Frequently Asked Questions

Customers are required to pay before their rental in full but have the ability to cancel and receive a full refund if done at least 24 hours before their scheduled rental. You also have the ability to reschedule or receive a refund if there is inclement weather on the day of your rental.

Florida law requires the renter of the jet ski or pontoon to be at least 18 years of age and if you were born January 1, 1988, or after you must  have taken and passed the Florida Boat Rental Test and obtained a Florida Temporary Boating Certificate. Click here to take the 25 multiple-choice test online so you are ready to head out when you arrive. The online test cost $9.99 and you need to bring the results with you or take this exam at our hut. The paper test costs $6.00 at our hut.

You need to have a valid photo ID. If you were born on or after January 1, 1988, and planning on operating a pontoon or jet ski, you will also need your boater safety card. Some other things you might want to bring:

• Pontoon rentals: cooler with water/beer/snacks, towels, sunscreen, cell phone (waterproof case/Ziploc bag), floaties (for floating only–no towing behind pontoons or jet skis), hat, long-sleeve shirt, sunglasses, and cash to tip the dock hands
• Jet ski rentals: some way to tell time (phone/watch), water, sunscreen, long-sleeve shirt, sunglasses, and cash to tip the dock hands

We sell sunscreen, water shoes, polarized sunglasses, t-shirts, etc. in case you forget anything.

The Brooks Bridge Marina Ship Store sells ice, drinks, beer, and snacks.

No. We will provide life jackets. If you have a large group of kids, please let us know so we can make sure we have enough of the correct sizes.

Customers may cancel their reservation and receive a full refund (less the service charge) or move their reservation (subject to availability) for any reason if done so at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled reservation. If the weather or waves are dangerous, we will either reschedule your rental for a later date or give you a full refund (less the service charge). Customers have the option of purchasing Trip Protection when making their reservation. Trip Protection allows a customer to cancel their reservation and receive a full refund (less the service charge) for any reason if done within 30 minutes of the scheduled departure time. Trip Protection is beneficial to customers who have changes in plans or the weather is unfavorable but not dangerous such as cloudy days, light rain in the forecast, windy days, chilly days, etc. No-shows will not be refunded. Customers may make changes to the reservation without any additional fees as long as it is outside the 24-hour cancellation period.

We will make every effort to accommodate your pets because we know they are a part of your family, but please call ahead and speak with the manager if you wish to bring a pet and pets will be approved on a case by case basis. We reserve the right to disallow any pets at our discretion.

Customers have the opportunity to enjoy the pristine waters of our area, including traveling a short distance East on the beautiful Choctawhatchee Bay to the famous Crab Island and exploring the Bay, the waters in Destin and the shallow sandy paradise between Fort Walton Beach and Destin called the Gulf Islands National Seashore. You can travel along Santa Rosa Sound to the west to the beautiful spoil islands and pristine waters along the untouched Eglin Reservation that extends for miles.

Take eco cruises through the beautiful bayous, inlets, and coves of our area to see the picture-perfect scenery and homes of our area; and stopping at some of our wonderful waterfront restaurants and bars. We will give you guidance including maps that are easy to follow. No pontoon boats are allowed in the Gulf of Mexico. For your safety, we do not allow anything to be pulled behind the pontoon boat.

Your rental period starts from your selected reservation time not the time you actually arrive, so if you are late for your selected time, your rental will still be due back at the original time. If you let us know you are running late we will make every effort to be flexible if we do not have other scheduled bookings or potential bookings for the boat or jet ski the same day.

Yes, your group should arrive approximately 30 to 45 minutes before your scheduled reservation to give yourself and your group adequate time to take any boater safety tests, and complete and sign the Boat and Jet Ski Rental Agreement and Waivers of liability. If you and your group take the boater safety tests and sign the Boat and Jet Ski Rental Agreement and Waivers of Liability before you arrive at the Marina, it will save substantial time. You will receive an e-mail after you book a boat or jet ski containing easy to follow instructions to complete these documents.

You will have to sign a rental agreement and a liability waiver.

You must be 8 years old to ride.
You must be 18 years old to drive.

We allow two people on the jet ski at a time and 400 pounds maximum.

Yes! The best thing about our convenient location is you will have no trouble parking.

Brooks Bridge Marina at 1198 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548. This is on Okaloosa Island at the foot of the Brooks Bridge right next to Alvin’s Island Department Store.

We are open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM in the early and late season, and 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM from May 15th through the first week in September.

We can arrange a discount for larger groups if you book in advance. Please contact us for more groups information.

The pontoon boats run at approximately 25 mph and the jet skis go approximately 50 mph.

Alcohol is permitted on the boat, but no bottles and nobody who is driving the boat can drink alcohol.

If you have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately then call us so that we can respond to assist emergency personnel. If you have a non-medical emergency, such as a mechanical problem with your boat, please call us and we will promptly respond.

There are no speed zones for the jet skis, however, there are numerous “no-wake” zones that must be complied with and will be discussed in your pre-ride education.

Please refer to the Pontoon Boat Damage Schedule and the Jet Ski Damage Schedule for details on this.

Yes, the military are the root of our community and we certainly provide discounts in appreciation of what they do to keep us safe and free. If you are military and would like a discount, please call us and we will Book you personally or provide you a code if you would like to book online to ensure that you get the discount. The only thing we will require is that you email us a copy of your military identification.

Absolutely! You can read the rental agreement here. If you are interested in the rental agreement, you should also take time to read the General Liability Release.

The standard rentals do not include a captain, however, captains can be hired for pontoon boat rentals based on availability. Please call if you need a captain so that we can reach out to see if one is available for your tour.

We do not provide fishing equipment but we do recommend Emerald Coast Bait & Tackle in Fort Walton Beach and Half Hitch Tackle in Destin. They’ve got everything you need for a fun day of fishing! We are considering providing rods and reels, tackle, and bait in the future, so please give us your feedback on this.

If you have any further questions about fishing equipment, please contact us.

Yes! We encourage you to bring picnic lunches, that way you can spend all day at sea without having to come ashore for supplies. We do ask that guests do not grill aboard the boats, please. There are fantastic waterfront bars and restaurants in the area and we are always happy to provide recommendations.