My broworkers and I were planning a joint team outing for our teams. Most other duffy boats have a…read moremaximum of 12 people and we had a bigger team than that so we searched for a larger option and stumbled upon the Paddle Pub that fits a maximum of 16 passengers. The 90 minute Private Brew Boat ($590) which includes a captain and a deckhand, bluetooth speaker on the boat for you to play your jams, and you can bring your own brews, limited to closed canned beverages. Good times! They have a parking garage, no validation offered, but the majority of us just lyfted/ubered down for safety. Prior to the event, we were provided the waiver links to share with our team. Everyone had a change to review the waivers and sign prior. On the day of the event, they ask that everyone arrived 15 minute early, and they will be checking IDs to confirm the names of the waivers signed. We had Lily as the deckhand who was helping us for the day. After we were all checked in, we were lead into their docks and boarded the board, where we met Captain Joe. Captain Joe started off with a safety speech, and from there we were ready to party. Keep the boat fairly balanced, don't all run to one side, not too many people at the front all at once, the front is on the opposite end as the Captain. There were 10 pedaling seats and an area in the front. There was one broken pedal. This boat has a motor so the pedaling is optional but it's for funsies. One of the pedal seats were broken and not in operations. Also these bike like seats were not very comfortable. After the first hour folks got off and stood around, but they were over-it with the bike chairs. Good for groups of 12-16, but if we had a smaller group I would have prefered the standard size duffy boats. It was hard to mingle since you were essentially stuck in the seat and spread pretty far out from everyone. Still a fun time, but I just had better. Also remember to Tip. They have their venmo information up, or afterwards they send you an email asking you how your experience went, and there is an option to tip after that fact if you were unable to on the day of the event.

Terrible service! We booked this boat for 13 girls for a bachelorette party where we all traveled…read morefrom out of state. They confirmed our reservation multiple times and called us less than 24 hours before to cancel for no reason. They said they could no longer do business in Newport which seems very shady. Do not book here! Tiki boats is way more professional and we're able to accommodate us on such short notice.

Perfect experience for a special occasion. Captain Andrew delivered! He was knowledgeable and so…read morefriendly. Definitely recommend this private excursion.

Awesome experience with capt. Andrew and missy. We booked the mayflower for a 5pm sailing on the…read more4th. Not only is the boat amazing, but everyone was taking pictures of it as we passed by! The crew wore masks whenever they were within 6 feet of us. Everything was clean - we felt very safe. I highly recommend booking a trip with the lively schooner if you are looking to enjoy a day on one of their amazing boats. They are taking covid-19 seriously, and I am grateful for that!

Are you kidding me? This is soooo fun! Did it on the 4th of July, the driver was patient with our…read moredrinking loudness!!! We had an amazing time!

Came out with some friends to celebrate some birthdays, and was not disappointed! The directions on…read morefinding the tiki were clear, boarding was a breeze and Nico was a great captain for the night. We did the 7:30-9pm time slot and it was perfect, we boarded as the sun was finally setting and were able to cruise around as the night was taking over. Nico was knowledgeable about the area and should us some points of interest. There is a sushi restaurant and a place where you can order burgers and other food right next to where you board the tiki. It can get quite busy to make sure you get there with plenty of time to spare if you plan on ordering food to take out on the water with you. Sodas, ice, and some water bottles are provided for you, but make sure you have a good playlist of music ready so you can connect to their bluetooth speaker.

The Duffy team was great. The boats were clean and worked well. The entire team made us welcome and…read morethe day was just beautiful.

Renting a Duffy boat was one of the highlights of our day! The boat was spotless, easy to operate,…read moreand perfect for a relaxing cruise on the water. The staff was incredibly friendly, gave clear instructions, and made the entire rental process quick and hassle-free. We loved spending time with family and friends while enjoying the beautiful views. It was peaceful, comfortable, and such a fun experience. I highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a memorable day on the water. We'll definitely be back for another cruise!

My husband just got back from an awesome fishing trip with his buddies. I was a bit apprehensive at…read morefirst because this was for my hubby as a surprise and I didn't know what questions to ask other than I knew they wanted to catch fish and drink beer. The person I talked to at Epic was very polite and most importantly helpful. He took the time explaining the different kinds of trips offered and the pricing breakdown for 3/4 day versus a full day. I was really glad they offered full service for lunch and beer since it meant I didn't have to do any work or shopping myself!! He and his friends went on a full day trip and fished Catalina Island. He said it was one of the best days he ever had other than being with me haha~ The boat looked brand new and fishing captain Jazz and the other captain Tim did all the baiting, hooks and gear so all they had to do was reel them in. They caught plenty of fish and my husband said they fileted all of them and ziplocked them for him and his friends. Very professional operation and we'll definitely be using Epic Charters again!!!

A group of 16 of us, adults and children, went to Balboa Island in hopes of taking out a couple of…read moreDuffy Boats, as we have done before. The company where we had planned to go was gone for the day, and we wanted to find another way to tour the bay without treking back to our cars and driving to another Duffy Boat business. I contacted Tim, who was working in his office. He was welcoming and friendly. He listened to my problem and offered to take our group on a tour of the bay in his boat. His girlfriend responded to the boat and they gave us a great price. They offered to take us out longer than we had planned so that we could see whales and dolphins; however, one of the girls started getting sea sick so we made it back to dock after a fulfilling trip. Tim and his girlfriend catered to our sick teen as if she was their own. They played music, provided drinks, told us interesting facts about the area and made it a great afternoon. I can't say enough good things about them. Everyone whom went, to include the woozy teen, said that it was a great activity. Thank you Epic Yacht Charters!

This was the best experience I've had out on the water. Perfect for a birthday or other celebration…read morewith a small group. We saw tons of dolphins, sea lions, and a whale and we were super close. I said "wow!" the most I ever have in my life during this excursion. Dustin was super accommodating and knowledgeable. Thank you for such a memorable time with my friends.

Incredible, epic time out on the water with Newport Surfrider and Captain Dustin. Weather was…read moreperfect and being out on the ocean just is amazing. We had fun the entire time and can't wait to do this experience again in the future. Saw so many dolphins and a huge sun fish. Highly recommend A+++

Best experience I never knew I needed!…read more On July 18th, 2026, I went out on a boat with Captain Maria, First Mate Janelle, and Second Mate (photographer) Hannah. They were lovely, helpful, and gave good info. The boat was choppy, which I enjoyed, but I felt 100% safe the entire time. Of course, the main attraction was the dolphins (& sea lions); it was amazing. We must have seen at least 500 of them, jumping in and out, in Sync with the boat and each other. Earlier this year I completed one of the three items on my bucket list (yes, only three), which was to see the Aurora Borealis (In Lapland, Finland), and I have to be honest, today's experience topped that by far (also much less cold). To sum it up, thanks to Captain Maria, Janelle, and the lovely Hannah, I had the best experience I never knew I needed to experience! P.S. Item #2 was also completed earlier this year. P.P.S. Item #3 is still waiting (for 36 years now).

Located at the Dana Point Harbor, Capt Dave has dedicated parking lot. No bathrooms in the building…read morebut 2 bathrooms a skip away. They depart from the building towards the boat 15 mins beforehand so they want you to check in 30mins before (and on weekends/holidays, check in 45mins before). The boat departs on time at the scheduled time, so make sure you are here in the building 15-30mins before your booked time. We booked at 1pm and that's when the boat left the dock. We were gathered at the office at 12:45 to head towards the boat and unfortunately a couple missed their slot because they were not even in the parking lot at 1pm when the boat sailed. Don't make their mistake, just make sure you are parked at least 15mins before the booked time. They were willing to wait 5 mins, but not 30 mins, so timeliness from guests is important as we had almost 30 people on board. As you are led from the building to the boat, they have a pit stop at the bathroom as they warned that the boat's bathroom that can't take toilet paper and can easily clog. Unfortunately the ocean waters was unusually warm when we booked on 7/03 for whale/dolphin sighting so we didn't see any but they have a sighting guarantee so they gave us all a voucher to come back again for free. They gave out a delicious brownie at the end too, so I'm excited to come back for the brownie!

If you're visiting from out of town, in the area and simply want to spend a day on the water, the…read moredeck hands and boats at the landing are professional and helpful. However, in my experience, the area receives a lot of fishing pressure, and the catch is often limited to smaller fish. I originally purchased two trips through a Groupon to try out the fishery. On my first trip, we only caught very small whitefish and sculpin. If the size limit was still 10", we would have maybe had 20 keepers. If anyone had larger than a 1lb sculpin or 2lb whitefish, I would be surprised. Jackpot was a sheepshead. Unfortunately, I missed my second trip in June and later contacted the landing about redeeming it, especially since the yellowtail bite is strong right now. I was surprised to learn that I would need to pay a $55 rescheduling fee, despite already paying more than $100 for the trip, even with the Groupon discount. For regular or experienced anglers, I would not recommend this option. Parking in the area can exceed $40, although the landing mentions there are less expensive lots nearby. My credentials are not important, but I fish frequently and have considerable experience. Based on that experience, I did not find this trip to be a good value.

The crew was very helpful in many ways. They removed the fish from the hook, filet the fish that we…read morecaught, and overall made the whole trip wonderful. I definitely fish again.