees to help you plan your trip to Tahoe.  Included are some activities for on and off the boats.

GUIDE TO TAHOE

No, our boats do not have bathrooms on them.  

There are no specific age restrictions for passengers. However, all children under 13 are required by law to wear a life jacket at all times while on the boat.  We provide all life jackets.

We HIGHLY recommend an AM rental with young kids.  It will work best with nap times and the lake is generally SIGNIFICANTLY calmer in the morning.

YES!  We require that one adult stays on the boat at all times and stays aware of the surroundings.  Boats can float away quickly as the wind picks up.  Be aware of anyone in the water BEFORE starting the boat or even getting into the captains chair.