SO MUCH FUN!! How it…read moreworks: You charter a boat along with the captain and crew. The boats are owned by the company. We chartered a boat on Labor Day, with Bill and Nancy. We departed from Montrose Beach. We were able to bring our own drinks and snacks for the sail. There were 7 of us total at ~$100/person. We specifically selected this company because they had a money back guarantee in the event of inclement weather - most other boating companies do not offer this! HUGE PLUS. Fun Fact: All of their boats mean "Lost" in different language, but not to be confused with lost at sea!

We had an excellent charter experience with Captain Bill on a speedboat. Booking the boat was quite…read moreeasy through the website, then you can contact the captain yourself to see who is available (company gives names/contact info). I would definitely rent from CSC again. Prices were also pretty average compared to other companies! Definitely recommend.

We rented a 8 person electric boat this weekend with the chicago boat company and had a very…read morepleasant experience! The staff was friendly, the boat was clean, and the online booking process was smooth. I even emailed them the morning of our trip because of possible weather issues and the acknowledged my email in a timely manner which was nice they took the time to check it and respond. Highly recommend!

fantastic trip! great Staff!!! Really great Experience all around!!!! Boat was great and they…read moreprovided coolers and bags of Ice are available on site for a small fee! Just a wonderful evening!!!!

Captain Jason was amazing. The boat was clean, fast, and set up well. Through the website I…read moreinquired about availability for the next day (less than 24 hours) and Jason was able to put together a great weekday trip. He took us out, he knew where the cold water was and put us right on the brown trout. When the fish moved after dawn he took us to another spot where we hooked into some kings, big lake trout and steelhead. Jason worked his butt off on a 90° degree day so we could have a wonderful day catching fish. A+ for his efforts, knowledge, the boat and his energy.

Don't hesitate - Top Dog Charters is THE way to go for the experience of a lifetime! Captain…read moreJason's experience fishing Lake Michigan is second to none. Winner of fishing tournaments, he is skilled at finding various species (we caught 4!) He is great company and his boat/equipment are top-notch. From start to finish, he aims to give the best possible experience. He showed us fishing techniques, how to filet fish and the Chicago skyline. He even suggested tried-and-true recipes. Put Top Dog Charters on your bucket list! Best kept secret to experience Chicago!

Captain Kirk Kessler, a United States Coast Guard - Certified Master Captain, goes all out to give…read morehis passengers a wonderful experience. His boat, the Peony, is equipped in a manner to meet the needs of his guests. His first mate, Woody, a chipper mini Golden Doodle, adds a fun touch to each outing. Kirk is extremely professional, going over his shipboard rules with all his charges before they embark. His rule #1 - "Stay on the boat!" Captain Kirk gets a sense of each of his sets of guests, and how comfortable (or apprehensive) they are on the water. Passengers preferring a sedate, "gentle" excursion will get one (to the extent weather and lake conditions permit); those guests up for a more adventurous outing with 15-30 degrees of heeling will have their wishes fulfilled. As a USCG-certified Master Captain, Kirk knows what he needs to do to trim the sails and change his headings to make his cruises pleasant ones for his passengers and their predilections. A charming host/skipper, Captain Kirk will make your sail/cruise an unforgettable one - withe the beautiful Chicago skyline as your sunset backdrop. You can't do better than Salty Dog Sailing Co.!

I highly recommend chartering with Salty Dog. Captain Kirk () was very professional. I was a…read morelittle nervous, but he set everyone in our party at ease. The boat comfortably fits 4 people, and you can just sit back and relax. Woody is extremely friendly, greeting us on the dock when we arrive, and sleeping next to us the entire trip, except when we turned and he had to flip to the other side! And it's true sailing, we went about 3.5 miles from shore, getting some incredible views of the city. It was a great day, great conversation and an overall awesome time!

As boating season starts in Chicago, I just wanted to let you know that Russell took me, my…read morechildren and their significant others out for my "birthday celebration" and it was thee BEST boating experience this Chicago gal has ever had. Russell took us on the most beautiful route and his boat is beautiful and comfortable for viewing, eating, drinking and laying out if you like. My favorite moment was when we anchored and me and my kiddos did a celebratory jump into the lake as Russell videotaped us. Big Thanks to Russell for the BEST Boating experience in CHI. He is so knowledgable and experienced that I highly recommend 1st Class Charters Chicago!!

My friends and I have chartered a few boats here in Chicago, but this was by far the best…read moreexperience we have had. We actually had to reschedule our initial cruise last minute due to bad weather. The boat owner, Russel, was very communicative and made the best of the not-so-great situation. He graciously offered to allow for our group to enjoy the boat for a lesser amount of time and stay at the dock. We were also able to reschedule for the following week and go out with Captain Brian at that time. Our group had such an amazing time during both sessions. We certainly had some strong personalities in the bunch (myself included) and Captain Brian was such a great sport. He was very professional but also blended in so well with our group that he was like another guest. We will without a doubt be reaching out to Russel & Captain Brian again for future events. Thank you both for making this such an unforgettable experience for us and our guests.

I've taken quite a few boat rides over the years. Small boats, large boats, and a few in between…read more So when a friend invited me to join a few people for a ride with this charter service, I was happy to go. I really didn't have any expectations beyond what I already understood a boat trip to be. I figured we'd cruise up and down the waterfront, enjoy the scenery, and eventually make our way back to the pier, just like I've done plenty of times before. Well, I'm not above admitting when I'm wrong. This was an amazing experience. It wasn't because we stopped at an amazing restaurant. It wasn't because we traveled up and down the Chicago River. Those things certainly made the day special, but what really made the experience memorable was the captain and his wife. Before we even stepped onto the boat, we had to change our reservation a few times because of Chicago's bipolar summer weather. The captain was extremely responsive throughout the entire process. He explained why we needed to reschedule, stayed in communication with us, and made sure he personally took care of us when we were finally able to get out on the water. Once aboard, he and his wife were simply wonderful. They made the entire experience feel personal, comfortable, and genuinely enjoyable. All in all, this wasn't just an amazing boat rental. It was an amazing experience because of the people behind it. I would happily take another trip with this team again and again.

Captain Mike was so great!…read more It rained all day but we still were really excited to do this sailboat tour. Our tour was scheduled from 7-9 and Mike checked in numerous times throughout the day to make sure we were feeling comfortable with the weather - he was more than happy to accommodate if not. He was personable, knowledge and made us feel super safe along the way. And the Chicago skyline was STUNNING! Would def recommend!

Captain Mike is the best. We have sailed with him many times and he does not disappoint. He is…read moreprofessional and friendly and makes the event as pleasant as possible. He is easy to work with and very accommodating. We will sail with him again.

We did a daytime private charter on the Chicago Motor Yacht for a bachelorette party and the…read moreexperience was perfect. The staff was very attentive and the yacht amenities were wonderful. I would highly recommend this company! Booking with Chicago Motor Yachts is so seamless and Grace is very helpful.

Wanted to leave a review even though we weren't able to venture out due to inclemate weather. I…read moreappreciated how easy it was to get all the info I needed leading up to the trip with Grace. Also, I had to make some changes to the plans and they were very quick to assist me in transferring the reservation to a delegate. Overall, giving a high rating for the ease of booking, the assistance in answering all my questions, and also the expedient processing of the deposit reimbursement due to poor weather. Hope to actually go on a boat ride on a future visit if the weather cooperates!