Santa Barbara Harbor boat and jet ski rentals
Santa Barbara Harbor boat and jet ski rentals: who runs the harbor, the entrance shoaling and the calmest months.
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Boats are coming to Santa Barbara Harbor.
Quick facts for Santa Barbara Harbor
Boater certificate
DooZed requires every renter to hold a recognized boater safety certificate regardless of any state card exemption.
Pickup
The owner confirms availability and the exact pickup location before your trip.
What to know about rentals in Santa Barbara Harbor, CA
About renting in Santa Barbara Harbor
On DooZed, boats and jet skis at Santa Barbara Harbor come from private owners. Each listing shows the craft, its rate and the dates it is free.
Before you go
- Harbor entrance: The entrance is subject to rapid shoaling, and buoys are moved often.
- National Park waters: The National Park Service bars jet skis from Channel Islands National Park waters.
More about Santa Barbara Harbor
The harbor sits 29 miles northwest of Point Hueneme, and Santa Barbara Municipal Airport at Goleta is 7 miles west. The Harbor Patrol answers at 805-564-5530. Fuel is sold daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and those hours are liable to change.
Rules and boater card (3)
- Wake and swim areas: The City code bars a wake that moves or damages docks or boats, and power vessels may not enter regulatory-buoy swim areas without permission.
- Coast Guard: The Coast Guard keeps a rescue vessel at the harbor's city pier. Source
- Boater certificate: DooZed requires every renter to hold a recognized boater safety certificate regardless of any state card exemption. California's Boater Card requirement leaves out "A person operating a rental vessel." No adopted state rule says whether a boat that a private owner rents out counts. Source
Best time to go
Fog is common from August to November, with visibility under 0.5 mile on 4 to 7 days a month, and morning is usually the worst. Calm winds are frequent, and northeast winds are most frequent from November through February. The Santa Barbara Channel's calmest winds and seas often come from August through October. The National Park Service says only experienced boaters with storm-capable vessels should cross the channel to the islands.
How DooZed works in Santa Barbara Harbor
Browse public listings and owner-published showcases from local owners, then send an inquiry with your preferred date and group size. The owner confirms availability and the exact pickup location before your trip. DooZed does not guarantee availability and does not collect payment when you send an inquiry.
For boat owners
- If your boat or jet ski is kept at Santa Barbara Harbor, you can list it on DooZed. First read your slip or storage agreement, then the harbor's rules on commercial use of a boat, because a City permit may be required. DooZed does not check this.
- The owner does not ride along on a DooZed bareboat rental. A trip with the owner aboard, or with a captain or crew the owner provides, is not a bareboat rental, and Coast Guard passenger-for-hire and licensing rules can apply to it.
Frequently asked questions (3)
Are there Santa Barbara Harbor boat rentals on DooZed?
Listings show at the top of this page as owners add them, and the email form on this page tells you when a new one is listed.
Who runs Santa Barbara Harbor?
The City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department runs it under a harbormaster. Its office at 132-A Harbor Way is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., though office hours change, so confirm before you visit.
Can a jet ski from Santa Barbara Harbor reach the Channel Islands?
No. National Park Service policy and NOAA's sanctuary rule both exclude personal watercraft from Channel Islands National Park waters.
Sources (6)
- U.S. Coast Pilot 7, Chapter 4, NOAA Office of Coast Survey
- Santa Barbara Harbor, City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department
- Harbor regulations, Santa Barbara Municipal Code Title 17
- Boating, Channel Islands National Park, National Park Service
- Laws and policies, Channel Islands National Park, National Park Service
- 15 CFR 922.72, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Code of Federal Regulations
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