Written by Audrey Sochor
There’s a new business in town, and it’s one that’s been long awaited by the boat-less residents of the Blue Water Area. Motorized boat rentals have come to Port Huron.
And that, said Katie Stepp, owner of Michigan Boat Rentals, is what makes her business unique to the area. While the area has kayak facilities, people previously had to travel to the Detroit area or north up for the motorized experience.
“There’s been a lot of excitement,” she said. “The motorized boats have been booking a lot, so it’s going to be a very busy summer. I think people are excited they can have this sort of service without having all those costs involved with it. So they can just kind of hang out for the day with their family, have a great day but not have the costs of buying it or maintaining it.”
Located at the River Street Marina by the 7th Street Bridge, Michigan Boat Rentals is open seven days a week. The tri-toon style motorized boats can be rented for the day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can hold up to 12 people. Cost is $175 Monday-Thursday or $375 Friday-Sunday.
But the two tri-toon boats aren’t the only water transportation offered.
“We have some kayaks and some paddleboards,” Stepp said. “We have a tandem kayak which is kind of fun, so you can have two people together. And then we offer fishing style kayaks, so if you like to go fishing and have a leisurely day up the Black River that’s kind of fun.”
Kayaks and paddleboards start at $15 an hour and go up depending on style. “But the longer you go the cheaper it becomes, so it’s pretty economical,” Stepp said.
All services can be booked online at www.michiganboatrentals.net. Or visitors can stop by the floating office, which Stepp says is another fun, unique way to start the day while filling out paperwork or watching safety videos.
“It’s just a fun experience being right here downtown,” she said.
