Crab Island Boat Rentals

Standard pontoons are the default. Twenty-four feet, ten to twelve passengers, a bimini top, a stereo. You drive. The right call if you've handled a boat before and you want control over where you anchor and how long you stay. Bring a portable head or plan a Dewey Destin's bathroom run.

Double-deckers with waterslides are pontoons with a second deck and one or two slides off the top. They cost roughly double a standard pontoon, the minimum renter age is usually 25, and they hold up to fourteen. Worth it for a big group where the slide is the day's entertainment.

Captained charters are someone else's boat with a USCG-licensed captain. You bring food and drinks. You don't think about anchoring, navigation, or BUI. Book this if you've never run a boat in Destin Harbor, or if nobody in your group wants to stay sober.

Shuttles and public tour boats are scheduled group trips, ticketed per person, with a captain and a fixed itinerary. Floats and a captain who knows where to anchor are included. The cheapest way out there if you don't own or rent. Limited control over departure time and how long you stay.

Tiki boats are captained party boats with a thatched bar, sound system, and onboard head. Best for groups of 10 to 18 who want a bar, a private head, and someone else driving. Bachelorette and birthday rentals, not family rentals.

Jet skis are fast, fun, and useless for hanging at the sandbar. Rent these if you want to rip around East Pass and the bay — not if you want to float with a cooler for three hours.

Kayaks and SUPs are possible but not for first-timers. The shortest launch is Captain Leonard Destin Park, about 0.3 miles to the sandbar across a channel with active boat traffic and tidal current. Experienced paddlers in calm conditions only. See Safety for why.