Posted on August 30th, 2018
If you’re coming to Ocean City for the Labor Day holiday or anytime during the season for that matter and you’re looking to get out on the water for some tubing, sightseeing, cruising or best of all fishing you’ve got to check out the crew at Island Watersports just over the MD / DE line in Fenwick Island. Island Watersports rents jet skis, Scarab jet boats, center consoles, fishing skiffs and pontoon boats. The jet skis are some of the fastest in the area and are brand new every season. They also enjoy one of the largest riding areas in the resort up in the north part of the Assawoman Bay. Island Watersports also rents a lot of the equipment for your trip like fishing rods, wake boards and water skis.
My son Ryan and I set sail the other day on one of Island Watersports Berkshire pontoon boats and were really impressed with what a great rental it is. The boats are roomy enough to comfortably carry 6-10 people and will legally hold up to 12 depending on the total weight.
The boats have plenty of really comfortable cushioned seating with under seat storage, a canopy for cover from the sun, a swim ladder off of the back for easy access back to the deck if you decide to go swimming, tubing or water skiing and a super comfortable helm station with easy gauges and controls.
Pontoon rentals start at 4 hours and can also be rented for 6, 8 and 10 hours. Island Watersports is also the only boat rental in the area that has rental opportunities for 3, 5 or 7 days in case you have a dock and would like access to the pontoon for your entire vacation. They also have a fully stocked pro shop with bait, tackle, marine supplies, apparel, stand up paddleboards, wake boards and all of the accessories to go with it.
After our pontoon trip Ryan and I joined Island Watersports owner Mike Ferrari on a sea trial aboard a 25′ Scarab Open that is absolutely sick! This boat is a hybrid between a high performance jet boat and a center console fishing boat that Scarab has absolutely nailed. First I’ll give you the specs…..overall length is 25′, the beam is 8′ 4″, fuel capacity is 56 gallons, person capacity is 13 or 2100 lbs and it only draws 15″ of water.
The inside of the boat is plenty roomy enough for 4-6 people to fish comfortably and 10-13 to cruise….that is if you call 50 mph cruising. Top speed is 58 mph depending on the weight, and Mike told us to “hold on for a second” and had us to 50 mph in about 10 seconds. The 500 HP engine gets you out of a hole quickly and the boat handles really well even in a slight chop. You don’t have to worry about crab pots and other things as much either thanks to the shallow draft and lack of lower unit and propeller. The 25′ Open has a nice, sleek console and the availability for a sick electronics package and a comfortable helm post with adjustability that can fit three people.
This particular model had the exterior, interior walls and deck covered in MarineMat so it was very comfortable on the feet and was installed with snaps so you can remove and replace it if you take it out fishing and don’t want to bloody it up. There were several rod holders on the boat, some that doubled as cup holders, there were lots of comfortable seating options and there is even a stand-up room head under the center console.
The coolest part of this rig for me was the drop down transom that you have to see to believe. Because this boat is a jet drive with no outboard to get in the way Scarab was able to allow for a transom that can be lowered to just above the water line. This allows for easy access back on the boat, a spot to launch crab traps, tubes or skiers, or another spot for a couple of anglers to drop a line (as long as their careful.) The transom is super easy to lower and raise and it’s sturdy enough for a 200 pound man to stand on with no problem….trust me on that one.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my Carolina Skiff, but if something were to happen to the skiff…..well, just saying, this boat is awesome! The 25′ Open from Scarab starts in the mid $50,000 range and goes up from there with upgrades. If you’d like to take it for a test drive give Mike at Island Watersports a call to set it up at 1-888-2GETWET.
So if you’re looking to rent a boat to Fish in OC, especially if you’re staying in lower Delaware or North Ocean City, or you’re in the market for a new, awesome fishing or cruising boat give Mike and his staff at Island Watersports a call at 1-888-2GETWET or check them out online at www.OCMDBoats.com
