Different companies work with different boats and, therefore, authorized capacities. Your options will be narrowed by the number of guests on your crew.

San Diego, CA, has several options for smaller groups of up to 12 guests, but way less options for larger groups. There’s a loophole in maritime law that causes this unbalance - we’ll explain it in detail later on.

Once you define your group size, it’s time to figure out…

What activities are you after?

Saying you want to go on a boat is like saying you want to go on a plane (rather than on vacation). There are several types of boats and equally as many activities that can be done on or off a boat. Some of them are:

Kayaking
Sailing
Jet skiing
Fishing
Hot tubbing
Wakeboarding
Surfing
Dining

Once you have a general idea, you can use this information to narrow your search even more (e.g. ‘party boat rental san diego’ or ‘sailing san diego boat rentals’).

Then, you’ll have to evaluate…

Which choices fit your availability and budget?

When you figure out what companies fit your group size and activity needs, it’s time to start requesting quotes and evaluating pricing and availability. As with activities, there is a wide spectrum of pricing in the charter industry (and the cheapest ones, as you’ll see soon, are usually from illegitimate operations).

Prices may be hourly, per time slot, or per person. Always make sure to investigate booking fees, gas surcharges, security deposits, and booking policies when considering charter prices. On availability, only one thing matters: the earlier you make your reservation, the better.

Now, let’s move onto some specifics. Here’s a list of San Diego boating experiences with estimated price ranges from legitimate charter companies:

San Diego Bay Tour: Approximately $40 per guest on a shared public charter with Flagship Cruises & Events.
Whale Watching Tour: Around $60 per guest on a shared public charter with San Diego Whale Watch.
Catalina 16.5 Sailboat Rental: Approximately $80 for the entire boat for 2 people (about $40 per guest) with Mission Bay Sportcenter.
Self-Guided GPS Boat Rental: Estimated at $500 for a self-captained boat for 10 people (around $50 per guest) with Seaforth Boat Rentals.
Private Sailing Tour for 2: Around $500 for the private charter (approximately $250 per guest) with San Diego Sailing Tours.
Mission Bay Party Cruise: Approximately $1,200 for a private charter for 24 people (about $50 per guest) with Waterhorse Charters.

Please note that prices are approximate and may vary; it's advisable to check the companies' websites for the most current information.

✨ LOCAL TIP: We recommend booking 3 to 6 months in advance if you want to snag that golden summer Saturday!

Rent a private boat

2 to 5 hour BYOB Mission Bay cruises
Sunset and firework cruises available

With a captain?

When joining an activity that includes a captain, ALWAYS ask the charter company for captain's credentials beforehand.

Look for either a 6-Pack Captain’s License (if your boat of choice fits up to 6 guests) or a Master Captain’s License, both issued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

Sadly, several San Diego charter operations don’t have licensed captains so… do your homework!

Without a captain?

San Diego boat rentals don’t require that you have a boat license so this may seem the most convenient and affordable option. As the captain, however, the responsibility of your entire crew falls on you. Not to mention, you shouldn’t get near alcoholic beverages while driving a boat. If you get caught doing so, be ready for trouble.

If you’re not renting a boat for the sport of it and you plan to drink, you’re better off taking this load off your shoulders.

✨ LOCAL TIP: We recommend always looking for a captained yacht charter, unless you’re renting a boat to practice sailing or boating skills.

Legitimate operation or not?

We estimate that 50% of San Diego boats rentals, charters, and tours are illegal operations. They operate from private docks (rather than commercial), don’t pay their dues to the city, and often don’t have qualified captains.

We’ve personally seen several illegitimate charters being interrupted mid-activity by the Lifeguards and a handful of them displaying poor and unsafe boating practices.

Now, time to see where your cruise will take you…

Spot Illegal Operations

These red flags might help you identify illegal charter operations:

Pickup location is a public dock (or the beach)
Prices are much cheaper than average
Not able to provide copies of captain’s license issued by the United States Coast Guard
Only listed on 3rd party listings like GetMyBoat (don’t have their own website)

Be aware of illegal charters in San Diego to ensure your cruise is not interrupted or canceled by authorities.

Rent a private boat

Legitimate boat charter operation
USCG-licensed captains and boats

Which type of boat?

Ideal for parties and water sports with a 6-50 guest range, motor yachts provide ample space, bathrooms, and living amenities but can be noisy and offer fewer options for small groups.

Motor Yachts

Accommodating 6-12 guests, center consoles are fast and best for fishing but offer little weather protection, limited bathroom availability, and engine noise.

Center Consoles

Designed for parties with 4-18 guests, pontoons provide room to move and are easy to drive, yet they’re generally unsuitable for large groups, lack bathrooms, and are exposed to weather.

Pontoons

With a 2-10 guest capacity, electric boats are eco-friendly and quiet, though slow, and smaller models usually lack a bathroom and weather protection.

Electric Boats (Duffy)

Suitable for 2-10 guests, sailboats provide a quiet experience under sail with some bathroom options on larger models, though they require sailing knowledge, may lack weather protection, and are slower.

Sailboats

With a 6-12 guest capacity, these boats are perfect for tow sports like wakeboarding and offer speed, though they have limited space, often lack a bathroom, and can be noisy.

Bowrider/Deck Boats

With room for 2-10 guests, RIBs are ideal for fast wildlife viewing but have limited space, are weather-exposed, and typically lack a bathroom.

RIBs

(Power or Sail): Suitable for 6-50 guests, catamarans offer a quiet ride under sail, lounging space, and bathrooms, but they’re slower and sailing models are limited in Mission Bay.

Catamarans

flagship-san-diego

Passenger Vessels

Capable of holding 2-100+ guests, these vessels offer scenic transport with space to move, bathrooms, and covered areas but can be crowded and noisy.

Ferries and Taxis

Rent a boat from Waterhorse

Daily availability on 3 different boats
Friendly crew and flexible departure

Elizabeth R

Hands down the best scuba charter I've ever experienced (and have dove in Florida, Panama, Brazil, Hawaii, Cozumel). Zach and the crew are incredibly skilled, safe, and kind. The captain even made homemade bluefin ceviche in addition to ensuring hot soup and hot shower water between cold November dives. I can't recommend their dive charter to Coronado Mexico enough, and can't wait to dive with Waterhorse again already!

Serena Zheng

Took a dive trip out to Coronado Islands. Impressive dive company with a phenomenal team. They have top tier service getting into your gear and into the water. They try to get you as much time with the sea lions as possible! By popular demand, we got to do the sea lion dive twice!! Even got to do some whale watching on the way back. 1000% recommend!!

Jake Baker

I’ve done a couple dives with Waterhorse and they have been great. Dive master Brennan is the man and very knowledgeable.

CAPT R.T. Rushton, USN, ret.

Two good dives yesterday on Orion. First was in the kelp off of PT Loma. Vis was 20-25 ft. Second was on the Rube-E. Had to work through a green layer, but vis opened to 15 ft at the hull. The crew was great as usual. This dive was to test a new backplate and bladder + wt check.

William Alton

I’ve booked three boat dives with Waterhorse and my California dive experience has been excellent . I did chose the option to hire a dive guide. The guides were very helpful assisting with weight checks. A big thanks to Ben and Hunter for guiding me through kelp forest and wrecks. I still have another dive left with this company as im writing this review. I’m usually a warm water diver with a 3 mm suit on. I would hope that all cold water dive operators operate like Waterhorse. If diving in San Diego do chose this company. Oh they actually have warm soup and snacks after the first dive. So far all the heads (toilets) are functional. Warm water showers as well. 👌

Markus Sturkey

Waterhorse Charters truly exceeded my expectations and provided the best dive charter experience I’ve ever had. From the owners to the crew, everyone is top-tier. I had the pleasure of meeting Zach, one of the owners, at the Scuba Show, and I corresponded with his wife Karina over email to make changes. The entire booking process was seamless and professional. My girlfriend, who often accompanies me on dive trips, mentioned that Captain Charles was the nicest captain she’s ever met. The divemasters I had, Brandon and Jon, are probably the best dive guides I’ve ever had. I can confidently say they gave me my favorite dives of all time so far. I initially heard about Waterhorse Charters from an instructor in Hawaii and the Azul Unlimited YouTube channel, so my expectations were high—and they met or exceeded every one of them. If you’re looking to dive cold water in the San Diego area, Waterhorse Charters is the way to go.

Kristian Marquez

I recently had an incredible experience with Waterhorse Charters on a trip to the Coronado Islands! The crew made the entire day exceptional from start to finish. Gaby was attentive and ensured that everyone felt welcome and prepared, offering all the support we needed throughout the trip. Ben was incredibly knowledgeable about the islands and their marine life, making every stop interesting and educational. Brandon’s professionalism and friendly attitude added to the overall comfort and enjoyment of the journey. And a big shout out to Charles, who kept everything running smoothly and made sure we had a safe and memorable adventure. Thank you, Waterhorse Charters, for a wonderful day on the water. I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to explore the beauty of the Coronado Islands with a top-notch crew!

Brendan

Why go somewhere else? The location of the boat means you get in and out of the harbor quickly. Thorough safety and dive briefing. The hot shower ensures you're warm and comfortable for second and third dive. Don't underestimate the wonder of the hot soups. They convert surface intervals from a mere necessity to something to look forward to and warm you up for the next dive

jonathan cummins

Zach and the Waterhorse crew are outstanding and safety conscious dive professionals! When I want to go boat diving I go to Waterhorse first. They take us to the best sites and offer in depth dive site briefings and always have the best interest of the divers! If you only have one day to dive go to Waterhorse!

John George

This is the best dive company in San Diego hands down. I have been diving with Waterhorse charters for almost three years now and every trip it never ceases to amaze me how helpful, kind, and attentive the crew is. Zack helped out last week to get lobster season rolling and I came home with four of them! Don’t look anywhere else if you are wanting to dive in San Diego.