Raccoon Lake is a very popular lake, and some of our boats have been known to book out months in advance for popular weekend times. The earlier the better is a good rule to follow, particularly if you have an exact date in mind for your trip, or if you're planning a trip over a holiday weekend. We recommend you make reservations for a weekend about 2 weeks in advance. However, with that being said you can call a few days in advance and occasionally luck out if someone has canceled. Some people have even been lucky enough to walk-in the day of if there is a no-show or cancellation.

The best way to make a reservation is ONLINE. You can also call us at 765-344-1989. Our phone lines do get very busy so making the reservation online is the easiest. If you have any questions and cannot reach us by phone you can email us at: rlboatrental@gmail.com or send us a text at 765-592-3046.

Yes! Booking online is the easiest way to make a reservation. You can access our online booking system by clicking HERE

You will pay for the rental in full at the time the reservation is made.

Yes, as long as we have openings. We can't guarantee that we can get you on a boat especially if it's on a weekend. You might luck out and at least be able to squeeze an hour or two in. We stop excepting reservations for the day an hour and a half before closing. If you want to rent an overnight our cutoff time is a half hour before close. We need this extra time to get your paperwork done, give instructions, and get everyone loaded on the boat.

If you do not have a boat reserved we do not accept walk-ins after an hour and a half before close. Sunday-Thursday the last time would be 4:30 and on Friday and Saturday 6:30. This is due to not having time to fill out the necessary office waivers, take our driving test (approx 20-25 min), get instructions, and get loaded on the boat. If you walk-in and want an overnight rental you need to be at our store no later than a half-hour before close to do so.

18 years old

Sorry, we cannot allow anyone who doesn't have a valid US Driver's License to rent or drive. We also require the person in charge of the rental, as well as the drivers to be able to speak fluent English. If you have reserved without the necessary requirements your rental will be forfeited without a refund.

Pontoons can be rented overnight and multi-day. Overnights start anywhere from 5-8 pm and end at 8:30 am the following morning. Waverunners can be rented hourly. Pontoons and ski boats must be rented for at least 2 hours. Sometimes you can walk in and just get an hour if we are able to accomodate that time.

You can make changes to your reservation without penalty if it's at least 48-hours prior to your reservation time. Anything within that timeframe will result in paying the difference between the original rental time/price and the new time. To change a rental you MUST speak to an employee and get confirmation of your change or cancellation. If you have any questions about your rental you can call, email or text us. Again, NOTHING can be changed unless you have communicated with an employee. We require this due to the possibility that an email goes to spam, your voicemail cannot be understood, or a text does not go through.

The drivers can take the required boating test before the day of the rental to speed up the checkout time. The test has to be taken every year and driver must get 100% on the test. If the test hasn't been taken before arrival it can be taken on their cell phone. However, cell service isn't the best in our area which could lead to longer loading times on your phone causing you to get out on the boat later. Please take it before you arrive so you can be sent out on time. There are no refunds, time extensions, or discounts for getting sent out late. Pontoons Ski Boats Waverunners

Yes. The next closest boat rental is about an hour away.

We get a lot of calls during the day, especially on weekends. We not only get calls regarding boats, but we get a lot of calls regarding the park itself. If you cannot reach us by phone please leave a message, send us an email, or send us a text 765-592-3046. If you have lake, camping, or park questions please call the park office at 765-344-1412.

You can make changes to your reservation without penalty if it's at least 48-hours prior to your reservation time. Anything within that timeframe will result in paying the difference between the original rental time/price and the new time. To change a rental you MUST speak to an employee and get confirmation from them. If you have any questions about your rental you can call, email or text us. Again, NOTHING can be changed unless you have communicated with an employee. We require this due to the possibility that an email goes to spam, your voicemail cannot be understood, or a text does not go through.

We require a 48-hour cancellation notice in order for you to be refunded. If you cancel within 24-48 hours you will be charged a cancellation fee of $50. A cancellation within 24-hours or no-show on the day of the rental will result in the customer being charged their rental in FULL. NO EXCEPTIONS EXCEPT FOR EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS LISTED BELOW. There are no refunds/discounts due to late check-ins, early return, change of plans, illness, weather, car problems, etc. For weather: Remember we are an hour from Indianapolis and Terre Haute, so the weather there can be different from our location. If you are unsure of what to do please call us on the morning of your reservation. We will make the call on whether or not it is ok to cancel without a penalty or not. If the weather is inclement, the rental will be postponed or delayed. Inclement weather is defined as weather where there are unsafe conditions. This includes warning of severe storms, lightning, high wind advisory, or tornado as defined by the National Weather Service (NWS). If there are inclement weather conditions in the Raccoon Lake area at your departure time then the rental reservation will be postponed or delayed. You will be able to reschedule the reservation. Rescheduling is based on the weather at the time of departure and not future weather forecasts. If you get on the water and it starts storming you can return the boat and get a time credit for a future rental. We cannot give refunds unless you were not able to leave the dock and start your rental. If weather conditions are cold, hot, cloudy, and rainy, but no warnings are issued by the NWS, your rental still stands for the day. You MUST talk to an employee when making a cancellation! If you do not actually SPEAK to an employee and get confirmation you will get charged. Emailing us the night before or the day of does NOT count! If you plan on emailing it MUST be more than 48-hours prior to the reservation.

We give time credits for the time that was not used. The voucher MUST be brought in when you decide to use the credit. We cannot give refunds. See our weather policy for more information.

If you are running late you MUST contact an employee and get confirmation. You can call 765-344-1989 or text 765-592-3046. If we do not speak to you or reply to your message confirming it will NOT be confirmed that you are running late. There is no guarantee that we can extend your rental and there are no discounts for not getting your full rental time due to being late. If we have not heard from you 1 hour after the start of your rental the rental will be forfeited and charged in full.

We have a strict late fee policy regardless of the reason late. You will be charged according to our late fees listed on the rental agreement. Please put a pin on your phone map so you have our location to ensure you will not get lost. Please allow yourself plenty of time to get back to our dock.

For sure! As long as nobody has the boat right after you. We will extend your time and charge you the difference. For example: You have a 4 hour rental and want to add an hour. We will charge you the difference between a 4 and 5 hour rental. Not the 1 hour price.

They are included on all of our rentals. We have jackets that range in size from 4x-infant. Please make sure everyone on your boat has a proper fitting lifejacket before leaving the dock. Life jackets must be able to be zipped and buckled for it to be considered properly fitted. Waverunners and anyone on a tube/skis/wakeboard/Zup MUST wear a life jacket at all times. Anyone under 13 must wear one anytime the boat is moving or when they are in the water. We recommend anyone who has any impairments of any kind or cannot swim wear a life jacket at all times. If you are tubing or skiing we allow 2 of each size ski vest on the boat.

Yes! We have life jacket sizes all the way down to infant.

The renter and driver need to be 18 years of age or older with a valid United States driver's license.

All drivers need to bring their VALID United State's driver's license and be present for instructions. We require everyone to be QUIET and pay attention to instructions. If this is not followed we have the right to take driving privileges away. All drivers must take our driving test and watch the videos. This can be done prior to rental. If it is not done prior to arrival it will be done when you get to the rental. Any delay with watching the video and taking the test will be at the renters expense and time will not be extended. It takes approximately 18 minutes to watch the video and take the test. Drivers MUST pass the test before being signed off to drive!

You can only fish from our pontoon. Fishing is prohibited on our ski boats. Fishing is a very popular activity on the lake. Largemouth bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Catfish, and Striper Bass are all found in abundance. We sell beemoth and nightcrawlers at the boat rental.

No, you are in charge of bringing your driver's license, reading up on lake laws, and driving. We will have you watch slide shows on laws and driving beforehand. Afterward, you will take a test that you must pass in order to drive.

Yes! Prior to getting instructions from our staff we will have everyone driving watch a video and take a test. The test MUST be passed in order to drive. Once that is completed our staff will go over driving, lake rules, bouys, and boat information.

Pontoons -13 Ski Boats- 8 Waverunners- 2 or 1 adult and 2 kids (496 pounds total) Kids (babies included) count towards the max people allowed Not overloading the boats is very important for safety. If the boat is overloaded you will be charged a $200 fine and must return back to our dock and your rental will not be refunded.

Yes, all kids and babies count towards the maximum capacity allowed. Please be aware that the more weight you have on the boat the slower it will go.

No. You have a full tank when you leave our dock and pay for whatever you use during your rental. A typical 4-hour pontoon uses around $20-$40, a ski boat uses around $60-$80, and waverunner per hour $20. This can change if prices change and depend on weight, water conditions, and how much you use it.

They do have Bluetooth radios but are not guaranteed to work. You will not get any refunds or discounts, or be able to change boats for non-working radios. Please plan accordingly and bring a radio and speakers.

The operator of the watercraft is NOT allowed to consume alcohol – same rules apply as if you were on a road. Please be responsible and have a designated driver. No kegs or jello shots allowed. No drunk or disorderly conduct will be allowed or tolerated. If you are intoxicated and being disorderly we will call the police department and your rental will be forfeited without a refund. We have the right to refuse a rental to anyone who appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Your rental will be forfeited and no refund will be given.

Boat are not allowed within 200 feet from shore or far back into the idle zones. The crew will tell you where you are not allowed to go and you will get a map.

The pontoons and ski boats do have a bimini top that folds down and will shade the back half of the boat. Waverunners do not have shade.

Some will cover boat damages. It is best to speak with your provider prior to the rental. We do not have an insurance plan available to renters.

Abosultely NO getting within 200 feet from shore! Please be careful when docking and stay 200 feet away from the shoreline. Renter is responsible for any damages that will occur if this happens and their rental will be forfeited without a refund.

You will pull up to the end of our gas dock at the time you are due back in according to our rental agreement. At this time you can unload and we will check over the boat for any damages and fill up the gas tank. You then will pay for your gas and any fines or fees if any in our office. There is a dumpster in the parking lot that you can use afterwards for any trash that you might have.

Bring coolers, snacks, drinks, towels, sunscreen, trash bag, swimsuits, portable phone charger, and a radio. We do have ice, drinks, chips, beach toys, bait, fishing poles, beach and marine supplies, and sunscreen for sale in our store if you decide not to bring your own.

There is a possibility that you can get wet just by sitting on the boat from the boat spray and waves. If the water is rough it is possible that water can come on the deck. Bring towels just in case, and the best way to keep from getting wet is to drive slow and stay in the idle zone areas on busy weekends.

Top Speed Pontoons- 20 mph Ski Boat- 40 mph Waverunners- 50 mph Speed depends on the amount of weight on the boat and how rough the water is.

We rent single and double tubes, skis, wakeboards, floating mats, water saddles, and we have a ZUP board. We only allow 1 tube per boat.

No. Unfortunately, pontoons are not great for pulling skiers or wakeboarders. They are great for tubing! The reason is due to not having enough power to get someone out of the water. The ZUP board can be tried depending on the size of the person and ability. It is not guaranteed that they will be able to do it.

Yes. The more weight that is on the boat the slower and harder it is to pull someone. You will not be able to get up to faster speeds if the boat is at or near maximum capacity. This includes not just people weight but coolers, etc as well.

You can take a look at our TUBING SAFETY and WATERSPORTS SAFETY pages. They will explain how to properly pull someone.

Click HEREfor lake rules!

Absolutely no pets are allowed! If you bring your pet you will be asked to leave it behind with a member of your party or your rental will be forfeited and paid in full.

No. For safety reasons we do not allow grills. There are shelters with grills close by in the park. You can contact the park for more information at 765-344-1412.

Weapons, grills, pets, glow sticks, fireworks, red staining drinks, jello shots, kegs, glass, clothes that stain and anything that can damage our seats and boat in general. Illegal drugs are also prohibited and will result in the loss of your rental without a refund. Also, do not bring anything that can cause harm to anyone on the rental boat or other boaters.

We have an outhouse located at our rental. There is also a beach house with running water and showers within walking distance. We recommend coming in early for your reservation to allow everyone in your party enough time to use the restroom before the start of your rental.

We do not sell fishing licenses. You can either get them online HERE or can get one at the park office. We sell beemoth and nightcrawlers.

The lake ranges quite a bit. It can go from a foot deep close to shore to 60 feet around the dam. The average is around 30 feet. We ask that you stay at least 200 feet from shore at all times to avoid hitting any debris under the water. We experience flooding so it is best to pay attention to the employees when they show you were to go and not go in case our water levels have changed.

Yes! Our park offers great camping! You will need to contact them directly at 765-344-1412. The campsite is approximately 1/2 mile away from the boat rental.

We have parking close by. If you are renting overnight you can keep your car parked there. There is park security that makes rounds throughout the night. DO NOT block the entrance of the employee parking. Do not park in the employee parking area.

Sorry, we do not.

You can either pay for it on your credit card or split the payment. You can speak to your insurance company and see if they will cover the damages.

Two days prior to your rental your card on file will be authorized for your deposit. If the card will not authorize you will have to provide us with another card. If we cannot authorize your card and we are not given another one your rental will be forfeited. The authorization will show up as "pending" on your account. Once the rental is over and there are no charges it will "fall off". Since the money was never actually taken out you will not see a refund amount. Depending on the card issuer it could take 3-5 business days to show on your account. Your deposit will not be kept unless you owe for damages, fines or fees. Renter is responsible for any amount over the initial deposit if the damage, fine, or fee exceeds that amount. The renter has the option of taking fuel out of their deposit as well.