Frequently Asked Questions
For owners and guests at Clamshell Beach Resort we offer pontoon boat pickup at the Resort Docks if a dock slip has been assigned to you for all of your rental day(s). We also offer two pick up locations on the Whitefish Chain at the Clamshell Lake Public Water Access and the Crosslake SW Public Water Access. For pontoon rentals not on the Whitefish Chain, we offer boat delivery and pick up at a local public water access. The charge for for these services is $100. Please contact us via phone to discuss the details.
In Minnesota, anyone born after January 1, 1989, must complete a boating safety course to operate a motorized watercraft over 25 HP. If you're unsure, we’ll help you determine if you qualify or need temporary certification. Renters must be at least 25 years of age with a valid drivers’ license. There is a boating safety video on the website and every renter must pass the online safety test. All potential boat operators must be present when picking up your rental.
Every renter needs to sign a rental contract and this contract includes a $1,000 refundable damage deposit which is due prior to all rentals on each watercraft rented. A damage deposit will be held for any damage that may occur while the rental equipment is in the possession of the renter. The deposit will be refunded upon the satisfactory return of the rental equipment.
Single Day Rental: you can arrive at the Clamshell Beach Resort Docks or Public Water Access at 10:00am or at another agreed upon time and return the pontoon to the same Dock or Public Water Access at 7:00pm. For multi-day rentals, you can arrive at the Clamshell Docks or Public Water Access at 10:00am and return the pontoon to the same Dock or Public Water Access at 7:00pm.
We recommend bringing sunscreen, towels, drinks/snacks, a Bluetooth-compatible device for music, and a soft sided cooler if you plan to be out for the day. Life jackets and all safety equipment are included with every rental. You are welcome to bring your own ski vests if you will be utilizing a towable. Please note that not all of our pontoon fleet allows for the use of towables. For safety reasons you are only allowed to tow one towable at a time.
Yes. Everyone on the pontoon must have a life jacket. Children less than ten years of age are required by law to wear lifejackets aboard any watercraft in Minnesota when the watercraft is underway. We recommend that adults who are not strong swimmers and all children wear life jackets. Each pontoon will have life jackets to meet the pontoon’s capacity. Ski vests up to 3X are available if a towable is rented from Whitefish Pontoon Rentals. There will be a variety of sizes of children’s life jackets, but we encourage parents to bring their own children’s life jackets to assure a good fit.
Yes! You're welcome to bring your own food, beverages, and soft sided coolers. We do not require soft sided coolers but they are greatly preferred. Drivers operating the boat may not drink alcohol!
No. Pets are not allowed on our pontoons. There are day boarding pet facilities in Crosslake, Pequot Lakes and Nisswa.
A thirty (30)-day written cancellation letter is required along with a cancellation fee that depends upon whether the rental is for one day or is a multi-day rental reservation. Please see our Rental Policy and Rental Contract for more information.
If the day is not perfect (overcast, drizzle, spotty showers, windy or cooler temperatures yet is considered safe boating the reservation is still valid and the rental will proceed. If weather conditions are unsafe (e.g., lightning, heavy storms), for more than half the day we will try to switch to another day or give you credit for a future reservation. Once the boat has been picked up by the renter, no refunds will be issued.
Fuel is not included in the rental rate. Boats go out with a full tank and must be refueled upon return. We will charge for the fuel after the pontoon is returned.
