Bay City Boat Rental launches first season of business

Life is better on a boat. That’s what Jared Greshow and Jonah Joppich believe.

They co-founded Bay City Boat Rental to make it possible for more people to get out on the water. The new business is off and running in its first season this spring with 14 excursions booked already.

Ashley BrownThe lifelong friends both enjoyed gatherings with friends and family in boats rented on different lakes around the state. Impressed with the ease of the rental process, Greshow and Joppich thought such boat rental options should be available in the Bay City area.

Ashley BrownBay City Boat Rental offers the opportunity to enjoy life on a pontoon without buying a boat.“We both walked away from our separate boat rental experiences and thought ‘Why doesn’t Bay City have a boat rental service like this?’ Our whole community is surrounded by water,” Greshow says.

Ashley BrownScotty's Sandbar provides the home base for Bay City Boat Rental.They dug into the requirements of starting such a business and after the proper permits, inspections, and insurance were in place, Bay City Boat Rental was born.

Ashley BrownThe six-step online rental process includes a boater safety demonstration. GPS units on each boat guide renters around the Bay, and docking assistance is provided.Their first season is underway and the co-founders are optimistic about their success. 

Recognizing boat ownership is expensive, Greshow says they offer an inexpensive boating option that doesn’t require maintenance. 
Ashley Brown'Nacho Boat' has capacity for as many as 10 people.
“We are on top of required inspections and our mechanics perform scheduled maintenance to keep the boats in tip-top shape,” says Greshow.

Ashley Brown'Petoon-yah' can carry as many as 14 people for a day on the water.The company has two pontoon boats for rent. One boat is 24’ with 10 person capacity, dubbed Petoon-yah, and the other is 30’ with room for 14 passengers, dubbed Nacho Boat.

No boating experience is necessary to rent.

The six-step online rental process, which includes a boater safety demonstration, makes booking easy. GPS units on each boat guide renters around the Bay, and docking assistance is provided. 

Ashley BrownJared Greshow (left) and Jonah Joppich (right), friends for nearly 30 years, founded Bay City Boat Rental together.
Looking ahead, Greshow hopes to expand into other types of boats including fishing and speed boats and kayak rentals.

Bay City Boat Rental’s pontoons are docked at Scotty’s Sandbar, 120 Evergreen Drive. Rental rates are $250 (plus fees) for a four-hour tour and $410 (plus fees) for an eight-hour trip.

A variety of add-ons such as floating pads, portable toilets, and coolers are available through the booking process on the website. Rentals can also be booked via phone at 989-220-3677.