Chicago's #1
Boat Rental

Private Chicago boat & yacht rentals for every occasion, with options for up to 13, 49, or 125 guests.

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4.9

from 1071+ reviews

175K+ Guests 12K+ Charters 23 Yachts

White charter yacht on Lake Michigan beside Chicago’s skyline and Buckingham Fountain

Explore Our
Featured Yachts

10 1

Boating Experiences
& Events

The Chicago Playpen

Drop anchor at Chicago's iconic party spot

Chicago River

Chicago River Cruise & Boat Tours

Private boat tours and sightseeing past architecture, bridges, and city canyon views

Fireworks bursting over Navy Pier and its Ferris wheel at night

Evening

Navy Pier Fireworks

Best seat on the water every Wed & Sat

Your Chicago Moment

Guests boarding the Montauk catamaran for a networking event on the Chicago River

Corporate Yacht Charters

Team outings, client entertainment, and company celebrations with catering and a custom itinerary.

Plan a corporate yacht charter

Family toasting with champagne over a snack spread on a sunny boat deck

Birthday Party Boat Rentals

Milestone birthdays with your own deck, your playlist, and BYOB or bar packages. All ages welcome.

Book a birthday cruise

Bride-to-be in heart sunglasses holding a gold diamond-ring pool float on a yacht bow off the Chicago lakefront

Bachelor & Bachelorette Party Boats

Cruise and celebrate with your crew. Party packages and premium amenities make it the weekend highlight.

Plan a bachelorette boat

Bride and groom tying off a sailboat line on the water

Boat Weddings & Proposals

Intimate ceremonies, engagement cruises, and proposals with 360° views and custom packages.

Plan a proposal cruise

Aerial view of a harbor with rows of docked boats

Boat Club Membership

Yacht ownership perks all season with no maintenance and no storage.

$313 starting price on payment plan

View membership plans

Explore all experiences and events

Built for Chicago waters.
Why choose us?

Knot My Boat Charters is a Chicago boat rental company offering luxury yacht rentals, boat share memberships, and corporate boat and yacht charters for up to 125 guests. Our 23-yacht fleet runs from 37' sport cruisers to 78' luxury yachts, backed by more than 20 years of boating and hospitality experience.

For our 13-guest bareboat charters, we provide a vetted list of licensed captains you can hire from directly. All 49- and 125-guest vessels operate under a USCG Certificate of Inspection with captain and crew included. We cruise from 31st Street Harbor, Burnham Harbor, and River North Marina.

Two guests aboard a yacht on Lake Michigan with the Chicago skyline behind them

Boat Rental with Captain

Captain and crew are included on our 49- and 125-guest yachts. For bareboat charters of up to 13 guests, choose from our list of 25+ licensed captains who know our boats.
How hiring a captain works
Easy Cancellation

If weather makes it unsafe to go out, we'll reschedule you with a non-expiring credit toward a future charter. Other cancellations follow a clear refund schedule.
See the cancellation policy
Best Price Guarantee

See hourly rates upfront on every yacht page, from $285/hour for bareboat and $1,000/hour for crewed charters. Found a lower price on a comparable charter? We'll beat it.
Compare yacht prices
Easy Online Booking

Check live availability and book your yacht online in minutes. After checkout, our booking portal walks you through captain options and next steps.
Check availability & pricing

Check Availability & Pricing Learn More About Us

Chicago boat rentals & yacht charters — your charter in three steps

Whether it's a Sea Ray Sundancer for 13 or a power catamaran for 125, we make booking a Chicago boat charter, private yacht rental, or captained cruise effortless: pick your boat, pick your date, and we handle the rest.

Aerial view of two yachts at anchor with guests swimming and relaxing on floating mats

Step 01 / 03

Choose Your Chicago Boat or Yacht

Pick from 23 yachts, from 13-passenger Sea Ray cruisers to event yachts for up to 125 guests. Every charter includes Bluetooth audio, onboard restrooms, coolers, and open lounge space.
View the Fleet
Step 02 / 03

Pick Your Date and Duration

Reserve three or more hours on Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, or the Playpen. The season runs May through October, and peak summer weekends often sell out 4–6 weeks ahead, so book early.
Check Availability & Pricing
Step 03 / 03

Show Up, Meet the Captain, Set Sail

Head to the harbor, meet your captain, and cast off. You bring the guests; we handle the logistics.
Questions?

Have more questions after checking our FAQs? Submit an inquiry here.

What customers say about their Chicago Boat Charter

Read all on Google

I’ve booked through knot my boat charters at least 5 times now and every time is always great! We most recently rented a boat for 10 girls and booked Captain David Groover and had the best time! David safely navigated some crazy waves that day and even took really cool drone vide…

Here’s the full review together, polished and warm: We had an absolutely incredible experience with Knot My Boat Charters! From start to finish, everything was seamless, professional, and truly elevated. We chose Knot My Boat for a corporate leadership celebration, and they help…

Captain John Kumerer was the absolute BEST! 💙 This was our first time chartering with Knot My Boat, and he made the experience unforgettable. From the moment we arrived, Captain John took the time to clearly explain the plan for the day, where we'd be going, and all of the safet…

I booked Captain Groover for my sister’s bachelorette party and can say that we all highly recommend him and Knot my Boat! Communication and directions for our time was seamless and we had such a great time with Captain Groover. He was super knowledgeable of the area and brought …

10/10 recommend! We had the best time with Captain Chase at Knot My Boat Charters. Great views, good jams, and the best vibes all day long. Captain Chase was awesome and made the whole experience so much fun. We’ll definitely be booking again! 🌊☀️🚤🎶

recently booked a 3-hour cruise with Knot My Boat Charters, and it was an absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. The booking process was seamless, and the staff at the dock made check-in quick and welcoming.Our captain Chase was professional and brought amazing en…

I went out with Knot My Boat Charters this past August with some friends and had such a great experience. From the moment we booked, everything was simple and easy. The staff onboard were so friendly, professional, and really easy to talk to. They were helpful the entire time an…

I have used Knot My Boat Charters more times than I can count over the past few years. Have never had a bad experience and will continue to use them to enjoy Chicago summers as much as I can!

My friends and I have used Knot My Boat multiple times over the past couple summers for birthdays or the Air and Water show (highly recommend!) and have always had an awesome experience.

Just had an incredible time with Knot My Boat Charters! Their Chicago boat rental service is top-notch, with clean, stylish boats and a super friendly crew. It's a fun and effortless way to enjoy the lake, no matter what the occasion.

My friends and I have been using Knot My Boat Charters for 3 years now and every year it has been amazing. The size of the boats are great. The staff and crew are amazing. Super easy to book!! Definitely gonna keep the tradition going!!!

Can't say enough good things about Knot My Boat Charters!! We had the best captain which made it such a good day on the water. Highly recommend to anyone looking for the best boating in Chicago!

12/10 experience! Views were amazing and the boat was too! Definitely had an amazing time!! Will be booking again next year! Captain Marty and Tanner were beyond amazing and chill to have aboard with us! Thank you Knot My Boat Charters for having us!!!!!

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