Lake James Boat Rentals marks 10 years as the only dockside option

As they approach their 10th summer in business, Henry Kidd and Eric Messick stood on the dock of Lake James on a spring Tuesday morning, soaking in the sunshine and light breeze while reflecting on the evolution of Lake James Boat Rentals.

In 2015, the longtime friends opened a small store about 1.8 miles from the lake. Lake James Neighborhood Store, at 5763 Benfields Landing Road, served as a one-stop shop for people headed to the lake to pick up last-minute souvenirs, T-shirts, groceries, ice cream, and camping supplies.

After opening the store, Kidd and Messick said the phone rang off the hook with customers asking about boat rentals.

“We started a little campground store and the first summer everyone kept calling asking, ‘Where do you rent boats?’” Messick said. “We bought three really terrible boats that fall and rented those for like $150 per day. Then it just slowly evolved into this.”

Today, Lake James Boat Rentals has grown to operate a fleet of boats with 16 docks. Boat rentals are available at daily and weekly rates. Prices for rentals range from $350 to $800 per day. Spring specials, which run until May 17, offer rentals starting at $199. Owners suggest booking at least two weeks in advance and visiting during the week to beat the crowd.

“We’re the only legitimate company on the lake that operates off of the dock. We’re the only company that is online booking everything with a state-of-the-art website,” Kidd said.

BUSY SEASON AHEAD

During winter months, between November and February, the business closes for boat repairs and preparation for the upcoming season. Spring tends to be quiet around the docks, with the sound of waves crashing against stationary boats.

“Springtime is usually for cleaning the boats and getting everything ready,” Messick said.

Warmer weather draws more visitors to the lake, marking Mother’s Day as the start of the busiest season of the year.

A DAY ON THE LAKE

The team arrives early to prepare for the day. Along the docks, Sweetwater tritoons, Bennington tritoons, and a Regal deck boat sat lined up floating on the water.

Bennington, considered the luxury line of boats, holds 12 people. Sweetwater tritoons also hold up to 12 people. Regal deck boats, best for water sports, accommodate up to 10 people.

For customers looking to wakeboard surf, Lake James Boat Rental is the only company at Lake James offering wakeboard boats.

“The reason we have one is because I wanted to learn how to wakeboard,” Kidd laughed.

Customers can also rent party boats and jet skis. The party boat, which holds up to 25 people, comes with slides for added fun.

According to Messick, 7 a.m. to noon is usually hectic, as they handle check-ins and get customers out on the water.

To help manage the rush, the company brings in two additional staff members. Customers book their rentals online and then show up with their IDs. Team members review a map of the lake with customers, pointing out key directions, and warning them about potential hazards like shallow spots and large rocks in the water.

Throughout the day, team members assist customers in getting on and off the water. People return to the dock for various reasons — whether it’s for a bathroom break, to retrieve forgotten items, to pick someone up, or to charge a phone, according to Messick.

The goal for the owners is to make the boat rental process smooth and easy for customers.

“We help tie them up, we park (the boat) … and we don’t make them get gas,” Kidd explained. “A big saying for us is we try to take the hassle out of boating.”

Around 3:30 p.m., customers start returning to the dock.

LASTING MEMORIES

The memories families create during their time on the lake are the most rewarding part of the business for Kidd and Messick.

“Seeing the smiles on people’s faces,” Kidd said.

The guys grinned as they recalled two weddings held on their boats, including one for Connie Ott, general manager of Lake James Marina.

Kidd and Messick take pride in their repeat customers and remain committed to keeping the business specific to Lake James, despite pressures to expand.

“There are giant companies that do what we do out on other lakes, and they go to all the other lakes and have boat clubs, but we want to do this just for us,” Kidd said.

Next on the horizon for the duo is to sell the older boats and replace them with newer models. Currently, the company has a few boats for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Kidd said the company doesn’t want the line of boats to exceed four years.

“The sky is the limit for us,” Kidd said. “We want to always be the nicest on the lake.”