Going With the Flow

Sleek one- and two-person kayaks, colorful paddle boats for four and roomy pontoon boats that can carry up to 10 passengers are some of the watercraft available for rent at Ventura County’s harbors and lakes.

People who want to explore the home of sea lions and starfish or spot a largemouth bass and gaze upon a shoreline of stately oaks should know that, with few exceptions, boating at the harbors or lakes is accessible to new or novice sailors with little or no experience.

Every business that rents watercraft at Ventura or Channel Islands harbors and at marinas at Lake Piru and Lake Casitas provides instruction and life jackets. There are also companies that offer lessons and certification--or guides for people who want to just relax and enjoy.

“It’s very peaceful to go on the water,� said Louise DeZeeuw, manager of Channel Islands Landing, one of four businesses at the Oxnard harbor that rents boats. “There’s no noise.�

“I’m on vacation and it was a nice day for it,� Chuck Adams said after a recent hourlong spin in a small electric boat with his wife and two daughters. Adams, a Westlake Village resident, rented from Bay Queen Harbor Cruises, the only business at Ventura Harbor that rents watercraft.

At Lake Casitas and Lake Piru, fishing is a big draw for boaters. Marinas at both lakes rent a variety of watercraft and fishing rods. The most popular rentals are small aluminum motorboats that carry up to eight people.

“It’s an inexpensive way to go out and have a good time,� said Marty Meyer, manager of the Lake Piru Marina.

Below are descriptions of places that rent various watercraft. Most are open seven days a week; reservations are not necessary unless the rental is for a large patio boat or there is a special request for amenities such as food and ice.

All boats rented at Channel Islands Harbor are restricted to harbor use.

“The Channel Islands Harbor is what we call the secret,� said Nancy Walker, who works at the harbor’s maritime museum. “Not a lot of people know about it, and it’s a really neat place.�

Information about sailing rentals is available at the visitors center, 3810 W. Channel Islands Blvd.

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CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBOR IN OXNARD

* Channel Islands Landing at 3821 Victoria Ave. rents 14- to 22-foot electric boats and sailboats. Sailboats cost from $18 to $25 an hour; electric boats are $35 and $40 an hour.

“The electric boats make no noise, so they are also very peaceful to be on,� DeZeeuw said.

Channel Islands Landing can be reached at 985-6059.

* Channel Islands Kayak Center at 3600 S. Harbor Blvd. in the Marine Emporium rents single kayaks for $12.50 an hour, double kayaks for $20. Half- and full-day rentals are also available.

“We take you down to the dock and pop you in the water. It’s very beginner-friendly,� said co-owner Mike Lamm. The business also offers lessons and tours and sells kayaks.

The center can be reached at 984-5995.

* Electric Craft, a powerboat manufacturer, has a rental business at 3600 S. Harbor Blvd. in the Marine Emporium. Sixteen- to 18-foot electric boats that can carry up to 12 people are available, said national sales manager Bill Williams.

Depending on size, prices range from $35 to $45 an hour. There are also half- and full-day rentals, specials and customized packages. The phone number is 374-9455.

* Hopper Boat Rental at Channel Islands Boulevard and Victoria Avenue is right on the water in front of the maritime museum.

The big yellow sea cycles on pontoons for singles and doubles rent between $10 and $20 an hour; the same prices apply to single and double kayaks. Paddle boats that hold two to five people, depending on weight, run $10 to $15 an hour, depending on the number of riders.

Hopper rents 10-foot motorboats for $30 an hour weekdays, $40 an hour weekends; and an 18-foot battery-operated party boat rents for $40 an hour on weekdays, $50 on weekends.

“We’ve got something for everybody,� said owner Jim Noggle, “for kids who want to do the work and adults who want to sit and have a cocktail.� Hopper’s number is 985-4677.

* Several sailing clubs in the county offer rentals to members who join and pay monthly dues. One of the oldest such clubs in the country is Marina Sailing at 3001 Peninsula Drive. It opened in 1965.

Renters must be certified with the American Sailing Assn. or pass both written and sailing tests, said member Jim Konecko. After monthly dues and a start-up fee are paid, members can rent 25- to 45-foot boats for $86 to $127 a day. For more information, call Marina Sailing at 985-5219.

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VENTURA HARBOR

Tom Rush’s Bay Queen Harbor Cruises on the water in front of the Greek Restaurant at 1583 Spinnaker Drive has the market for boat rentals.

Paddle boats are $11 an hour; single and double kayaks cost $11 to $17 an hour. A 14-foot electric boat is $30 an hour with a $30 deposit. Harbor cruises and ocean trips can also be arranged.

Bay Queen is at 642-7753.

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THE LAKES

* Lake Casitas Marina, at 11311 Santa Ana Road off California 150 near Ojai, rents aluminum boats with a six- or eight-horsepower motor for $44 to $55 for a half-day. Canoes that hold three people are $15 an hour, and kayaks for singles and doubles are $10 and $15 an hour.

Paddle boats hold three people and cost $15 an hour; reservations are required for the popular 24-foot covered party boat, $160 a day.

The views at Lake Casitas, a premier bass fishing lake, include 25 miles of shoreline and hills covered with oaks. The lake itself is 3 1/2 miles long and covers 2,500 surface acres. A water park, camping, bike rental and a playground are nearby. The marina is at 649-2043.

* Lake Piru Marina off California 126 on Piru Canyon Road east of Fillmore has a large fleet of rentals, said Marty Meyer.

Pontoon boats that hold up to 10 people rent for $125 to $200 a day--a cost Meyer said is often split between two families wanting to spend a day on the water. A $100 or $200 refundable deposit is also required.

Fourteen-foot fishing boats with six-horsepower engines that carry up to four people are $50 a day. The marina has a full supply of fishing tackle and food at its general store. The lake affords boaters views of the Santa Clarita Valley. It is 1,200 acres of water and surrounding shoreline; and mountains line the north side of the lake.

The marina’s phone number is 521-1231.