The short answer
Bring food, drinks in non-glass containers, sunscreen, towels, a hat and sunglasses, a phone in a waterproof pouch, and cash for a tip. On an H2Overboard charter, life jackets, floats, a cooler, Bluetooth sound and the captain are already provided — and glass bottles of any kind are the one thing that will be turned away at the dock.
Bring: food and drinks (no glass)
Every charter is BYO food and drink, and the Double Decker has an onboard grill and refrigerator if you want to cook out mid-lake. The one hard rule is no glass bottles — decant wine or liquor into plastic before you arrive. Broken glass on a boat deck full of bare feet is the reason this rule exists everywhere on the water.
Bring: sun protection you will actually reapply
Reflected light off the water roughly doubles your sun exposure, and a four-hour trip will burn people who never burn. Bring more sunscreen than you think, plus hats and sunglasses. There is shade on board, but nobody sits in it.
Bring: a waterproof phone pouch and a towel each
Phones go in the lake every single summer. A five-dollar floating pouch solves it. Bring one towel per person — wet seats are the fastest way to end a good afternoon early.
Already on board: the expensive stuff
You do not need to bring life jackets, floats, a cooler, a sound system or a tube. Life jackets are provided for every guest, both tritoons carry a tube, and the fleet includes a giant lily pad float, Bluetooth audio and — if you ask — a karaoke mic.
Leave at home: glass, and anything you would hate to lose
Beyond glass, skip anything that cannot get wet or blow away. Loose paper, light hats and anything unsecured on a moving boat ends up in the water.
Worth knowing: tipping your captain
Tipping is not required but it is customary and appreciated on captained charters, typically 15–20% of the trip cost for a captain who made your day. Cash is easiest on the water.
Want the easy version? Book a captained charter.
A licensed captain is included on every H2Overboard trip — no certificates, no launch ramp, no stress. 5.0★ across 226 verified reviews.
Frequently asked
Can you bring alcohol on a pontoon boat rental?
On a captained charter, yes — guests bring their own alcohol, and because a licensed captain is operating the vessel nobody in your group needs to stay sober to drive. Glass bottles are not permitted; repackage into plastic.
Are life jackets provided on a boat rental?
Yes. H2Overboard provides Coast Guard-approved life jackets for every guest, along with all required safety equipment. Children under 13 must wear one while the boat is underway.
Should you tip a boat captain?
Tipping is customary on captained charters though never required. Fifteen to twenty percent of the charter cost is a common range, and cash is the easiest way to handle it on the water.
What should you wear on a pontoon boat?
Swimwear with a cover-up, a hat, sunglasses and boat shoes or bare feet — dark-soled shoes can mark the deck. Bring a light layer for the ride back if you are out near sunset.
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