Boat Rentals

When to Arrive

Please plan to arrive 20-25 minutes before your scheduled rental time to check in, review your paperwork, and complete a safety and navigation briefing with our team. Bring the following with you:

• A valid driver’s license

• Your NJ Boating Safety Certificate (or accepted out-of-state equivalent)

• A credit card for the required security deposit

Location and Parking

Lake Hopatcong Boat Rentals 

Address: 89 Brady Road, Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849.    

Parking: Parking space is limited, so two cars are permitted per boat ONLY, please. Please drive slowly in the marina, 5mph maximum.

Highlands Boat Rentals

Address: 1 Atlantic Street, Highlands, NJ 07732. Our office is located on the Atlantic Street side of Baker’s Marina (southeast side of marina).

Parking: Parking space is limited, two cars per boat only please. Please drive slowly in the marina, 5mph maximum.

What to Bring

We also recommend bringing: sunscreen; towels; snacks; hats; and anything else you’d like for a comfortable day on the water.

Lake Hopatcong guests – don’t miss our “Greetings from Lake Hopatcong” mural at the base of our docks – a perfect spot to grab a group or family pic!

Our rental boats can safely accommodate up to 10 people total, including adults, children, and infants. Maximum passengers is 10 people (all ages count). This limit is set by safety regulations and vessel capacity and cannot be exceeded under any circumstances.

In addition to the passenger limit, all boats have weight and space limitations. Please use sensible restraint with coolers, bags, and gear; overloading is unsafe for your group and others on the water.

To ensure a safe and comfortable experience, Bridge Marina may limit the number of passengers or the amount of gear on board if conditions require it. All renters must comply with federal and state boating laws, including those specific to tidal waters or Lake Hopatcong.

Your safety is our top priority, and following these limits helps ensure a smooth, stable, and enjoyable day on the water.

Yes. All Bridge Marina rental boats are equipped with Personal Flotation Devices/life jackets (PFDs) for adults. Guests are welcome to bring their own properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFDs if they prefer.

What about life jackets for kids? 

We have a rather wide array of varying sized life jackets for children. However, if you have younger children who have their own comfortable life jacket, we suggest to bring your own to avoid tears or complaints on docks and ensure the most comfortable option.

What about life jackets for infants?

We have a very limited selection of infant life jackets due to various expected reasons and variables for this age group (fit, comfort, and individual needs).  We highly suggest you consider bringing your own infant life jacket; we want to make sure your little one has the safest and most comfortable option possible.

Life Jacket Requirements for Children

New Jersey State and Federal laws require that all children 12 years of age and younger wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while a vessel is underway. Drivers, parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring that children are wearing the proper life jacket as required by law.

Do you have life jackets for pets?

We have a very limited selection of pet life jackets due to various expected reasons.  We highly suggest you consider bringing your own pet life jacket.

Please note it is the responsibility of the Rental Driver and Guest to individually evaluate fit and applicability of Life Jackets for the entire crew.

Regardless of age, we strongly recommend that all passengers wear a life jacket at all times while boating.

Bridge Marina offers a fleet of premium, fully-loaded, current triple pontoon boats for rent on Lake Hopatcong and at the Jersey Shore in Highlands. Our top-of-the-line boats have been specifically chosen to meet a variety of our renters’ needs and local conditions. Our rental boats comfortably seat a maximum of ten passengers (or 1,300 lbs of passengers and gear) and are well appointed to provide a safe, comfortable and enjoyable boating experience.

Why We Rent Triple Pontoons on Lake Hopatcong and in Highlands

We’ve specifically chosen Starcraft Marine triple pontoons because they give our guests:

• A smoother, more stable ride than standard pontoon boats

• Enough power for confident handling

• A layout that comfortably accommodates groups of up to ten passengers

• Premium seating and amenities (including shady bimini tops, Bluetooth stereos and more)

• A predictable, dependable boat rental experience every time

We don’t rent speedboats, jet skis, or bowriders. In our experience, triple pontoon boats provide a great experience for families and groups on Lake Hopatcong or Sandy Hook Bay. Interested in renting other types of boats? We suggest checking out boating club, which offers turn-key access to a wide variety of boats and also includes other perks!

Every Bridge Marina boat rental includes:

• Luxury Starcraft Marine triple pontoon boat – seats up to 10 passengers (or 1,300 lbs of people and gear).
• Comfortable seating and a spacious deck layout – ideal for families, friends, groups and celebrations. Check out our video walkthrough here.
• Bimini top for shade, swim ladder, swim deck, ample storage for bags/cooler/gear.
• Bluetooth stereo – bring your playlist!
• Fuel for your day of fun (fuel included on Lake Hopatcong – up to 10 gallons in Highlands)
• Pre-departure safety briefing
• Maps and local navigation guidance
• Friendly dockside assistance upon return

Yes! Bridge Marina offers several boat rental options so you can choose the timeframe that fits your day on the water best.

Full-Day Boat Rental

Our standard full-day boat rental on Lake Hopatcong and in Highlands is a 10:00am – 5:00pm experience. Our full-day rental is perfect for guests who want lots of time on the water without an early morning or late-evening schedule.

Half-Day Boat Rental

We also have a limited number of half-day rentals available on Lake Hopatcong and Highlands as follows:

• 9:00am – 1:00pm
• 2:00pm – 6:00pm

Half-day boat rentals can be be reserved online for Lake Hopatcong. For Highlands half-day availability, please call us at (973) 663-1976 to inquire and book.

Build-Your-Own Boat Rentals on Lake Hopatcong

On Lake Hopatcong, we have a very limited number of “Build-Your-Own” rental options that offer even greater flexibility. Choose from three different 3-hour boat rental windows:

• 8:00am – 11:00am
• 12:00pm – 3:00pm
• 3:00pm -7:00pm

Our three-hour option is great if you’re looking for a shorter, more flexible boating experience.

We also offer an extremely limited number of 11-hour, extended day options for those who prefer to get out early and stay out later in the day:

• 8:00am – 7:00pm

Long-Term Boat Rentals

Long-term, multi-day rentals are also available at both locations upon request or by booking online. Our multi-day option is well-suited for those renting a vacation home or “Air bnb” on Lake Hopatcong or in the Highlands area. Please call us at (973) 663-1976 for details.

Whichever option you choose this summer, please note that our calendar books very quickly, especially on weekends. Advance reservations are highly recommended.

Bridge Marina is the premier boating hospitality company in New Jersey, offering attentive care coupled with an array of flexible boating options, including education, rentals, boating club membership and ownership, all supported by our award-winning service department and team. We are not your typical boat rental company! We have a passion for welcoming our rental guests to the boating experience in safety and in style, and it shows in everything we do.

At Bridge Marina, we’ve helped to shape the boat rental and boat club industry. While we’ve inspired countless other businesses to adapt their models, we take pride in being more than just trendsetters. We’re continuously innovating to set new standards in the services we provide and the processes we follow to deliver top-tier service in safety and in style.

Others may appear like us with surface-level offerings, but they can’t replicate our core values and fall short in not only understanding why we do what we do, but in providing services at our level. We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction, community involvement, and delivering beyond expectations in a truly unique business model and manner for our guests. Our efforts have been recognized on both the local and national levels for almost two decades, from recognition twice as a “Marina of the Year,” to a National Safety Award, to “Certificate of Excellence” accolades. Our  passion for providing exceptional and safe boating experiences that delight our guests, ensure the well-being of our team, and steer Bridge Marina toward sustainable success sets us apart from the rest.

Please note: Bridge Marina does not issue temporary boating certificates at either of our locations. If you do not have your NJ Boater Safety Certificate, we can help!  Please see below for more details. 

Boater Safety Certificate and Driver’s License

To rent a boat with Bridge Marina, renter must present a New Jersey Boater Safety Certificate and valid New Jersey auto driver’s license (you must have a boating safety certificate from state your auto license is issued); Bridge Marina does not issue temporary safety certificates. Please see our full renter qualifications below.

To rent a boat on Lake Hopatcong with Bridge Marina, Renter/Driver must:

• be 30 years of age or greater
• present a NJ Boater Safety Certificate
• present “Boat” Endorsement on Driver’s License
• present a valid Auto Driver’s License
• provide a valid and acceptable credit card (Visa/MC) with appropriate credit to accommodate Terms.
• be sufficiently fluent in the English language to understand navigational signs, charts, communicate instructions and signals, respond to official inquiries, and to accept agreements, documents and instruction regarding rental and safety training.

To rent a boat in Highlands with Bridge Marina, Renter/Driver must:

• be 30 years of age or greater
• present a NJ Boater Safety Certificate
• present a valid Auto Driver’s License
• have experience boating in tidal waters
• provide a valid and acceptable credit card (Visa/MC) with appropriate credit to accommodate Terms.
• be sufficiently fluent in the English language to understand navigational signs, charts, communicate instructions and signals, respond to official inquiries, and to accept agreements, documents and instruction regarding rental and safety training.

Out-of-state guests

Renting a boat in New Jersey from out of state? If your license is from a state other than New Jersey, you must have a boating safety certificate from state your auto license is from, meet the Boating Safety requirements from your state, and/or present minimum of NJ Boater Safety Certificate, as well as hold a valid auto license and be 30 years of age or older.

All rental guests are encouraged to watch our Boating Safety and Education video.  The intent of our safety video is to provide guests with basic boating safety information and help ensure that materials have been reviewed; neither the video or assessment certifies or licenses any guest to operate a vessel in New Jersey or any other state.

All boaters must follow all federal and state boating laws, including laws specific to Lake Hopatcong and tidal waters.

If You Do Not Have Your NJ Boater Safety Certificate, We Can Help!

There are several ways for you to get your certificate:

1. Our Learn to Boat programs will help you get your certification and provide you with hands-on boat handling training! For an initial investment, you’ll gain the confidence and training to help you become a better, safer boater! The best part? After completing the program, we’ll give you back a discount toward a future boat rental with us. Learn more or contact us at (973) 663-1976 for more information!
2. We hold the New Jersey Boating Safety Certificate Course and exam in Lake Hopatcong and in Highlands throughout the year!  You can find an in person exam and class with Bridge Marina here.
3. You can take an online class here.  Upon completion, you will need to take an in-person exam; exam dates can be found with Bridge Marina here.

A perfect boating day means different things to different people and we understand that scheduling can be a challenge for boaters. However, as a seasonal boating company that is only able to provide boat rental services for a few months of the year, last minute cancellations incur a great cost to our business and ultimately increase costs for our boaters. Full payment is required to reserve a rental boat of which $100 is non-refundable.

Bridge Marina’s cancellation policy is as follows:

Rescheduling 48 hours in advance of Rental Check-In time may occur with no fee incurred. Rescheduling less than 48 hours before Rental Check-in will result in a $50 service fee. Rescheduled reservations are not eligible for refunds. Rescheduled reservations or credits will be available for six months from initial reservation date.

Cancellations greater than 48 hours in advance of Rental Check-in will be refunded payment less the $100 non-refundable amount. Cancellations less than 48 hours before the Rental Check-in will result in loss of entire reservation payment.

If weather creates unsafe boating conditions, we will reschedule as mutually agreeable within restrictions herein. Failure to appear for reservation, late arrivals, inadvertent Boat malfunctions on the part of Renter, weather conditions, early departures or otherwise are not eligible for any refunds.

For the safety and comfort of all guests, alcohol is not permitted on our rental boats. Bridge Marina is a family-friendly environment, and we want every experience on the water to be safe, enjoyable, and welcoming. If any individual or group appears unsafe, intoxicated, or disruptive, we may need to refuse or cancel the rental to ensure everyone’s well-being.