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

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.

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

No. Keowee, Jocassee, and Hartwell are separate lakes divided by dams with no navigable route between them. To ride more than one lake you must book each separately. Landshark Watersports rents on all three.

What's included with a Lake Keowee 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 Keowee?

Mornings — the water is calmest before boat traffic builds, and summer afternoons can bring chop and pop-up storms. Weekday morning starts offer the smoothest water.

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

Summer weekends and holidays sell out across all Lake Keowee 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 Keowee – landsharkwatersports.com

Q: Do I need a license to rent a jet ski in South Carolina?

No boating license is required, but South Carolina law 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.

2026 Local Guide

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

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

Lake Keowee is one of the clearest, most ride-able lakes in the Southeast — 18,500 acres of emerald water tucked against the Blue Ridge foothills near Clemson, Seneca, and Salem. No surprise, then, that a handful of rental companies compete for your day on the water.

Full transparency: this guide is published by Landshark Watersports — yes, we're on the list. But we've included every operator we know of on Keowee, with accurate, up-to-date facts about each, because an honest comparison beats a sales pitch. Pick whoever fits your day best. We think the facts hold up well for us.

Details like pricing and delivery zones change season to season — always confirm current rates directly with any company before booking. Facts below are drawn 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	Keowee · Hartwell · Jocassee	Brand-new 2026 Yamaha WaveRunners	✅ Live calendar, book & pay online in minutes	Newest fleet, all three lakes, instant booking
Captain Cam's Watersports	Keowee · Hartwell	Yamaha VX + pontoons	Online booking	Groups wanting skis and a pontoon
Endless Adventures	Keowee · Jocassee	Yamaha VX / VX Deluxe	Online booking	Delivered rentals, multi-day trips
Sea Jay Powersports	Keowee · Hartwell	Yamaha VX Cruisers (130–180 HP)	Online booking	Ramp delivery around Keowee & Hartwell
Lake Keowee Boat Rentals, LLC	Keowee	Yamaha WaveRunners + pontoons	Contact to arrange	Extended rentals, family groups
Lake Keowee Water Sports Rentals	Keowee	Yamaha VX110	Contact to arrange	Week-long vacation rentals

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

We'll make our case in plain facts. Landshark runs the newest jet ski fleet on Lake Keowee — brand-new 2026 Yamaha WaveRunners, replaced every season, so you're never riding a machine with thousands of hard hours on it. We're also the only operator on this list covering all three Upstate lakes — Keowee, Hartwell, and Jocassee — with the same new machines.

Booking is the other difference-maker: a live availability calendar on our site shows exactly which dates and start times are open, and you book and pay online in about two minutes — no phone tag, no "we'll get back to you." A flat, fully refundable $200 deposit covers your reservation (fuel is simply settled out of it after your ride), and life jackets and a safety briefing are always included.

Brand-new 2026 Yamaha WaveRunners — newest fleet on Keowee
All three lakes: Keowee, Hartwell & 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 See pricing

#2

Captain Cam's Watersports

Captain Cam's rents Yamaha VX jet skis and pontoon boats on Lake Keowee, Lake Hartwell, and the Shores of Asbury — meeting at public ramps or delivering to Airbnb/VRBO docks, which vacation-rental guests will appreciate. Note their renter age minimum is 25 per their site (higher than most). If your group wants a pontoon anchored up while a couple of skis buzz around it, having one vendor for both is genuinely convenient.

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

#3

Endless Adventures

Based in Salem, Endless Adventures rents Yamaha VX and VX Deluxe skis on Lake Keowee (launching around Mile Creek Park) and Lake Jocassee (Devils Fork State Park), and they deliver their rentals — including multi-day rentals brought to docks and campsites. They've built a strong review reputation over the years and offer 4-hour, 7-hour, and sunset options. A good choice if a delivered, longer-format rental fits your trip.

Best for: delivered rentals and multi-day trips on Keowee or Jocassee.

#4

Sea Jay Powersports

A well-established Upstate operator running Yamaha VX Cruisers (130–180 HP) on both Lake Keowee and Lake Hartwell. Their standout is ramp delivery — per their site, delivery is free within about 30 miles with a per-mile rate beyond that — which makes them a convenient pick if you want the ski brought to a specific ramp on either lake. A solid, professional outfit with a straightforward booking process.

Best for: ramp delivery around Keowee and Hartwell.

#5

Lake Keowee Boat Rentals, LLC

A Keowee-focused operation renting Yamaha WaveRunners alongside pontoons, oriented toward extended rentals and family groups. Delivery and logistics are arranged by contacting them directly rather than through instant online booking, so plan a little lead time. If you're settling in for a longer lake-house stay on Keowee specifically, they're worth a call.

Best for: extended rentals for family groups staying on Keowee.

#6

Lake Keowee Water Sports Rentals

A smaller Keowee-only outfit running Yamaha VX110s, geared mainly toward week-long vacation rentals — with delivery available on multi-day bookings. If you're at a lake house for a full week and want a ski parked at the dock the whole time, that's their niche. For single-day rides, one of the operators above will likely fit better.

Best for: week-long vacation-home guests on Keowee.

Before you book

Five things to check with any rental company

Fleet year. Newer skis mean better reliability, better fuel economy, and modern safety features. Ask what model year you'll actually ride — "Yamaha" can mean 2026 or it can mean a machine with five hard summers on it.
Deposit terms. Is the deposit 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 when everyone's calling.
The right lake. Keowee for clear water and coves, Hartwell for big open-water runs, Jocassee for mountain scenery and waterfalls. They're separate lakes — you can't ride between them — so pick where you'll launch. (We rent on all three.)

Good to know

Lake Keowee jet ski rental FAQ

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

Expect roughly $250–$300 for a half day and $350–$450 for a full day depending on the company, season, and machine. 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 in South Carolina?+

No boating license is required. But South Carolina law says anyone born on or after July 1, 2007 must 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 for both options.

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 with a responsible adult; it's the operator who must meet the company's age minimum and SC's boater-ed rule.

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

No — they're separate lakes divided by dams, so there's no navigable route between them. If you want to ride more than one lake, book each separately. Landshark is the only company on this list renting on all three.

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 Keowee?+

Mornings — the water is glass-calm before boat traffic picks up, and summer afternoons can build chop and pop-up storms. An 8am start on a weekday is about as good as Keowee gets.

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 you instantly which dates and start times are still open.