If you are an experienced sea kayaker, you may be eligible for our “advanced kayak rentals”. This allows you to rent a top quality tandem or solo sea kayak for exploring anywhere in the San Juan Islands. If you lack sufficient experience, you can still rent kayaks but will be limited to paddling in our safest waters.
Click Here to Read About Our “Beginner Kayak Rentals” on San Juan Island.
Before you consider our advanced kayak rental option, you should know that the San Juan Islands are prone to strong currents, and weather forecasting can be tricky for those who don’t have ample experience in this region. For those reasons and more, we require our advanced kayak rental customers to have a significant amount of prior paddling experience. To be eligible, you will need to have practiced self-rescue skills, and for those who wish to rent a solo kayak it is best if you provide us with some form of proof, such as a certificate or letter, from your instructor or school where you learned these techniques. Give us a call if you have any questions about this.
If you don’t have the experience for an advanced kayak rental, or just want a more stream-lined reservation process, check out our beginner kayak rental page. We can get you on the water quick and without an application. Many renters it works best for single-day kayak rentals anyway and the exceptional quality of the kayaks is the same in both programs.
If you’d like to be approved for an advanced kayak rental in the San Juan Islands, please provide us with the following information for the rental trip leader: your experience level, past sea kayaking experiences, rescue training experience, self-rescue techniques you are adept at, your proposed trip plan route and itinerary with dates. Other members of your group do not have to be as qualified, but must pledge to follow the instructions of their experienced leader and stay close at all times. You may use our contact form page to request our formal application for advanced kayak rentals.
After you’ve considered all the facts, you may decide you’d prefer to kayak with one of our guides for the benefit of extra safety, local knowledge, and the education our guides provide. For a “full service” experience, join one of our popular guided kayak tours where we provide breakfasts, dinners, and all camping equipment. For a more self-sufficient and personalized event, consider our guided kayak rentals. Guided kayak rentals are also called “self-catered kayak tours” as you provide your own camping gear and meals. Only your friends and family will be invited to join a guided kayak rental and an experienced kayak guide will be with you at all times to teach, provide advice, and maintain safety.
Advanced Sea Kayaking Rentals in The San Juan Islands
Our Experienced Kayak Rental Fees are shown below. Beginner kayak rental fees and guided self-catered rental fees are shown on their own description pages. Fees are based on a calendar day – for each full or partial day you rent the kayak a full day’s fee is charged. If you are looking for hourly or partial day rates please check out the beginner rentals. Kayak rental fees include paddles, skirts, PFD’s, rescue float, rescue streamer, pump, and bilge sponge.
Reviews
Experienced Sea Kayaking Rental for The San Juan Islands
Our San Juan Islands rental kayaks are made by Boreal Design and Wilderness Systems. Both are the highest quality expedition-style sea kayaks made.
Tandem kayak rentals are the 19.5-foot-long Esperanto model with two bulk-headed compartments and a third center hatch that accesses another storage area. The Esperanto are suitable for beginners to top-level paddlers, provided they have an experienced trip leader.
The solo kayaks are Tempest 165s, Tempest 170s, Epsilon P300s, Tsunami 175s or Inukshuks. They are offer a range of lengths and widths making them suitable for almost all moderate to advanced renters.
Consider an Expert Guide for Your Kayak Rental
Add on one our expert kayak guides for a guided rental to take advantage of their local knowledge and skills in finding and identifying wildlife. Our guides can also provide instruction to improve your skills and counsel on safe decision-making throughout your advanced kayaking rental experience.
We can transport larger fleets of rental kayaks for church groups, boy scouts, and family reunions using our custom trailers. These groups often prefer to have an expert guide accompany their kayak trip and should refer to our webpage for guided kayak rentals for details and fees.
Delivery / Pickup Shuttle Fees for Advanced Kayak Rentals
We will pick you up in Friday Harbor at Memorial park and take you to Jackson Beach where you can launch into Griffin Bay for your adventure. We will coordinate as your trip progresses and when you are ready for a ride back to town you can call us, and we will pick you up.
Note: The summer is very busy for us so you will have to be flexible with an exact pickup time. Most pickups are at 8am on the first day and the pickup time on the final day is usually in the midafternoon.
Alternatively, you can meet us at Jackson beach and we can meet you there with the boats. If you prefer to meet us at Jackson beach, please contact our office.
| Shuttle Fees (Round Trip) | Self Haul | Up to 4 people w/ kayaks | Up to 8 people w/ kayaks | Up to 12 people w/ kayaks | Up to 16 people w/ kayaks | Up to 20 people w/ kayaks |
| Cost | $0 | $99 | $199 | $299 | $399 | $499 |
Self-transport can be accomplished if you have a strong roof rack and secure straps. You may also secure a ride with taxi company but make sure they can transport kayaks! If you choose this option you are responsible for picking up or dropping off your kayak(s) at 322 Unit 6 Daniel Lane, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. You can launch the kayak(s) from Friday Harbor, Jackson Beach, South Beach, 4th of July Beach, Roche Harbor, Reuben Tarte County Park. Nominal launch fees may apply. You cannot launch at San Juan County Park or English Camp.
SAN JUAN ISLAND ADVANCED SEA KAYAK RENTAL PRICING
Our Standard Kayak Rental Fees are shown below. The fees are based on a calendar day. For each full or partial day you rent the kayak a full day’s fee is charged. There are no hourly or partial day rates. Kayak rental fees include paddles, skirts, PFD’s, rescue float, rescue streamer, pump, and bilge sponge.
| Kayak Rental Fees | 1 Day | 2 Days | 3 Days | 4 Days | 5 Days |
| Solo | $189 | $369 | $559 | $749 | $939 |
| Tandem | $249 | $499 | $749 | $999 | $1249 |
Group Discounts for kayak rentals are available! Contact our office for a custom price.
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