1 star -- the owner's response to a customer's concern was worse than the rental itself. Wish 0 was possible and want to warn anyone interested in enjoying their night to avoid this establishment. Sorry for the lengthy review, but there are so many varied reasons to avoid this business. I rarely leave reviews like this, but the way this company handled themselves was so unprofessional that I feel other customers should know. This rental was for my birthday. The experience itself had several issues, including difficulty locating the dock, a malfunctioning Bluetooth system, confusing parking information, and an overall lack of professionalism before departure. The bigger problem started afterward. We were accused of returning late and leaving the boat excessively dirty. We were one minute late, and threw our trash away and checked the boat before we left to make sure there was no mess. I repeatedly asked for photo evidence of the alleged mess. None was provided. The description then escalated from a cleaning issue to claims that we had "thrashed" the boat. The timing allegations also kept changing. We understood the return time to be 7:30 PM. Their own attendant later stated he called us at 7:31 PM, but management subsequently characterized us as about 15 minutes late and charged me 55$ for being 1 minute late. Throughout the exchange, I repeatedly asked that everything remain in writing. I was frustrated, so I actually used ChatGPT to help me keep every response professional, factual, and measured rather than responding emotionally. That effort was clearly not reciprocated. The owner's messages eventually included: "Your out of your mind if you think that's going to happen." When I asked to not be charged a late arrival fee for being 1 minute late. and "Next time go to Newport that's where your kind need to rent Duffy boats." I still do not know what "your kind" was intended to mean, but there is simply no professional context in which a business owner should speak to a customer that way. I was also told that if I posted what they considered a "false review," they would make sure it did not get posted and would make sure my card was charged for the disputed overtime. That was especially concerning. What is most disappointing is that I was not initially trying to attack this business. I asked for evidence, corrected disputed facts, requested written communication, and tried repeatedly to resolve the issue professionally. We could easily have become repeat customers. Instead, the situation escalated into unsupported accusations, threats of additional charges, refusal to provide requested evidence, and increasingly hostile messages from the owner. The lesson here is simple: problems happen. Good businesses resolve them professionally. This one did not. I would strongly recommend choosing another Duffy or electric-boat rental company, especially for a birthday or family event where you want the experience to remain enjoyable. And respectfully, the owner might benefit from using ChatGPT himself before sending messages like "you're out of your mind" and "your kind." read more

Harbor Boat Rentals - A warning - Boating Near Me - Dana Point, California

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The Duffy we rented was top notch, boat was clean, had a fridge to keep our food cold. The entire experience was perfect.

Boats... clean and new and ready to fish. Aaron was super helpful. It really was a flawless experience. BTW huge bait tank....lots of flow. Kevin Tustin read more

Great Fun! Aaron is the best. Makes our fishing outings at ease. Very helpful! The boats are very clean and always ready for us. Everyone should join. Fabulous. Thank you Aaron Rita read more

Aaron made our boat rental experience a breeze! He was very thorough in walking us through all the features of the boat and its controls, as well as all the safety equipment on board. The boat is fully equipped with state of the art navigation and fish finding equipment, and Aaron familiarized us with the harbor, bait shop, and fueling station. Highly recommended! We've already booked our next trip!! read more

Kind people, clean boats, good fun! We took out the fishing boat and had a great time zipping around and chasing fish.

Fantastic hour with Captain Ray! Lots of fun visiting the seals and admiring the mega yachts!

wanted to leave a shout out to our guy Aaron , we had such a great time on your boat! Thanks for all the good tips, friendly smiles and letting us enjoy your beautiful Boat ! See you soon. read more

Can't recommend enough! The boat was top of the line - sleek, impeccably clean, and so spacious. Very easy to drive too. Aaron was great to work with and very communicative. I've rented Duffy boats in Newport and Long Beach, and this was by far the best experience. read more

Harbor Boat Rentals - Boating Near Me - Dana Point, California

I reserved a Duffy Boat last 1/29/2026 to use it for that Saturday 1/31/2026. I have family friends from out of state. Aaron did not deliver the boat. I was totally embarrassed. He refunded the $222 right away, at least and offering a 50% off next time I need to reserved his boat. Sorry Aaron, I'm not stupid enough to do that again! I hope you get more organized than this and please, please don't do this to other customers. read more

Look no further for your boat rental!!! We had such a great experience with Harbor Rentals for my friend's bachelorette party! From start to finish, the process was smooth, professional, and stress-free. The boat was exactly as expected! Super clean and well-maintained. The staff was friendly and made sure everything was seamless so we could just relax and enjoy the day. They even helped me with instructions on where to park (which was just a few steps from the rental). When o got out the car, they helped me carry all the decor to the boat. They had the fridge stocked with water which was a nice perk. It ended up being the highlight of the entire day. Highly recommend Harbor Rentals if you're planning a fun group outing or special occasion on the water! read more

Great rental experience for a work outing. Aaron made it a very easy process and my coworkers loved. Highly recommended.

Great owner, friendly, boats are well kept, it's been a pleasure renting these boats for the la st 5 years, will rent again, read more

Harbor Boat Rentals - Fun, catching sand and calico bass - Boating Near Me - Dana Point, California

Yes, I also highly recommend them! I had to rent a boat in the Dana Point area and found this business online and glad I did. Aaron was very helpful in answering all my questions. On the morning I arrived, Aaron was waiting for me and the boat was just what I needed. Great business and great service! If you think this might be a fake review, call my cell at 323-459-7798. read more

My boys and I had a great experience with Harbor Boat Rentals. Their boats are beautiful and well maintained. This is a family business and we had 3 generations making sure we had a great time on the water. Job well done Harbor Boat Rentals! read more

Harbor Boat Rentals - Fun on the rental boat in Dana Point. - Boating Near Me - Dana Point, California

The owners were amazing, and the boat felt brand new--spotless and super comfortable. We had such a great time! Would definitely rent from them again! read more

These guys were great to deal with and the boats are in perfect shape. Perfect for coastal fishing and seeking out kelp paddies. We cleaned up with halibut, thresher, white sea bass, barracuda and yellowtail. read more

Absolutely phenomenal time. Aaron and Craig took excellent care of us. Very relaxed, extremely professional. Nicest Duffy boat I've ever seen, very well maintained. Wouldn't change anything, worth every dollar! read more

Aaron has been great and communication was on point through everything. Even with my group getting difficult and cancelling last minute Aaron was really respectful and understanding. Definetly will be renting from here soon once my group can get it together. read more

Rented one of their 21ft boats to fish, great time! They were super helpful. Definitely will be back to rent again!

My family revered a Duffy boat for a 2 hour sunset cruise with 11 of us onboard. The boat was in pristine condition... Very clean with refreshments and easy to drive. The company owners are so helpful and accommodating, assisting us with a wheelchair/special-needs person getting onto and off of the boat. I highly recommend this company for any of your boating needs! read more

Rented 21 footer to hit the Catalina island for some calico time! Boat was clean and ran very well even though the water was bad (rain and wind). We had to refuel in the middle of the ocean, but I guess that is part of the fun and story to tell!! :) Marc came to the rescue!!! I will rent from Harbor rentals again for sure!!! read more

Excellent whale watching tour. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We saw 8 humpback whales and a super pod of common dolphins. Truly an amazing experience. read more

OHANA BOOKING BEWARE!!! ....Careful with booking and fees. Although the website states that fuel surcharge is included, it is an additional 10% charge added at the end as fees. In addition to a erroneous 18% charge in fees an additional 18% is added for service gratuity. Ask the right questions before booking. read more

Got to enjoy a free whale watching tour during the Festival of the Whales. We have lived here over 3 years and it was our first time out on the water. Colin was our guide and he was an awesome, friendly and fun guy! He was able to show us whales and a ton of dolphins. My wife, kids and myself truly enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you! read more

Harbor Boat Rentals - Boating Near Me - Dana Point, California

We loved boating with Harbor Boat Rentals! Be sure to read the other 35+ reviews they have! I almost passed them up when I only saw the 3 reviews on the front page. We didn't go fishing, but we rented a 25 foot custom pontoon boat and had a blast at the sandbar and cruising. Highly recommend these guys. read more

Had a fantastic day on the water with Reid as the captain. He got us on the fish we caught halibut, sand bass, and leopard sharks. I couldn't ask for a better experience. If you want to rent a boat this is the place. Thanks again!!!! read more

Harbor Boat Rentals - Boating Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Danny is a Class Act, provides great service and runs a great fleet. I would highly recommend!

Danny was very responsive and informative when I first got into contact about renting a boat. He set us up with a boat rental with less than 24 hours notice. Upon arrival the boat was very clean and Danny was sure to inform my father who has had boats of his own about places to avoid with rocks and reefs while boating the ocean. Overall, great experience! I would definitely recommend Harbor Boat Rentals to anyone looking for a great couple of hours sailing on the ocean. read more

Harbor Boat Rentals - Boating Near Me - Dana Point, California

We had an amazing day on the water with Danny and his crew. They were incredibly helpful and super knowledgeable. They knew exactly where to go and what gear to use. We were on the fish all day and ended up catching a couple of beautiful bluefin. Can't wait to get back out with them again. read more

Great boat for fishing. Easy to operate, sonar, GPS chart finder, bait tank. Perfect for a quick day of fishing. Ryan was great. Highly recommend read more

Danny really is just the best -- kind, knowledgeable, and passionate about having fun and staying safe. That's basically everything I want from a boat guy. We've rented twice from Harbor Boat Rentals. The first time, we took Danny along to show us the ropes (it's been a few decades since I've driven a boat and didn't want to do anything dumb with family in tow). The boat was clean, new, and everything we'd been promised. And Danny was a pretty great instructor. He kept us laughing, showed us some whales, and made sure we felt comfortable at sea. Second time, we were on our own and felt more than prepared. The boat handled perfectly and we couldn't have been more pleased. Danny was there to meet us on the way in and out; this is about as easy as boating gets! A terrific company and a great addition to the Dana Point Marina. read more

My daughter and I went on a one hour whale watching tour during the Festival of the Whales. Danny was very responsive getting us scheduled. We had a great ride out with a knowledgeable captain, who brought us up close to a few whales traveling up the coast. Definitely loved the private experience, which beats being jammed in with lots of other people on one of the larger commercial Whale Watching tours. Will be back to do a rental or fishing trip for the hubby! read more

Like everyone else has already said, this is boat ownership without the boat headaches! I used to have a boat similar to HBR's, and what a headache! There was always something ti fix or buy, and it just ate me out of house and home. Half way to Catalina id NOT where you want something to go wrong! This is the best way to get on the water, be your own captain, and in very nice boat with all of the electronics and up-to-date equipment you'd need to have a great day of fishing or whale watching. I took my nephew & bro out whale watching. What a great day we had. Saw 3 whales and motored behind one for about 2 hours. I got back to the dock, unloaded my stuff, and Danny took it from there. This is a much needed service here in SoCal! read more

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I met these guys at the Fred Hull show in Long Beach. I've been waiting for fishing boat rentals in Dana Point for a long time so I was excited to check em out. I followed them on Facebook and they advertised a coupon special which I purchased. I met Danny at the dock and he showed me the boats and went over everything I needed to know. I just took the boat out and I was so impressed with the experience I had to share. Danny was there waiting for me at the dock, gave me some pointers and even told me where to fish. The boat handled great, it was very comfortable fishing and we drove all day and only used 2 gallons of gas. He was there when we pulled in and even parked the boat for us. Overall I was very impressed and I would definitely recommend them. I'm probably going to become a member of the harbor boat rentals club. Brian read more

My husband, his buddy & our sons went out with Captain Daniel last Sunday. They had a blast, saw a bunch of dolphins, whales & mantas, and caught a load of fish, including a huge dorado. The staff at Harbor are Friendly & knowledgable. Already Planning our next trip! read more

If I were to sum up my experiences with harbor boat rentals, simply put, I'd say fun and stress free. I owned a similar sized/type boat for a number of years and there are just a number of costs and maintenance considerations associated with boat ownership. It's not a knock on boat ownership - they just have to be maintained constantly, especially in a saltwater environment. Every time I have rented one of their boats, it's been spotless and runs like a top. The equipment is modern and well maintained. Danny is always eager to help and answer any questions. The electronics are simple, easy to use and work well and the boats are highly fuel efficient. The pricing is fair and when you take the time to pencil out the costs, makes much more sense than owning your own boat. read more

I called Danny to ask a few questions about a boat I am trying to purchase. He took a lot of time out of his day to answer a bunch of questions I had. He doesn't even sell boats but he was very helpful. read more

This was our first boat rental in this area and it was a simple and great experience. Our 21' center console was in good condition and all electronics working. Sonar, nav, fishing charts, radio, bait well. Simple to use and worked great. Also fuel efficient. I worked with Danny mostly over text. Very responsive which made all communication from reserving to booking to day of coordination very easy. Aiden checked us in, helped us get aboard and went over the boat operation. That was it. Easy in , fun on the water , and easy out. I'll rent again. read more

Lets start of by saying we have a world class company right here. I contacted Danny 2 1/2 weeks prior to scheduling our trip. Email contact and text were detailed and very thorough. Danny answered all my questions even late into the evening. Closer to the date of our rental I got a text from Danny informing me of the location to meet up and what I should be bringing. Asked if we needed a guide service or anything prior to our arrival. We declined for additional services. Upon arriving we met up with Landon. He explained everything about the boat, safety was discussed very thorough, who to contact in case of an emergency, paper work signed and we were on our way. Day was spent fishing offshore. The boat was clean, handled the water like a champ, well maintained, and was prepped for our day of fishing. We couldnt ask for a better day. We only had one issue with the livewell, but didnt effect our day of fishing. We put plenty of blood on the deck ( which we cleaned) treated the boat with respect as if it was our own. I have and will continue to use their service, would definitely refer friends and family as well..Well worth the money. Forgot to mention they have a Boat Club, offers are great. I marked good for kids due to the type of boat, safety feature all coast guard approved items. This is only if you are experienced in open water. read more