Charleston Harbor Tour: F13 Speed Boat Adventure
4.8
227 Ratings
Charleston
Experience the thrill of driving your own F13 speed boat on a 2-hour tour of Charleston Harbor. See top attractions and learn about the city's history from your guide.
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge - Drive by Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
  • South Carolina Aquarium - Drive by the South Carolina Aquarium.
  • Joe Riley Waterfront Park - Drive by Waterfront Park
  • Battery & White Point Gardens - Drive by on the water.
  • USS Yorktown CV-10 - Drive right by the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier.
  • Patriots Point Links on Charleston Harbor - Drive by Patriot Point Links on Charleston Harbor.
What's Included
  • Fully Guided and Narrated tour
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges included
  • Drive your own F13 mini speedboat
  • US Coast Guard-approved life jacket provided
  • Comprehensive safety orientation
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop off
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
Additional Information

Join us for a thrilling Speed Boat Adventure Tour in Charleston! Get the adrenaline pumping as you helm your own F13 speed boat on a 2-hour journey around the globally recognized Charleston Harbor. Your tour guide will knowledgeably recount details and stories about Charleston as you observe the city from an unparalleled perspective. Covering a 13-mile itinerary, this guided tour includes all the must-see sights and points of interest. You’ll be guided to prime Charleston Harbor features such as the Battery, the USS Yorktown, the Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge, and more! Via the built-in communication system on the boat, your guide will provide information about these landmarks. Remember to take pictures and keep an eye out for indigenous wildlife during your tour. No prior boating knowledge is necessary as you’ll be taught the fundamentals of speedboat operation by your guide before venturing out on the water. You need to be at least 21 years of age to steer the speed boat.

  • Not recommended for people with neck or back problems or a recent surgery to participate. Pregnant women should not participate.
  • Bring a swimsuit in the summer and a jacket in the winter, sandals or flip-flops, towel, sun block, sunglasses
  • The per boat weight limit of 450 lbs (227kgs)
  • No experience or boating license required. You must be 21 years or older to drive the boat. Minimum age is 5 years old.
  • The boats do have a storage compartment so bags can get wet
  • Voucher info: You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Location
Ripley Light Marina
Ashley Point Drive
56 Ashley Point Drive Ripley Light Marina As you turn into the marina, keep driving until you see a large, oval, maroon sign on the left that says “California Dreaming”. Please stay at picnic table and the guide will come get you.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(227 Ratings)
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Markathcoff
Jan 1, 2024
A Must Do! - I gifted this experience to my boyfriend for his Christmas present and we had an absolute blast. Graham was a great guide and made sure we were comfortable before taking off. We enjoyed the freedom we had on the water and would definitely recommend booking! This was an absolute highlight of our New Years trip to Charleston!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kagblackwell
Oct 24, 2023
So much fun - It’s a cool way to experience the Charleston harbor! The tour guide was thoughtful and precise with safety instructions!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Craig_j
Sep 11, 2023
Great day on the water with my sweet wife! - Beautiful day on the water and just fun doing something different in Charleston. Well bringing our kids and their families on the speedboats when they visit in November. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys the outdoors and being on the water.
Review provided by Viator
Christinemm6072om
Aug 10, 2023
Highly Recommend !! - 100% must do! My husband and I went on the speedboats. We are in our late 40’s & early 50’s. Had an amazing time! Graham was an amazing guide. We had 4 boats total on our visit. Graham led the group around the harbor stopping at a few key areas. Commentary was provided over the walkie-talkies. Boat was easy to maneuver. This was the highlight of our trip to Charleston. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amilenkovic
May 26, 2023
A Wonderful and Exciting Experience - My husband surprised me with this speed boat adventure and it was so much fun! Our guide was such a nice guy and it was important to him that we enjoyed ourselves. He kept us on the path of our tour but also gave us the freedom to fly through the ocean at our own pace! We loved every minute of it and also got a little history lesson about some of the near by sights! My only regret was not wearing sunscreen and brining cash to tip our guide he absolutely deserved a tip! 10/10 recommend! Maybe next time we will see some dolphins!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pace76rams
Sep 7, 2022
Fun speedboat adventure in Charleston! - Lots of fun. Very safe but still exciting. Graham, our tour guide was great! The boats were easy to drive and there was always a focus on safety.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christina
Jun 12, 2023
Nice little adventure before Lunch - Graham was great - My husband & I were the only ones signed up for our time slot (11am), and on arrival Graham informed us The harbor was packed & too choppy - We had the choice to reschedule or go down the river instead & we chose the river . From the time we arrived and met Graham to the time we re-docked the boat was 1hr and 15 minutes total. So, for that reason I gave it 4 stars as it was supposed to be a 2hr adventure . It was a nice change for a day date but for $200 for a 1hr tour I feel it was a bit over priced personally -but again may have been out of his control w/ the conditions of the harbor ect. It was nice to get to drive the boat and speed down the waterway ect .. and I would definitely recommend it to friends or anyone coming in town and looking for things to do . Had there been a group of people or had we been able to venture in the harbor I am sure the full 2hrs would have been used - Still a great time & Graham gave lots of freedom on the boat ect. Highly recommend if you're looking for something different to do ! I do think the 9am as others have said is probably the best time slot since its Boat season & packed by 11 for sure .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Flyers2000
Jun 10, 2023
Fun tour - We had fun, didn't get to see the fort. Water was too rough. Tour wasn't two hours, so that was a little disappointing. Also would have like more history when we were stopped. Saw dolphins which was cool.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S649tjmollym
Apr 30, 2023
Rude Tour Guide - Bad experience. Was under the impression that this was a guided speed boat tour that you can be a passenger for. This was incorrect. Under the description it states “…stopping for photo ops and to optionally change drivers.” 4/15/23 11 am: I showed up to dock and spoke with the tour guide. Upon discovering that I was to pilot my own boat, I let the guide know I was uncomfortable with that and asked if there were other options. He questioned how I didn’t know, as “it’s the whole schtik!?” He was inconsiderate and dismissive, telling me to go call the office. The woman I spoke to at the office was polite and understanding. There was no refund which was disappointing, but her positive attitude really helped. I do not recommend this tour, if only due to the rudeness of the tour guide and poorly worded description.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Reisa_w
Aug 28, 2022
Horrible Instructor - The experience itself was a great one. The family that was in my group was super nice. The only reason I am giving this 1 star is because our instructor however, was not so nice. He was not patient and yelled at us. He had no understanding that this was our first time and needed to get the hang of it. He gave a lot of information in the short tutorial that we were expected to remember and excel as professional drivers. That somewhat soured the experience. This tour isn't cheap. I didn't spend that money to be yelled at. The group that came back before we went out looked annoyed and when I went out I understood why.
Review provided by Viator
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