How old do you have to be to rent a jet ski on Lake Hartwell?

It varies by company — some rent to operators 18 and up, others require 25+. Passengers of any age can ride with a responsible adult; the operator must meet the company's age minimum and South Carolina's boater education rule.

What's included with a Lake Hartwell jet ski rental?

Life jackets and a safety briefing are standard with reputable companies. Fuel policies vary — with Landshark Watersports, fuel is settled out of the refundable deposit after the ride.

When is the best time to jet ski on Lake Hartwell?

Mornings — Hartwell's size means afternoon boat traffic and wind can build chop on the open water, and summer afternoons bring pop-up storms. Weekday morning starts offer the calmest water.

How far in advance should I book a Lake Hartwell jet ski rental?

Summer weekends and holidays sell out across all Lake Hartwell rental companies — book at least one to two weeks ahead for Saturdays. Live availability calendars show which dates and start times are still open.

Best Jet Ski Rentals on Lake Hartwell – landsharkwatersports.com

2026 Local Guide

The 6 Best Jet Ski Rentals on Lake Hartwell (2026)

Every company renting jet skis on Lake Hartwell, compared side by side — fleets, delivery, deposits, and how booking actually works. Updated for the 2026 season.

Lake Hartwell is the Upstate's biggest playground — roughly 56,000 acres straddling the South Carolina–Georgia line, with nearly a thousand miles of shoreline, wide-open water for long runs, and islands and coves to explore near Clemson and Anderson. If you want room to open a jet ski all the way up, this is the lake.

Full transparency: this guide is published by Landshark Watersports — we're on the list. But it covers every operator we know serving Hartwell (plus one nearby-lake favorite), with accurate facts about each, because an honest comparison beats a sales pitch. Pick whoever fits your day best.

Pricing and delivery zones change season to season — always confirm current rates directly with any company before booking. Facts below come from each company's public website and listings as of mid-2026.

At a glance

Quick comparison

Company	Lakes served	Fleet	Instant online booking	Best for
Landshark Watersports	Hartwell · Keowee · Jocassee	Brand-new 2026 Yamaha WaveRunners	✅ Live calendar, book & pay online in minutes	Newest fleet, all three lakes, instant booking
Captain Cam's Watersports	Hartwell · Keowee	Yamaha VX + pontoons	Online booking	Groups wanting skis and a pontoon
Endless Adventures	Keowee · Jocassee (nearby)	Yamaha VX / VX Deluxe	Online booking	Delivered rentals on the neighboring lakes
Sea Jay Powersports	Hartwell · Keowee	Yamaha VX Cruisers (130–180 HP)	Online booking	Ramp delivery around Hartwell & Keowee
Lake Hartwell Pontoon Rentals	Hartwell	Jet skis + pontoons	Contact to arrange	Anderson-side delivery to lake homes
YH Watersports	Hartwell + other lakes	Boats + jet skis	Contact to arrange	Boat-and-ski combos, regional coverage

Pricing varies by company and rental length — confirm current rates directly before booking.

The breakdown

All six companies, compared honestly

#1 · Newest fleet on the lake

Landshark Watersports

Hartwell's open water is where a new machine earns its keep — and Landshark runs the newest fleet on the lake: brand-new 2026 Yamaha WaveRunners, replaced every season. Fifty-six thousand acres means long, wide-open runs, and there's a real difference between doing that on a current-year ski versus one with a few thousand rental hours behind it. We also cover all three Upstate lakes — Hartwell, Keowee, and Jocassee — so if your crew rides Hartwell this weekend and Jocassee next, it's one company, one standard, same new machines.

Booking is instant: a live availability calendar shows exactly which dates and start times are open, and you book and pay online in about two minutes. A flat, fully refundable $200 deposit holds your reservation (fuel simply settles out of it after the ride), and life jackets and a safety briefing are always included.

Brand-new 2026 Yamaha WaveRunners — newest fleet on Hartwell
All three lakes: Hartwell, Keowee & Jocassee
Real-time online booking — see open dates & times, pay in minutes
Half day (4 hrs) $250 · Full day (8 hrs) $350 — flat $200 refundable deposit
Life jackets + safety briefing included · open daily 8am–8pm

Check live availability Our Lake Hartwell page

#2

Captain Cam's Watersports

Captain Cam's runs daily rentals from public boat ramps on Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee, with Yamaha VX skis and pontoon boats in the fleet — and they'll deliver to the dock at your Airbnb or VRBO, which is a genuinely useful touch for vacation-rental guests on Hartwell's residential shoreline. Renters must be 25+ per their site, a higher bar than most. If your group wants a pontoon as home base with skis running circles around it, one vendor covering both is hard to beat.

Best for: groups renting jet skis and a pontoon together.

#3

Endless Adventures

One honest caveat up front: Endless Adventures doesn't operate on Hartwell itself — they rent Yamaha VX and VX Deluxe skis on neighboring Lake Keowee (Mile Creek Park) and Lake Jocassee (Devils Fork State Park), both a short drive from the Hartwell area. We include them because they're a well-reviewed Upstate operator with delivered rentals, multi-day options, and sunset rides — worth knowing about if your plans are flexible on which lake you ride.

Best for: delivered and multi-day rentals if you're open to riding Keowee or Jocassee instead.

#4

Sea Jay Powersports

Sea Jay runs Yamaha VX Cruisers (130–180 HP) on both Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee, with ramp delivery as their calling card — free within about 30 miles per their site, with a per-mile rate beyond. If you have a specific Hartwell ramp in mind and want the ski waiting there, they're a convenient, established choice with a straightforward process.

Best for: ramp delivery around Hartwell and Keowee.

#5

Lake Hartwell Pontoon Rentals

A Hartwell specialist on the Anderson side of the lake, renting jet skis alongside their namesake pontoons. Per their site they deliver to Anderson-area lakefront homes, Airbnb/VRBO properties, and launch points, and skis come fueled with life jackets included. Logistics are arranged directly with them rather than through an instant-booking calendar, so allow a little lead time — but for Anderson-side lake-house stays, local focus counts.

Best for: Anderson-side deliveries to lake homes and vacation rentals.

#6

YH Watersports

Young Harris Watersports & RV is a regional operator covering several lakes across the Georgia–Carolina corridor, Hartwell included, with boats and jet skis in the fleet. As a multi-lake outfit they're a useful option for boat-and-ski combinations or if your trip spans more than one lake on the Georgia side — booking is arranged directly rather than through a live calendar.

Best for: boat-and-ski combos and Georgia-side flexibility.

Before you book

Five things to check with any rental company

Fleet year. Hartwell's big water rewards a reliable machine. Ask what model year you'll actually ride — "Yamaha" can mean 2026 or a ski with five hard summers on it.
Deposit terms. Flat or per ski? Refundable? How's fuel settled? (Ours: flat $200 per booking, refunded after your ride, fuel deducted from it.)
SC boater education. Anyone born on or after July 1, 2007 needs a state-approved boater-ed card to operate. There's a $10 online course that takes ~30 minutes — sort it before rental day.
Booking method. Live online calendars show real availability instantly; call-to-book means phone tag on summer weekends.
Where you'll launch. Hartwell is huge — nearly 1,000 miles of shoreline across two states. Confirm the ramp or dock before booking so your delivery or meetup spot matches where you're actually staying.

Good to know

Lake Hartwell jet ski rental FAQ

How much does it cost to rent a jet ski on Lake Hartwell?+

Expect roughly $250–$300 for a half day and $350–$450 for a full day depending on the company and season. Landshark's rates are $250 for a half day (4 hours) and $350 for a full day (8 hours) on brand-new 2026 WaveRunners, plus a flat $200 refundable deposit per booking.

Do I need a license to rent a jet ski on Lake Hartwell?+

No boating license is required. South Carolina requires anyone born on or after July 1, 2007 to hold a state-approved boater education card to operate a jet ski of 15 hp or more — a $10 online course takes about 30 minutes (see our boater education guide). Hartwell straddles the SC–GA line, so your rental company will brief you on any requirements for where you'll ride.

How old do you have to be to rent?+

It varies by company — some rent at 18+, others require 25+. Passengers of any age can ride along with a responsible adult; it's the operator who must meet the company's minimum and SC's boater-ed rule.

Can you ride a jet ski from Lake Hartwell to Lake Keowee?+

No — Hartwell and Keowee are separated by dams with no navigable passage between them, so each lake is booked separately. If you want to ride more than one, Landshark rents on all three Upstate lakes: Hartwell, Keowee, and Jocassee.

What's included with a rental?+

Life jackets and a safety briefing are standard with every reputable company. Fuel policies vary — with Landshark, fuel is simply settled out of your refundable deposit after the ride, so there's no surprise line item.

When is the best time to ride Lake Hartwell?+

Mornings, hands down — Hartwell's size means afternoon boat traffic and wind can build real chop on the open water, and summer afternoons bring pop-up storms. A weekday 8am start gives you glassy water and the lake nearly to yourself.

How far in advance should I book?+

Summer weekends and holidays sell out across every company on this list — book at least a week or two ahead for Saturdays. A live availability calendar (like ours) shows instantly which dates and start times are still open.