Photo Courtesy of Glencove Marine
Lake Living at the Ozarks
Water Playground
Cruise, rent or charter your way at the Lake of the Ozarks.


Photo Courtesy of Lodge of Four Seasons


Photo Courtesy of Surdyke Yamaha


Photo Courtesy of Sea Rocket Rides


Photo Courtesy of Tom Sawyer

Covering 54,000 acres, impounding 646 billion gallons of water and reaching across 1,150 miles of cove-indented shoreline, the Lake of the Ozarks greets you with sparkling waves, fast boats and breathtaking scenery. Water’s the reason the Lake of the Ozarks brings ’em packing every summer. But what do you do if you don’t have a boat to launch? Don’t worry — local marinas and boat captains offer everything from classic cruises to mega-rush rides.

Rent Your Ride
“It’s one of the most memorable things that families can do together at the Lake,” says Darrell Law, owner of Bridgeport Marina.

If you’re heading to the lake for a weekend trip, be sure to call in advance to make reservations. “It’s best to make reservations, but you can try to just pop in,” says Steve Bean, rental manager at Surdyke Yamaha. Surdyke offers two locations, one near Tan-Tar-A off KK (26 mm) and another off HH at the Horny Toad Entertainment Complex.
Fast and fun, personal watercrafts (PWCs) are particularly popular with the 18- to 35-year-old set. Check with the rental company regarding ages — some require renters to be 18, while others require a renter to be 21.     

Expect to pay $55 to $75 per hour for PWC rentals. Speedboat rentals generally start around $200 for four hours; price varies according to boat size and duration of rental. Eight- or 24-hour rentals offer the   best value. Pontoon rental prices run a bit more but accommodate more people.

“Do your research and call ahead,” says Justin Werremeyer, Sea Store manager for Glencove Marine. Check availability and pricing. Glencove tiers its pricing, starting with lower rates during the early months of summer then raising them as demand hits its peak at the height of summer.

Justin says most differences in watercraft rental prices are related to the age of the vessel. “The newer, more expensive boats cost more to rent,” he says. Don’t forget to add on a ski package, tube, kneeboard or wakeboard for the ultimate day on the water.

573.348.2280 or www.bridgeportboatrental.com
888.575.9283 or www.surdykeyamaha.com
888.GLENCOVE (Lake Ozark location) or 866.GLENCOVE
(Osage Beach location), www.glencovemarine.com

Thrill Rides
Back for its second full season at the Lake, Sea Rocket Rides offers a 640-horsepower, twin-engine rush. Lake enthusiasts can take a 30-minute tour on the Sea Rocket, a 34-foot, Nortek catamaran. Twelve passengers are permitted at a time.

“Sea Rocket Rides give the excitement   of offshore racing,” says owner Mike Bouffiou. “We’re the fastest commercial boat on the Lake.”

The Coast Guard asks that the Sea Rocket limit its speed to 75 mph when passengers are on board, he adds. Offering 30-minute rides to the public during the day ($32/person, check website for deals and coupon), Sea Rocket Rides reserves the evenings for private charters. Rides depart from the Celebrations Dock at Kirkwood Lodge.

But what if you want to drive a fast boat on your own? Surdyke offers thrill-seekers a twin-engine jet boat for rental. With two throttles and two motors, the jet boat is harder to drive but can be more fun than other rental boats, Mike says.

573.286.4306 or www.searocketrides.com
   
Up, Up and Away: Parasailing
At the end of a 600-foot towrope, you’ll catch views of the lake you never knew existed. A ride with Top Gun Parasailing typically lasts 10 to 12 minutes and will lift riders 300 to 400 feet in the air.

“The lighter you are, the higher you go,” says Mark Feja, Top Gun manager. A single rider ($65) must weigh at least 100 pounds. The maximum weight is 400, and an adult may ride with two small children if they don’t exceed the weight limit. Double riders pay $110. Prices are subject to change with fuel prices.

You have the option to get your feet wet or keep them dry with a take-off and landing on the boat. You can take your camera, but anything you have with you in the air is at your own risk.

Top Gun operates with a sister boat and parasail, Liquid Excitement Parasailing, to cover two locations. Would-be parasailers will find Liquid Excitement’s home dock at Bridgeport Marina at the Grand Glaize Bridge (19 mm) and Top Gun Parasailing at the Lodge of Four Seasons in Lake Ozark (12 mm). Another option, Paradise Parasailing departs from Mike Finks Marina in Lake Ozark.

You can request VIP treatment, where boats will pick riders up at their own docks, based upon availability. They also pick riders up at restaurants and bars, often finding fares after people see the boat on the water with the parasail in the air and want to catch a ride.

Liquid Excitement Parasailing, 573.348.4430
Top Gun Parasail, 319.520.8266 or 573.365.6675
Paradise Parasail, 573.365.6757 or www.paradiseparasail.com

Leisurely Scenic Rides
A Lake of the Ozarks classic, the Tom Sawyer paddle-wheeler has been in operation since 1965. Co-owner Greg Braun says he sees a lot of repeat business, the same guests coming back year after year to carry on tradition. A 90-minute  scenic cruise is $16; a dinner cruise on the Tom Sawyer is $26.

An 80-foot luxury yacht, the Celebration Cruise touts itself as the Lake’s largest commercial vessel. Scenic, lunch ($21.95/ adults, $12/kids) and dinner ($42.95/adults, $15/kids) cruises are available, departing from Kirkwood Lodge in Osage Beach. Celebration Cruises will also pick up groups at other locations upon request and may be secured for private parties ($1,100 to $1,600 for the first two hours).

The 75-foot Tropic Island Cruise departs daily at 3 p.m., April 1 to October 30, from Tan-Tar-A (a new location for the cruiseline in 2009). The 90-minute cruise features great sounds and a narrated tour of the lake. Guests on the luxury yacht often enjoy reggae tunes and Jimmy Buffet, befitting the getaway life that owners Omer and Jacquie Clark chose when they dropped out of the St. Louis-corporate life, but a variety of tunes are available to suit guests’ tastes. Rates: $16/adults, $10/ages 4 to 10, free for three and under.

573.348.0083 or www.tropicislandcruises.com
573.365.3300 or 888.366.7759, www.tom-huck.com
573.480.3212 or www.celebrationlakeozark.com

Private Charters
Popular with bachelor and bachelorette parties and corporate groups, private boat charters offer VIP treatment and a luxury ride, a perfect day cruise or water taxi. “It’s a water limousine service,” says Ben Belcher, owner/operator and captain of Leisure Lake Charters.

Leisure Lake Charters often spends summer days treating private groups and families to sightseeing and coving, and nights are generally reserved for sunset cruises and bar-hopping.

Private charters cater to guests, so ask your captain how to make the day spectacular. Leisure Lake Charters start out at $125 per hour (one-hour minimum). Another charter company, Pelican Yacht Charter, offers an 8-hour, full-day charter for $850 plus tax. Pelican also offers a   one- to two-hour sunset cruise for $175 or a Party Cove Cruise (three to four hours) for $50/person, $90/couple.

573.480.3212 or www.pelicancharter.com
877.922.4813 or www.firstmatecharters.com
573.746.1672 or www.leisurelakecharters.com