What Can You Rent at Maine Kayak, and Where Do You Pick It Up?

Updated

Maine Kayak rents kayaks and paddleboards from two Midcoast Maine locations: its downtown Boothbay Harbor shop and its Colonial Pemaquid State Park location in Bristol. Rentals suit visitors who want to explore the coast on their own rather than join a guided trip. The rental fleet covers kayaks and paddleboards; the site does not publish a detailed inventory of boat types, sizes, or rates, so confirm those details with the shop before you go.

What You Can Rent

According to Maine Kayak's site, the rental offering is:

  • Kayaks — for exploring the rocky coastline at your own pace.
  • Paddleboards — available at both the Boothbay Harbor shop and the Pemaquid location.

Rentals are presented as an alternative to guided tours: you "leave the land behind and explore Maine's majestic rocky coast on a paddleboard or kayak." The site does not list specific kayak models (for example, single vs. tandem or sit-on-top vs. sea kayak), rental durations, or prices. Ask the shop directly if you need a particular boat type or a half-day vs. full-day rate.

Where to Pick Up Your Gear

Location Where it is What it's good for
Boothbay Harbor shop Downtown Boothbay Harbor, Maine Paddling the harbor and nearby sheltered coves; convenient if you're staying in town
Colonial Pemaquid State Park Bristol, Maine (Pemaquid Point area) Pemaquid Harbor and Johns Bay, with the historic lighthouse and rocky coastline nearby

Both are on the Midcoast waterfront. The Boothbay Harbor shop is described as a downtown location, and the Pemaquid rental point sits at Colonial Pemaquid State Park.

What You Can Explore From Each Location

  • Boothbay Harbor: a working coastal town known for its maritime history and rocky Atlantic shoreline. Paddling here puts you on the water in a harbor setting rather than on open ocean.
  • Pemaquid Point / Pemaquid Harbor: the site highlights Pemaquid Harbor and Johns Bay, the rocky coastline, and the historic lighthouse. This is the more scenic, exposed-coast option of the two.

The site describes the broader rental area as "tranquil and relaxing harbors and sheltered coves teeming with seals and shorebirds, surrounded by lush evergreens and granite-cliffed islands" — that description is written for the sea kayaking tours, but it reflects the same waters the rentals access.

Who Rentals Are For

Choose a rental if you:

  • Want to set your own pace and route rather than follow a guide.
  • Already have basic paddling comfort, since rentals don't include instruction.
  • Are staying near Boothbay Harbor or plan to visit Pemaquid Point and want gear on site.

Choose a guided trip instead if you're new to paddling, want interpretation of the coastline, or are considering multi-day island camping or inn-to-inn trips — those are booked as tours, not rentals.

Before You Go

The site's rental pages link to a booking option ("BOOK NOW"), but they don't state hours, season dates, age requirements, or whether reservations are required. The site also has a "Need Help from a Maine Kayak Specialist?" contact prompt and a newsletter sign-up. To avoid a wasted trip, call or message ahead to confirm:

  1. That the location you want is open on your date.
  2. Which kayak or paddleboard types are available.
  3. Rental length options and current rates.
  4. Whether you should reserve in advance during peak summer weeks.

Bring the usual paddling basics — sun protection, water, and footwear you don't mind getting wet — and confirm whether life jackets and paddles are included in the rental, since the site doesn't specify.