So, what is a GoBoat? The short answer: a GoBoat is an inflatable, disc-shaped electric boat that you drive yourself — no boating license, no trailer, no gas. It tops out at 5 mph, runs nearly silent, and packs down small enough to live on a garage shelf. We're Salt & Springs Outfitters, the authorized GoBoat dealer in Flagler Beach, Florida, and we operate a rental fleet of five of them on the Intracoastal Waterway. This is the plain-English explainer we wish existed when we bought our first one.
The Short Answer, Slightly Longer
Picture a round, rigid-feeling inflatable platform about six feet across, with a comfortable seat in the middle and a whisper-quiet electric motor underneath. You steer it with a simple tiller-style control. That's the whole machine. There's no engine to crank, no throttle to master, and no wake to worry about — the boat simply glides.
Because the hull is a wide disc rather than a narrow V, the boat is remarkably stable. You can stand up, lean over the side to look at a fish, or shift your weight without drama. That stability is the single thing first-time renters comment on most.
And because the drive is electric, there's no fuel, no fumes, and almost no noise. On calm water you hear birds, water, and not much else — which is exactly why herons and mullet don't scatter when you approach.
Real Specs, From the Fleet We Maintain
These aren't brochure numbers; they're the boats we inflate, charge, and launch every week:
- Top speed: 5 mph. Five forward speeds and two reverse. It's a stroll, not a sprint — and on a protected waterway, that's the point.
- Motor: 35 lb thrust electric, corrosion-resistant and built for saltwater, with a prop guard and an ankle-lanyard auto-shutoff.
- Two sizes. The solo is a 70-inch round disc rated for 1 rider up to 300 lbs. The 2-seater is an 89 x 70-inch oval rated for 2 riders and 450 lbs, side by side.
- Battery: up to 8 hours of runtime from a lithium battery, depending on speed and conditions.
- Packs down small. The boat deflates into a carry bag that fits in an RV bay, a car trunk, or on a garage shelf, and it inflates in about 5 minutes with an electric pump.
- Zero emissions. Fully electric, so there's nothing to spill and nothing to smell.
Where People Actually Use Them
GoBoats are built for calm, protected water — and that describes our backyard perfectly. Our rental fleet runs on the Intracoastal Waterway and the Matanzas around Flagler Beach, Palm Coast, and Ormond Beach: flat water, easy launches, and shoreline full of herons, egrets, and the occasional rolling dolphin.
Owners take theirs further. Because the whole boat packs into a bag, people bring them on RV trips, toss them in the truck for a lake weekend, or keep one at a vacation rental. Florida's spring runs and slow rivers are basically the boat's natural habitat. The one place a GoBoat doesn't belong is open ocean, surf, or fast current — it's a calm-water craft, and it doesn't pretend otherwise.
What a Rental Day Actually Looks Like
If you rent from us, you never touch a trailer or a boat ramp line. Here's the sequence:
1. We deliver and set up
We bring the boat to an approved launch spot on the Intracoastal or Matanzas in the Flagler Beach, Palm Coast, or Ormond Beach area, inflate it, and have it floating before you arrive. Delivery and setup are included in the price.
2. A five-minute orientation
We walk you through the controls, the safety gear, and the local rules: daylight hours only, calm protected water, idle speed near docks and wildlife. Life jackets are included. If you can drive a golf cart, you'll be comfortable in about two minutes; the orientation takes five because we're thorough.
3. You're the captain
Then the water is yours. These are self-guided rentals — no crew, no fixed route, no schedule but the return time. You need no license and no experience. The primary renter must be 21 or older, and anyone driving must be at least 16. Dolphins and manatees are often seen along this stretch, though sightings are never guaranteed — that's wildlife for you.
Who a GoBoat Is For — and Who It Isn't
We'd rather set expectations straight than book a disappointed customer.
It's a great fit if you're a couple or a small family (one or two people per boat), an angler who wants to slip quietly into the shallows, a photographer chasing golden-hour light, or anyone who wants an effortless, unhurried day on calm water. It's also ideal if you've never driven a boat — there's genuinely nothing to master.
It's the wrong tool if you want to go offshore or into surf (it's built for calm, protected water only), you're chasing speed or waterskiing (5 mph, full stop), or you want six friends on one vessel — each GoBoat carries one or two people, so bigger groups rent multiple boats and travel as a flotilla. And because rentals run in daylight only, it's not a night-out boat.
Two Ways In: Rent One or Own One
Renting is the easy test drive. Our self-guided rentals start at $129 for 4 hours on a solo boat, with 8-hour days from $199 ($249 for the 2-seater), and themed self-guided packages — fishing, sunset, dog-friendly — from $49 on top. Everything is delivered, launched, and picked up by us.
Owning is more accessible than most people expect. As an authorized dealer, we sell GoBoat singles from $1,999 and doubles from $2,699, plus roughly 30 accessories from canopies to trolling motors. Financing through Affirm is available at 0% APR, shipping is free on orders over $1,500, and if you're local we'll set your boat up with you in person. If you'd use it more than a handful of weekends a year, the math starts to favor owning quickly.
The Bottom Line
A GoBoat is the lowest-friction way we know to get on the water: electric, stable, license-free, and slow in the best possible sense. If you're near Flagler Beach or Palm Coast, come take one out — four hours on the Intracoastal answers the question better than any article can. Questions first? Call us at (386) 585-2698 or check the FAQ.
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