Jet Ski Rentals

Jet ski rentals run on tight turnarounds: rentals go out back to back, every rider needs a signed waiver, every group needs a card on file for damage, and the dock line can't stall while staff chase paperwork. This guide shows how to set Resytech up for a personal watercraft (PWC) rental operation, from the fleet to the check-in line.

Setting Up Your Fleet

One Activity, One Fleet

Jet skis are usually interchangeable from a rules perspective: same hours, same rental lengths, same pricing. That makes them a natural fit for one activity with one or more equipment items.

If one model rents differently (a premium three-seater at a higher rate with a longer briefing, for example), give it its own activity. See Activities & Equipment for the general rule.

Activity Type

Use Equipment Rental. Customers pick a rental length and a time slot, and each length has its own price:

The buffer blocks time after each rental for refueling, a walk-around inspection, and staging the ski for the next group. Size it for your slowest turnaround, not your fastest.

Equipment Configuration

Go to Resources > Equipment and create each model:

• Quantity -- how many of that model you rent
• Capacity -- maximum riders per ski (often 2 or 3)
• Default occupancy -- riders each ski carries by default, used for seat calculations
• Custom properties -- seats, horsepower, model year, fuel included
• Add-ons -- extra life jackets, waterproof phone pouches, GoPro mounts, fuel packages

Leave Exclusive Across Activities disabled for interchangeable skis. On the activity's General tab, set Equipment Type Limit to 0 (unlimited) and enable Allow Equipment Mixing if a group might book a WaveRunner and a Spark together.

Tracking Individual Skis

Quantity drives availability on its own, but most PWC operators also want to know which ski a customer rode. Register each ski as an equipment instance with a name ("Ski #7") and its hull identification number in the serial field. Instances let you:

• Assign specific skis to a booking at check-in
• File incident and inspection reports against a single ski
• Mark a ski out of service when it's in the shop, which lowers bookable availability by one until it's back

Relevant docs:

• Activities & Equipment
• Add Equipment
• Add an Instance
• Equipment Instances

Scheduling and Pricing

• Year Round date mode with blackout dates for the off-season, maintenance days, and weather closures
• Time Slots every hour (e.g., 9 AM to 6 PM) for rentals
• Early cutoff if you need prep time before each slot (e.g., 30 minutes)
• Pricing modifiers for weekends, holidays, and peak summer dates
• Demand-based pricing if you want rates to rise as a time slot fills

Relevant docs:

• Configure Scheduling
• Set Up Pricing

Waivers for Every Rider

Every rider, including passengers, should sign. Create your waiver under Resources > Waivers and link it to the rental activity.

• Include your liability release, operating rules, a swim acknowledgment, and the age rules for drivers and passengers
• Add a guardian signature section so parents sign for minors
• If your state requires a boater education card for PWC operators, add a required custom field for the card number on the activity
• Send waiver links in the confirmation email so groups sign before they arrive, and send the link by text to anyone who arrives unsigned

Each guest signs on their own phone, so a group of eight signs at once instead of one at a time.

Relevant docs:

• Create a Waiver
• Link Waivers to Activities
• Send Waivers to Customers

Damage Holds and Payments

• Damage holds -- place an authorization hold on the customer's card, then capture it if there's damage or release it when the ski comes back clean. Holds expire after about 7 days, so settle them the same day.
• Online payments through your own Stripe account
• In-person payments at the dock with Stripe Terminal readers (Company Settings > Card Readers)
• Fees for fuel surcharges or damage waivers under Resources > Taxes & Fees
• Point of Sale for sunscreen, drinks, and gear at the rental desk

Relevant docs:

• Create a Down Payment
• Accept In-Person Payments
• Configure Taxes and Fees

A Check-In Flow for the Dock

Multi-stage check-in turns your dock routine into stages with requirements, so no ski leaves before the paperwork and hold are done. A typical jet ski flow:

Configure it on the activity's Settings → Check-in, and enable Equipment assignment so staff assign specific skis in the Equipment stage. The activity's Check-in board shows every rental group for the day, which stage each booking is in, and what is blocking it.

Relevant docs:

• Set Up a Multi-Stage Check-In
• Check-In
• Activity Schedule & Check-In Board

Calls, Texts, and Reminders

Busy docks get the same questions all day. These tools take pressure off the front desk:

• Booking reminders and workflows -- send reminders by email or text. A workflow can be as specific as "weekends only, two hours before each rental", which is where late arrivals hurt back-to-back schedules most.
• SMS Inbox -- customer texts land in one shared inbox in the dashboard, so any teammate can answer.
• Incoming Call Router -- callers whose number matches an upcoming booking go to your Retell AI voice agent; everyone else rings a person.
• Broadcasts -- when weather closes the water, email or text every customer booked that day at once.

The SMS Inbox, Call Router, and text broadcasts use your connected Twilio number.

Guided Jet Ski Tours

If you also run guided rides, create a separate Tour activity and assign it part of the fleet (for example, 4 of your 20 skis) so tours always have skis on busy rental days. Add your guides as facilitators under Location > Facilitators, use Specific Times for departures, and set a Guest Limit on the Manifest tab.

Relevant docs:

• Assign Equipment to Activities
• Manage Facilitators

Getting Started

1. Initial Setup: company profile, timezone, and Stripe
2. Adding Locations: your dock or marina, hours, and blackout dates
3. Activities & Equipment: structure your fleet
4. Your First Activity: create the rental with durations and pricing
5. Checkout Setup: brand your booking page
6. Go Live: pre-launch checklist and website embedding

Still evaluating? The jet ski rental software overview on resytech.com covers the highlights and the Next Wave Watersports story, or book a demo to see it set up for your fleet.