Topsail Island is the perfect vacation destination to bring your boat for some fun on the water. You can do surf fishing or just hang out with family and friends for a day spent relaxing and enjoying the ocean. Some vacation rentals even come with their own private docks or private community boat launch access for ultimate convenience.

With plenty of public marinas and boat access points, if you don`t have a beachfront rental with a private dock, there are still plenty of options to get your boat onto the water. We`ll go over the finer details of bringing your boat to Topsail Island, whether your vacation has a private dock or not. We`ll also go over some need-to-know information including fishing permits and boat safety tips, as well as popular watersports that you can enjoy with your boat.

What to Do If Your Vacation Rental Has a Private Dock or Private Water Access

There are a few vacation rentals that have private docks connected to the property. Other properties may have private water access through their community. In the case of having a private dock on your beachfront rental, you`ll usually be able to dock your boat for the duration of your stay. For this oceanfront rental, you`ll have a private dock plus boat ramp access. With this beachfront rental condo, there is access to a private community dock and boat ramp, which you`ll have to share with other residents.

Having private access to a dock and boat ramp is convenient and easy for getting your boat in the water. If you`re planning on spending most of your time boating while on vacation, then you`ll appreciate the ease of access from having a place close to your rental to dock your boat. You can easily load and unload your equipment for fishing or watersports on Topsail Island.

What to Do If Your Vacation Rental Does Not Have a Dock

Of course, renting a place with a private dock or boat access can be expensive. If you`re on a budget or need to prioritize other features of your accommodations, then you may need to go with a vacation rental that doesn`t have these features. Fortunately, there are a lot of public access points for you to get your boat into the water. 

Additionally, there are also public marinas where you keep your boat docked for a fee. However, marinas can get quickly filled up with other boats, so it might be a good idea to call a particular marina ahead of time to ensure that there`s space available. During the peak visitor season, Topsail Island can get more crowded than usual, plus some marinas may not be accepting temporary boats. 

However, if you`re not planning on using your boat every day or want to avoid marina fees, then opting for a rental with plenty of parking space for your vehicle and boat is a good idea. You can use community or public boat access to get your boat onto the water. When you`re done for the day, you`ll need to get it out of the water and park at your vacation rental. This vacation rental is equipped with a garage, plus additional parking space for any boats, jet skis, or trailers. 

Fishing Permits

If you`re planning to saltwater fish during your boating outings, then you`ll need to make sure that everyone has the proper fishing licenses. North Carolina requires everyone over the age of sixteen to have a permit for this type of fishing. If you or your family members don`t already have a permit, you can acquire them at tackle and bait shops located around the island or you can get your permits ahead of time online.

Boating Safety Tips

It`s important to always follow safety precautions and local regulations before taking a boat out on the water. The last thing you want on your vacation is unsafe boating conditions. So it`s important to prepare and follow basic boating safety guidelines. 

One of the most important safety tips for boating is to check the weather. The coast of North Carolina can see severe weather with high winds and rain. High winds and shifts in direction can drastically affect currents and your boat. So, you should always be cautious and keep checking the weather forecasts. A radio installed on your boat can keep you up-to-date on any changing weather conditions. 

Another important safety precaution is to familiarize yourself with the area. If you`ve never boated in these particular waters, then you`ll want to learn the local geography. Modern technology gadgets are excellent for this purpose, so having a GPS or app on your phone is a smart way to stay aware of your surroundings. It`s also good to have backup paper charts on the boat in case these technology gadgets fail. 

When you`re planning a lot of fun activities for your family boating day, you may not think about the extra weight of your equipment. However, it`s important to not overload your boat. You should always follow the recommended weight limit by the boat manufacturer before you take it out into the water. If you don`t follow the weight limit, you could be dealing with a situation where your boat capsizes or sink. To avoid disaster and damage to your boat, limit the number of passengers and the cargo you are carrying. 

Watersports

Taking out a boat onto the waters of the North Carolina coast can be a fun way to spend the day with your family. The saltwater is clear and the sunny blue skies are perfect for outdoor activities. If you`re interested in doing more than fishing, swimming, or lounging around in the boat, then you might be interested in enjoying watersports during your vacation. There are a number of watersports on Topsail Island that you can do with your family. Whether you`re into advanced watersports or just looking to have a fun day, there are a lot of options to have a good time.

Water tubing can be a fun and memorable activity for the whole family. If you don`t have tubes already, you can rent this equipment from Topsail Boat Rental in Surf City. If you`re looking to try more advanced watersports while on Topsail Island, water skiing is a fun, but challenging activity. It requires strength and balance to be a good skier, so this activity may be best for families with older children.

Overall, Topsail Island is a great place to bring your boat for some fun in the sun. Some vacation rentals come with a private dock for the ultimate convenience. You`ll be able to quickly load up the kids and hop on your boat for all kinds of watersports around Topsail Island. However, vacation rentals with private docks and boat access are in-demand and expensive. Fortunately, there are plenty of other options if you want to bring your boat to Topsail but don`t have a vacation rental with a private dock. We have a wide variety of vacation rental options available that include community boat access and large parking spaces for your boat.