Kayak & Paddleboard Rental

Kayak and paddleboard rental businesses provide non-motorized watercraft rentals at lakes, rivers, beaches, and waterfront parks.

With kayak/SUP rentals ranging from $20-$50 per hour and growing popularity, rental operations generate revenue of $85,000-$260,000 annually with profit margins of 45-60%.

The business requires kayaks and/or SUP boards (typically 10-30 units), paddles, PFDs, storage/launch location, and rental management system.

Services include hourly and daily rentals, multi-day packages, delivery service, and sometimes guided tours.

Pricing typically $20-$40 per hour, $50-$100 per day for kayaks or SUPs.

Success factors include waterfront location access, variety of equipment for different skill levels, convenient check-in process, and good equipment condition.

Most businesses operate seasonally with peak summer demand.

Many operations combine with instruction services.

The business can start small and scale by adding inventory.

Lower liability than motorized watercraft but insurance still needed.

Marketing focuses on tourists, locals, online booking, and waterfront visibility.

With SUP and kayaking growth in popularity as accessible water activities, rentals offer good opportunities in waterfront locations for entrepreneurs willing to invest in equipment to serve recreational paddlers seeking convenient access to water sports without ownership.