Last reviewed: 2026-07-02 > Quick answer: For groups bigger than one boat's capacity, book two or more boats and run them together; it's a normal summer setup here. Each boat needs its own licensed driver, capacity limits are hard, and everyone gets fitted life jackets at...
Last reviewed: 2026-07-02
Quick answer: For groups bigger than one boat's capacity, book two or more boats and run them together; it's a normal summer setup here. Each boat needs its own licensed driver, capacity limits are hard, and everyone gets fitted life jackets at check-in. Multi-day rentals can stay at your cottage dock. Book the fleet at harrisboatworks.ca/rentals.
Every July, some brave soul organizes the family reunion. Twenty-two people, four coolers, one group chat that's been chaos since March.
The good news: a multi-boat day on Rice Lake is one of the easiest big-group activities to actually pull off, because the lake does the entertaining and the dock setup is simple.
Here's how the groups that have a great day set it up, and the three rules that catch organizers off guard.
Who this is for
Family reunions, cottage weekends with two or three families, fishing trips with the work crew, birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette days (sober ones, see the alcohol rule), and any group that won't fit on one boat. If you're six people or fewer, one pontoon does it: start with the fleet guide.
The Three Rules That Surprise Group Organizers
1. Capacity is per boat, and it's a hard limit. Every boat has a rated capacity and we hold to it. Twelve people can't "mostly fit" on one pontoon. The fix is simple: book two boats. Groups do it all summer.
2. Everyone on site is on a boat. We can't host a shore party: no extra people hanging out on the property beyond your boats' capacity while others cruise. If grandma's coming, grandma gets a (great) seat on the pontoon. Plan boat seats for every single person attending.
3. Every boat needs its own licensed driver. One boating licence doesn't cover a convoy. Each boat's driver shows photo ID and proof of competency at check-in. The online course takes about 3 hours, so get every designated driver through it the week before: myboatcard.com/card/harrisboat, code HARRIS15 for 15% off. Details in our licence guide.
Picking Your Fleet
Mix boats by what each sub-group wants to do:
| Group |
Boats to book |
Why |
| Big family day (10 to 16) |
Two cruise pontoons |
Everyone swims, cruises, anchors together for lunch |
| Fishing weekend (4 to 8) |
Two ProSport fishing boats, or one plus a fishing pontoon |
Split up, hit different spots, compare catches at dinner |
| Two-family cottage crew |
One cruise pontoon + one fishing boat |
Anglers leave at 8 am, families launch at 10 |
| Reunion with elders and toddlers |
Cruise pontoons |
Stable, shaded, easy boarding, room for the stroller crowd |
Every pontoon has a Bluetooth stereo; every boat carries fitted life jackets for your whole roster, kid sizes included. Live availability for the whole fleet is in the booking system; summer weekends book out, so lock multiple boats in early.
Running a Multi-Boat Day Without Herding Cats
- Stagger the check-in. Send one organized person per boat to the office with that boat's driver. Everyone else stays at the vehicles until life-jacket fitting. Twenty-two people in the office at 8 am helps nobody.
- Pick a lunch anchorage before you launch. "Meet at the west end around noon" beats fourteen phone calls from the middle of the lake. Your dock orientation includes a lake map; mark it together.
- Convoy through the marked passes. The old rail causeway between Harwood and Hiawatha hides rock just under the surface, and the buoyed passes are the only way through. Lead boat goes first, everyone follows the same line.
- Trade passengers at anchor, not underway. Kids always want to switch boats. The lunch anchorage is the time.
- Agree on a hard return time. Boats need to be back, unloaded, and cleared by the return time on the agreement, because late returns run $5 a minute, per boat.
Food, Shore Time, and the Alcohol Rule
BBQs are welcome on site, in designated areas only, never on or near the boats. A shore lunch between morning and afternoon cruising works great; just remember rule two: shore time is for your boats' people, not extra guests.
Alcohol is prohibited on all rental boats, full stop. Ontario treats a boat like a car, the OPP patrol Rice Lake seriously, and the penalties are severe. For the group planning a celebration: boat dry all day, then raise a glass on dry land once the boats are back. The groups that ignore this rule don't rent twice.
Washrooms: four on site, key at the office.
Cottage Weekends: The Multi-Day Move
For reunions based at a rented cottage, multi-day rentals change the game: keep the boats at your cottage dock for the whole stay and use them whenever you like, outside normal rental hours included (lights required after dark). You're responsible for the boats while they're in your care, and everything else about the day works the same. One booking, a whole weekend of shuttle runs, sunset cruises, and 7 am fishing before the kids wake up.
What HBW checks before your group leaves the dock
Group send-offs get the same treatment as every rental, multiplied: every boat fuelled and checked that morning, life jackets fitted to every person on your roster (we help sort the kid sizes), safety kits counted per boat, and each driver gets the orientation, the map, and the causeway briefing. We've been launching family gatherings onto this lake since 1947; the ten minutes at the dock is why group days end with plans for next year instead of stories about the rocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we rent multiple boats at once on Rice Lake?
Yes, and groups do it all summer. Book each boat in the online system; reserve early for July and August weekends. Each boat needs its own licensed adult driver with photo ID at check-in.
How many people fit on a rental pontoon?
Capacity varies by boat and it's a hard limit, posted per boat in the booking system. If your headcount exceeds one boat, book two; we can't overload a boat or host overflow guests on shore.
Can our group have a BBQ at the marina?
Yes, in designated on-site areas only, never on or near the boats. It works well as a shore lunch between cruising sessions. Everyone at the BBQ needs to be part of your boats' rated capacity.
Can we keep rental boats at our cottage for a reunion weekend?
Yes. Multi-day rentals can stay at your cottage dock for the duration, and you can use them outside regular rental hours (working lights required after dark). You're responsible for the boats while they're with you.
Do we need a licence for every boat we rent?
Yes, one licensed driver per boat, each showing photo ID and proof of competency at check-in. The online course takes about 3 hours at myboatcard.com/card/harrisboat (HARRIS15 saves 15%). Non-Canadian visitors complete a renter's checklist waiver instead.
Can we bring alcohol for a celebration on the water?
No. Alcohol is prohibited on all our rental boats, and Ontario enforcement on Rice Lake is rigorous with severe penalties. Celebrate on land after the boats are back; the lake is plenty of fun sober.
Ready to Book the Fleet?
Get your headcount, pick your boats, and get each driver licensed this week. The group chat will doubt you; the photos will vindicate you.
Book online: harrisboatworks.ca/rentals
Planning a big group? Text: 647-952-2153 or call: 905-342-2153
Address: 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, ON
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