I decided to jet ski for the first time ever for my birthday, I loved the experience! My bf and I had an amazing time and the process was seamless. The guys were very friendly and informative. The 1 hour was definitely enough time to take turns, so don't worry about needing extra time. The water was choppy that day but I am happy to report we did not fall over! I was impressed as this was our first time ever riding jet skis and it was a fun and worthwhile experience. I would definitely recommend this company. read more

So this place isn't found on the web as easily as "Parasailing Catalina" or "Snorkeling Catalina"...but it is right next to them on the same 'main street'. You can't miss them, they have a counter pulled out to the boardwalk and you rent JET SKIS from them. I have never had so much fun before! We road together for an hour. It was $120. The hour was enough time for both of us to take turns. I loved doing donuts and also going full throttle then hitting a wave...getting splashed in the face and letting go of the throttle, which is equivalent to slamming on your breaks. This nearly bucked us off the darn thing. Jet Skiing is pretty rad. The guy was really cool. I love speed! BONUS: While going away from shore we saw a WHOLE SCHOOL of dolphins, swimming and playing. It was surreal... read more

If I could give a negative start I would. On Sunday 7-20-20 I almost lost my life out in the water and no one came looking for me. I got lost and panicked as this was my very first time ever trying something like new. They new they had 6 jet skies out there and only saw 5 out there for a very long time yet no one thought maybe we should look for me or who ever was lost. I was terrified and traumatized! I was shaken and it was made to be light to them. I will never do this ever again and I recommend you know if something happens do not depend on them to help. read more

I brought my mom here as a birthday present and was completely taken aback by their excellent service. You check-in at the little stand they have on Pebbly Beach(on the main road from the Catalina Avalon dock). Be careful, I missed it once and realized I had passed it. The check-in guy was extremely patient and helpful, making our experience great from the start. You take a ferry ride out to their seadoo barge(included in the rental fee) and from there they explain everything. The two operators were absolutely exceptional at showing us how to properly use the seadoos. Both my mom and I were nervous since it was our first time, but the guys working there knew what they were talking about and quickly eased our worries. The power of the Jet Ski was exhilarating. Absolutely fantastic. They kept their machines in tip-top shape! Their machines go up to 70mph in few seconds, so play around with it before you get too crazy. I'm obsessed with them now! I was passing the Catalina liners on the ocean and the parasailing boats. It was crazy! There is no real limit as to how far you can go, but just remember, if you can't see the barge, most likely, they can't see you either. Also don't forget to keep an eye out for the flag on their barge. If it's lowered it means your 1 hour rental is up and you have to make your way back to the barge. I highly recommend this!!!! A bunch of my friends are planning to make a trip down there to Jet Ski soon, and I wouldn't pick another company to do it with! read more

No real website, only a facebook page where they ignore everyone's questions about pricing and only click like on anyone saying they had a good time. Of course they had a good time, it's a jet ski! Unless you rent a lame electric bike you had a good time. I'll be using someone else or just renting a jet ski back home. read more

Me and my boyfriend just came back from our trip to Catalina. After reading reviews on what to do, I decided to make reservations for jet skiing and this was the place I found. It costs around $132 for two people and we had so much fun. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I laughed and had so much fun on the jet ski! Definitely recommend this place. read more

Barge Water Craft Rental - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

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Awesome people! From the moment I called them to the end of our trip, these people were really great. We went around 12:30 and we ended up being the only group out there which was cool cause we got the whole area to jet ski as fast as we wanted. We got lucky cause when we left, the next group had a loooot of people!! It cost us $132 for 2 of us on 1 jet ski for 1 hour! read more

These machines are 130 H.P. with a top speed of 70 MPH and can go from 0-70 in about 5 seconds. They are sure a rush! However, I've ridden jet skiis, but not nearly as powerful...so...if you are going to tro keep up with the youngsters, you gotta BE CAREFUL even if you know how to ride..one mistake sure can be irreversibly tragic! Sure, you DO NOT have to go fast, but, trying to maintain a reasonable distance to your teen going upwards of 60 MPH on the water can be treacherous! I now cringe when I hear the paramedics racing numerous times during summer days towards Casino Point. I really wonder how many people are plucked out of the water due to high speed accidents versus diving accidents at Casino Point. It sure can be a great experience; the nice young men that run the operation are very pleasant and professional. But I can't remember if they rent out lesser powerful versions for those with little or no experience with jet skiis. Best advice here is for the older set to warm up thoroughly before riding and going at any fast speed. I got a little bit tendon & ligament strain just hanging on, but I'm 50 years old. Hey, but shooting video and hanging on with one hand while at speed is certainly not the most prudent way to ride these crotch rockets. Be careful. Ask for a lesser horsepower jet ski if you're going to try to keep up with the younger set. Hopefully they will have one, or two... The driver sure has to BE CAREFUL, especially with kids...it sure can be alot of fun! I'd give them another star just for the sheer fun of it all and the whole crew's professional attitude if they could have gave my newby son (and myself) a detuned version of the super powerful jet skiis. I think we were told they only had the high horsepower version... read more

This was my first time jet skiing and let me tell you, it is AWESOME! The wind flying through your air, the water splashing around you, feeling free, yes I am an ocean girl. These people are constantly watching everyone so they make sure everyone is ok and that you aren't going in the places you're not supposed to go. They'll even help you switch seats with your partner by yelling step by step instructions for you if you need it while you're in the water (hah, that was me and my partner). They'll also take your camera if you want them to and take pictures of you in action! I think their prices are a little steeper than what you would pay in San Diego, but location, location, location! They know that people are willing to shell out that kinda money on the island. read more

One star is really too much for this place. My daughter was celebrating her 17th birthday and I had arranged with the owner for her and her 17 year old boyfriend to ski. The owner Dave took the reservation and my money prepaid over a month before and then when we arrived his immature and self empowered son said he had called his dad and refused to let them ride. My daughter has jet skied in Hawaii, Miami and Mexico. Pretty disappointing on your birthday. But first they kept us waiting for over half an hour hoping the kids would give up as the time to ski got shorter and shorter before we had to catch the boat home. The kids ended up paddle boating and kayaking for 10% of the expense. I actually had to involve my credit card company because though the son promised a credit for payment they took without services rendered, they did not credit my card back. Do yourself a favor and skip these guys. The parasailing was awesome and the snorkeling at lovers cove was as good as the Caribbean. There's lots to do without having to prepay for a reservation like the jet ski requires. Do not uses this company. read more

JET SKI !!!!!!!!!! Hahaha, what more can I say??? Those 2 words alone are exciting lol Tips: - They have an early bird special if you go at like 9am... but that's too early & it' would be way too cold. Our pricing was $65 / person for 1 hour to share a boat! Not bad because you can switch off in between so both people can get a turn - ONE HOUR IS ENOUGH ON THE WATER! TRUST. It is more than enough time. The staff will also notify you of the time by using a flag to let you know it's time to come back. - Make reservations !!! They tend to get pretty busy so we made our reservation for 2pm (Arrive 30 mins early so you can get on the boat to take you to the jet skis) The guy suggested to do the jet ski around 2 because he said that's when you can see the dolphins sometimes..... but we didn't see any :( We tried so hard to look for them but nope! Nowhere to be found. However, we did come across a seal! They are soooooo cute so that was worth it. - You can bring anything you'd like, such as a small back pack with all your stuff. They have storage bins at the jet ski place to put all your belongings - FRIENDLY STAFF !!!! They were super informative and knowledgeable about jet skis so that made everything easier - Basically you arrive 30 mins early, walk to the boat that will take you to the jet ski area, takes about 10 mins boat ride to get there. After your one hour of fun, they will come back to get you & bring you back. - Being on the jet ski was such a exhilirating experience!!! It can go suuuper fast if you gas it all the way lol it's pretty scary when we were hitting against the current and it felt like for a few seconds we were above the water. But it was the most fun I've had on the island ! read more

Unforgettable first-time experience riding jet skis through this company. Even before arriving to Catalina I received an excellent level of customer service over the phone as I made the reservations, and when we finally arrived that level of service continued. We had a bit of an issue as one of our group members was under 16 and therefore could not ride alone, but they were really accommodating and helpful in getting us back and forth to the boat to switch off. Like other reviewers have said the 1 hour is plenty of time to enjoy the ocean. Well worth the price. Make sure you tip the guys on the boat - they deserve it! read more

This review is for the electric bikes. If you know how to ride a bike, I would suggest seeing Avalon on one of their electric bikes. Not only did it make the day really fun and easy, but Cameron was very helpful and attentive -from when we called yesterday to make a reservation ... to helping us learn how to ride an electric bike ... to giving us good directions on where to go. I will definitely use them again when I return and encourage my friends to use them as well. One suggestion: I would rent them for the entire day rather than pay the hourly rate - it's totally worth it! read more

what user "Anthony and Sherrie R." said in their review is true that they don't respond to their facebook or phonecalls, but the company is on an island and operate a small shop with no computer and only about 3 workers, so it's understandable. you CANNOT rent jetskis anywhere else on Catalina. the Barge is the only one, so good luck renting elsewhere. -the staff is friendly and great. very helpful and lenient (i've gone jetskiing plenty times so i've experienced all sorts of jet ski staff). -there is no safety deposit! (most other places i've been to required a $300-500 safety deposit, but these guys don't require it, which is good for people who doesn't have the money to pay up front even if you get it back later.) -their jet ski's are not too old, but not brand new either. looks like around year 2010 models. - i dropped one star because the only downside is that you have to take a shuttle boat during scheduled times (example: 12:00pm, 1:30pm, 3:00pm, etc.) out to the floating Barge that houses the jetskis; it would be so much better if we can just ride whenever time we'd like. plus the price is the same and not any cheaper than most jet ski rentals. read more

The Barge is located about 100 yards when you arrive at Avalon. Everyone who works here is SO friendly! They set out the rules and regulations clearly so you know what to and not to do, which is helpful if you haven't been jet skiing in ocean water (it's different than lake jet skiing, that's for sure!!). My boyfriend and I were stuck out in the water after our jet ski wouldn't start up - luckily, one of the other guests saw us, went back to the boat and got us help. The guy from the boat was so nice and apologetic - and even added an extra 15 minutes for us to make up for lost time! It was amazing. Best trip ever - and we even saw seals around the area! We're definitely using The Barge at Catalina whenever we visit again. read more

My best friend and I celebrated her 60th birthday on Catalina decided to jet ski for the first time on the ocean. Dave, the owner, was very helpful in explaining everything to us. The 2 man crew out at the barge were also great - helpful and with great attitudes. Again, what a pleasure to patronize a business where everyone really enjoys their work! We had so much fun and felt so comfortable that we booked a second trip later in the day. Good times! read more

Very positive experience! The people who work for this business are very nice and are very clear with instructions. The jet ski's were in good condition and overall we had a great time. We will definitely go back when in Avalon! read more

This was so much fun! a must do if you're at Catalina, but I wished it wasn't so costly, haha. The guys that were teaching us how to ride were really friendly! I recommend riding with a partner because it's pretty lonely if you have your own jet ski, because you're not allowed to be next to each other for safety purposes. So don't be scared to go fast! I went slow majority of my time & the time went over quick! but overall great first experience & would definitely do it again if I ever visited Catalina Island again. (: read more

These people really hooked it up. I don't know many jet skii rental companys that have 7 + jet skiis. My boyfriends father called four days before our trip and booked 7 jet skii's. I couldn't believe he booked it! I was expecting to hear "Sorry sir we only have 5." This place is awesome!! The service was amazing! We were late to the island and they still let us ride the full hour. The island taxi takes you out to a bigger boat which holds 8 jet skii's. Super cool. The staff on the boat are very very nice and explained everything very clearly. The jet skii's themselves are the best. Super fast and clean. I have been on many jet skiis but after this trip I would have to say they had the fastest ones. I would definitely come back again. read more

Spent about 2 hours getting to the barge, instructions, and ride time. I love how the guys look very casual, but are serious about our safety. Although, we had a great time jetskiing at 6pm tip 8pm, we prefer jetskiing earlier because it gets quite cold out there! Remember to bring your jackets/towels to the barge! read more

All I wanted was to rent some electric bikes for my boyfriends birthday and my usual place there was closed and others were out. I came here and not only did they have them, the guys working there were awesome. I go to Catalina couple times a year and I'm used to the shop owners being... umm, aloof? But these guys were super nice and cool and we had a blast! They even gave us little extra time for his bday at no extra charge, can't beat that. This is my new go to on the island. read more

Parasail Catalina (http://www.yelp.com/biz/parasail-catalina-avalon) was so incompetent that Barge Water gave us a discount to make up for their lack of knowledge on how to run a business. Barge Water para-sailing had great and hilarious employees. They definitely made my first para-sailing experience a memorable one. read more

ELECTRIC BIKES-the best way to tour Avalon They rent excellent electric bikes which are superior to normal electric bikes. They can go faster and further. They can have 2 batteries which could run the bike pretty much all day. Great customer service from Dave, the owner. In addition to fully explaining the bike, he patiently explained the best possible routes. Riding an electric bike is a lot more fun than driving a golf cart around town and more affordable for two people by the hour. Plus Dave has a great all day rate- the same as a 3 hours rental. His company also rents Jet Skis, which they get well-reviewed,starting in April. We just experienced his electric bikes, which were a highlight of our trip to Catalina. read more

LOVED THE ELECTRIC BIKES! We got to see the whole island and get around to see the downhill races! We rented 2 electric bikes for the day and it was the best money we spent all weekend. Staff is very friendly and prices beyond reasonable. Loved loved loved! read more

Great time -- great people. Very nice experience and a lot of freedom to have great fun!

I have been going with my Grandkids for many years each summer. This is a first class operation. The training given the riders is fast, effective and solid, and the attention to detail and great attitude of the employees "on the barge", actually makes it even better. They have owned this business for over a decade a nd it shows. They are friendly and very knowledgable about the Island and it's history and not too busy to chat you up a bit. In short--- WELL worth the money for a great ride and freedom on the water! .....can't wait for next year!!! read more

Every person we came in contact with was helpful and nice! We reserved only a few hours ahead of time on the 4th of July and they were able to get us in. They give you plenty of space to ride and they are very informative on how to work the Jet ski's. We will be back for sure! read more

Overall neutral experience. I really wish there was little bit of sun when went jet skiing. It was depressingly cloudy with 66 degrees. We went there and checked in and had to wait forever before someone came and took us to a boat that was sort of like a taxi. That boat took us in middle of the ocean where all the jet ski were parked. The boat kept picking up random people and dropping them on boats all over the harbor before it took us to the place where jet skis were. 2 guys there were total pros but very restrictive. I think its not really their fault that Catalina Island is so crowded. But once on Jet Ski you have very limited space to move around. You can't go to your right, you can't go near the rocks, you can't go very far from the Barge. Have to be constantly careful not to come too close to another boat (there were so many boats) and have to maintain at least 1000 feet between 2 jet ski. You can't really do fun stuff if someone is sitting behind you, because you are constantly worried and careful. Me and my BF originally planned to change place on Jet Ski after little while but it was impossible with Choppy waters and the fact that you have to take Jet Ski back to the barge and wast 15 minutes doing so. The only good thing is, we had hell lot of fun with our GoPro. read more

Our most excellent review is from our Electric Bicycle guided tour of Catalina Island, hosted by owner Darlyn. Once we were fitted with bike helmets and training pointers on how the bikes operate we were off and rolling. Darlyn lead the way, along the coast and up into the hills. She was very informative with the history facts about the island and knew when and where to stop for (amazing views) pictures and (buns) breaks. Yes your buns will feel it, but your legs really wont as these electric bikes do all the work for you, even climbing the steep hills are handled with little challenge. While www.catalinaebike.com isn't yet assoc. w/ Carnival we found them on line and we are so glad we did. They are just a block from where you get off the ship tender, easy to find. We not only highly recommend this 2 hour tour while on your stop, but we look forward to doing it again. Thanks Darlyn for making it so enjoyable!!! read more