Great experience and outstanding customer service--went to great lengths to ensure our time on the lake was fun. Highly recommended!

While on the lake in their kayaks, my young daughter soon found a nest of spiders crawling all around her. She was so disturbed by it that we returned to shore three hours early. I informed the worker that the one kayak should be rinsed well before storage because of the spiders. Her response was "Sorry." read more

This is our second year renting a pontoon from SML Boat Rentals. We love the service and the boats. We love SML! We also rent a tube for kids to enjoy alongside the boat. While the boat got a nice upgrade inside, they also got some new boats we will be trying out next year! Just wish the let the fur-friends on the boat! read more

This is our 6th or 7th year renting from Jeff & Debbie at SML Boat Rentals. We typically rent for at least one week, sometimes a month, and a few long weekends every year. The "user friendliness" of renting from them is the reason we've never bought a boat. With two kids that have grown up on the water at the lake, it has also let us easily transition from pontoon boats to deck boats and runabouts as the water sports activities have become more demanding from the kids. What to expect when renting from SML - flexibility and ease of operation. Whether it is changing out tubes, skis, or wake boards and even switching to a larger boat when we had surprise guests for a few days; it isn't a problem. The couple of times we've had an issue with a boat, both times our fault :) and one time well after dark, someone was over to help us out as quickly as they could get over to us. This was a huge comfort the first couple years we were new to the lake and relatively new boaters and I'd say is the most important reason I'd recommend renting from them. This personal service sets them apart from any other boat rental experience we've had. read more

Great freshwater fishing charter. Captain Bert very friendly and good company. Would definitely recommend and return next time we are at SML. read more

"First time paddle boarding. I rent a paddleboard and oar. There is no line or anything for the oar. (I know I'm going to fall a lot since it's my first time) They also know this as I SPECIFICALLY TOLD THEM. Needless to say, I obviously fall in. I right the board and look for the oar. IT SUNK. I tell the owner and he basically says "you're an idiot" that will be 100 dollars. I found the EXACT same oar on Amazon for 50 bucks. When I said this to him over the phone, he flew into a rage and Said he was coming over to MY HOUSE right that second. He was aggressive the ENTIRE TIME, IN FRONT OF MY KIDS. The language coming out of this "mans" mouth. NEVER AGAIN." -first person account of dealing with Jeff P. read more

We reserved a boat six wees in advance. We asked for their newest run-about available. when we arrived and saw that the boat was an older model and worn around the edges, we asked if there were any available that were less "beat up." After hearing this, the owner became offended and refused to rent to us. Very sad start to our week on the lake. read more

I see they have great reviews and I am taking this into consideration. So, I will just say that they likely have great equipment and a very easy rental process. However, their customer service when IT COUNTS is super poor. In short, a very nice employee made an honest mistake that had huge consequences for us. Instead of management acknowledging the mistake and helping to find a solution, she was condescending and made it very clear that this was not her problem. There was no way I could consider ever doing business with them and felt lucky that this behavior was shown before we drove 3 hours to their location. read more

We rented a ski boat from SML Boat rental for a week. This was our first time on Smith Mountain Lake, but I have rented ski boats on lakes in Maine, Connecticut and Utah. I decided to write a review because renting was SML Boat rental was the best experience we've had. The boat ran perfectly, the pricing was very fair, and the service outstanding. There are several companies to rent boats from on the lake, we chose SML Boat rentals because it was one of two companies the owner of the house we rented suggested. SML Boat Rentals is at Mitchell's Marina. It was closer to the where we were staying and had great prices. It is run by a couple, an ex-marine and his wife who live with their family in the Smith Mountain Lake area year round. Although they have plenty of helpers on the dock, at least one of the owners was always there. I spoke directly to them when I called for reservations. They were very helpful explaining my options (I think they have 26 different boats) and when processing the contracts. The boat was is great shape. No problems what so ever. It always started right up, even after sitting all night, never stalled..... excellent. I especially appreciated the orientation to the lake and some great recommendations on where to go on the lake good food and/or drinks. For us, one of the best features of renting from SML Boat rentals was the water sports package. For less then the cost of 2-3 days rental of just a ski tube in other places I have rented, their package let you rent waterskis, ski tube, wake board, and knee board for the week. Can only have one out at a time, but the switching process was super simple. Just pull into a SML Boat Rental slip right next to the rental shack, drop off one water toys, say a tube, and pick up another, e.g. a wake board. Even though we were there during high season, they plenty of inventory and lots of models to choose from. read more

The staff here are extremely friendly! They went out of their way to make sure that we had a wonderful time. It has a great location, so we will definitely return here on our next visit to smith mountain lake. read more

Jeff and Debbie at SML Boat Rentals at Mitchell's Point, along with their staff, were helpful from the first time I called several weeks before arriving. We weren't sure what kind of boat or how big we needed to rent for a large family celebration. They helped us pick out a great runabout to rent and it was perfect! When we got gas or when we switched out water sports equipment, the entire staff was friendly and extremely helpful. Since it was our first time at SML, they gave us several tips about where to go for food and best places to anchor for swimming! Will be back and will definitely rent from them again! read more

I just want to say that the young man helping us rent kayaks was absolutely professional and very upbeat and friendly. What a pleasant couple hours we enjoyed on the water in our kayaks. read more

SML Boat Rentals, LLC is an excellent place to relax and enjoy the stunning beauty of Smith Mountain Lake. I was able to have the pleasure of going out on the lake in one of their very nice, clean, and easy to drive Pontoon boats. It was a day I will never forget. My friends and I were able to explore the lake and enjoy the beautiful sunshine as well as celebrate a friend's birthday. Although it was a Saturday, and there were a lot of customers coming and going, the staff at SML Boat Rentals, LLC was able to successfully take care of everyone's needs efficiently and effectively. We even enjoyed time at the beach after taking the boat out. The management was very friendly and I had no issues at all. I would recommend SML Boat Rentals, LLC to any of my family or friends who are looking to spend a relaxing day on the lake. I also loved that they had fish food for the children to feed the fish with and the owner's dog was a well-known friendly face around the marina. Overall SML Boat Rentals, LLC is a great place for families and friends alike to enjoy the beauty of Smith Mountain Lake. read more

Great service! We rented a pontoon from SML Boat Rentals for my cousin's bachelorette party and found the process to be incredibly easy. We reserved our boat over the phone, was provided courteous and fast service when we arrived, and was taken on a thorough walk through of the boat before we departed. They even helped us pick a place to hang out bachelorette party banner! Returns were a piece of cake, since gas is provided right at the marina. I couldn't recommend SML Boat Rentals more to anyone looking for a reasonable, friendly boat rental experience at Smith Mountain Lake. read more

All 3 times we have rented from them, there have been issues (engine trouble 2x & broken equipment needed for water sports). It wasted our time to have to wait for mechanic to find us and fix boat or return to marina for issues to be fixed (no other boats were available for us to swap out). $350+ is a splurge for our family, so not being able to have the boat/equipment for all the hours paid for is not cool. Each time, no apology was given, no voucher was offered for 10% off our next rental, etc. It was just tough luck for us. Heads up that the boats are much older than in pics on website. Ours had mold on seats (and mold on vests), so I suffered from allergy attacks all day. Been renting from them as favor to my mom, who is friends with the owners. Sorry, Mom, three strikes and we're going elsewhere. Suggestion to owners: if a customer is inconvenienced due to your boat/equipment issues, you need to compensate them somehow (credit back for part of rental fee would be fairest and kindest option). Get rid of old boats with repeated issues & clean mold off seats. read more

I work for Chick-fil-A and want to give guests remarkable experiences. These guys were impressive. Brian, Debby's son, fished with my kids before and after out boat trip. He would get a fish on the line and then put it in my kid's hands. Impressive. read more

This place is great! We've been renting boats from SML for ten years. The people are professional and courteous. The boats could use some cleaning and minor repairs, but they run very well. read more

DO NOT rent a boat from SML Boat Rentals if you value peace of mind and don't want to be verbally abused and physically intimidated by the company's brute of an owner, Jeff, if something should go wrong. Let me tell you our story. In May 2014, my family, including two young boys (ages 4 and 6), rented a pontoon for the day from SML Boat Rentals. The day began auspiciously as we cruised around the lake along with my wife's sister, brother-in-law, and their toddler. Toward lunch time, we raced back to our rental cottage to eat lunch and put the young one down for a nap. Literally, just as we were tying the boat to the dock, an alarm buzzer went off. We did not think too much of it as we immediately turned the engine off and went up for lunch. An hour later, my wife, two boys, and I went back out on the lake. Barely out of the cove, the emergency buzzer went off again, so we immediately called the owner, Jeff, to apprise him of the situation. He told us to stay put and that he would be out to check on the boat and tow us in if necessary. We turned off the engine and waited. However, there were other boats in the channel and we were drifting dangerously close to shore, so I started the engine to keep us out of harm's way in the middle of the channel. After about 20 minutes, the boat owner and one of his workers arrived, dashing hard against our boat, and jumping on. Upon seeing the engine idling (no alarms, mind you), the owner launched into a verbal tirade, saying that we were on the hook for $6,000 for a new engine if it was damaged due to our "negligence." Now, we're responsible people, and if we're at gross fault, we'd of course settle the matter. Unfortunately, no clear instructions were given during our assistance call to shut the engine off, throw anchor, and wait. Nonetheless, the owner threatened legal action against any and all of my protestations, cussing freely in front of our children, all the while not making a single inquiry into our well-being. Once back at the dock, the owner immediately jumped of his boat and ran into his boat house. No assistance was offered to help my wife or children off the boat. Jeff, the owner, then returns with a receipt for $2,000 charged to my credit card for damages (thankfully, not the $6,000 promised earlier). I would not accept this from him, and I told him that he was being extremely belligerent toward me and my family--customers, I reminded him. He retorted that I was now a litigant, not a customer. After getting my shaken family into our car, I took some pictures of the boat and engine and attempted to discuss the matter with him further. At this point, he physically confronted me, bumping his chest aggressively into mine. I backed off from this intrusion and decided the best thing to do was disengage and leave. At this point, he says it's not in my best interest to leave because he's going to check the engine to see if the impeller was all that was damaged (apparently a relatively cheap replacement part). He finds the impeller undamaged, so I leave with $2,000 charged to my credit card in addition to the $200 boat rental, the threat of further litigation, my vacation peace shattered, and a promise from the owner to call me with a report on the extent of the engine's damage. A few hours later, the owner informs me the problem was a faulty temperature gauge--maybe a $50 part and a maintenance issue! At this point, we agreed to "call it a wash," although it really wasn't given the horrible experience SML Boat Rentals and its owner put me and my family through that day. In short, if you need a safe and reputable company for a Smith Mountain Lake boat rental, you will be well advised to take your business elsewhere. read more

I hope other potential customers of this business will take the time to read all the online reviews. Like most of my interactions with Mr. Prowse his response to my Yelp review is not accurate or honest. He does use a clever lie to try to cover up his negative reviews, by saying I have posted multiple reviews with different names, on Ylep and Trip Advisor. I did not. I did post my review on Yelp twice by mistake, but both used my name, and each was identical (you can see the second one under the reviews not recommended link below). I did not understand how Yelp worked, so I did not see my review, and posted it again. If you read all the reviews for this company,on Yelp and elsewhere on the web, you will find a common theme. When everything goes well with the rental, they do fine, but if there is any problem, they are abusive , and have very poor customer service. Keep this in mind if you decide to rent from them. read more

It seems this place must have done a complete 180 from the 2014 reviews, my wife two boys and myself rented a cottage for the week, also a pontoon boat from SML. My wife picked up our pontoon the first night we arrived, unfortunatly she did not stress that I was disabled, SML does have one of the most convenient pontoon boat (1) for the disabled, that has to be scheduled in advance, but then once it has been reserved, the employees at SML were very helpful, with the boarding and off loading once it returned, even though we did rent one of the standard pontoon boats, I had run into one of the SML employees in parking lot when I was alone attempting to lift my power chair out of my SUV. His name was Jeff, very empathetic and concerned with me lifting my power chair alone, after we finished removing my chair, we spoke about a new addition to the SML boat inventory, the Patriot Cruiser, which is the name of the Pontoon that has all of the disability assistence add on's that you can imagine, but after meeting Jeff and being shown the Patriot Cruiser, I cannot praise SML enough, for all the assistance, and allowing me to experience boating like I once did before my MS Disability, thank you so much SML (Jeff) for really doing as much as they did after learning of my Disability, going into the 16th year of Ms Diagnosis. Thanks for everything, I plan to rave about this place to others that I know, both Disabled, and all my bulletproof friends. We are about 4 hrs out from our vacation at home in Northern Va. and we all both of my sons and my wife already miss being on the Smith Mountain Lake. Words can't say how staying on SML has changed my view of our future family vacations, from hassle to hassle free vacation, Thanks So much to everyone @ SML Mitchell Marina Thank You from the Moineau Family!!--- read more