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The Butler Chain of Lakes
Butler Chain of Lakes boat rental in Windermere, delivered to your private dock. Crystal clear water, celebrity homes and Bird Island, with no trailer to worry about.
Private dock delivery
Seats up to 12
Four hour minimum
Vacation rental friendly
The crown jewel of Central Florida boating
The Butler Chain of Lakes in Windermere is famous for crystal clear water, celebrity homes and Bird Island. We bring the boat straight to your private dock, so all you have to do is step aboard.
Unlike the dark water of many Florida lakes or the St. Johns River, the Butler Chain is spring-fed and clear. That makes boating on the Butler Chain of Lakes perfect for swimming, family pontoon parties and watersports like tubing, all across 11 connected lakes including Lake Butler, Lake Tibet and Lake Sheen.
Staying at a lakefront Airbnb or VRBO in Windermere or Bay Hill? We are the preferred delivery service for vacationers on the chain. Send us your address and the boat will be waiting at your dock.
Captain Mike’s tip for the Butler Chain
Check your dock before you call to book. On the Butler Chain the handoff has to happen at a private dock or private ramp, so have the address of your vacation rental or lakefront home ready and we will take care of the rest.
Private docks and ramps in Isleworth, Bay Hill or at the Orange County Sportsman’s Club work too.
Where we meet you
We launch the boat, then bring it to your private dock. You just step on board and head out.
R.D. Keene Park is our launch point. You do not need to meet us here, we bring the boat to your dock. View on Google Maps
Meeting point
Your private dock or private ramp on the Butler Chain
Launch point
R.D. Keene Park. We launch here, then drive the boat to you.
Service area
Anywhere with a safe, accessible private dock on any of the 11 connected lakes.
Why the handoff happens at a private dock
Due to Orange County regulations, commercial boat rental transactions are not permitted at the public boat ramps on the Butler Chain. We can launch the boat for you at the ramp, but we must deliver it to a private dock to hand over the keys. You will need access to a private dock or private ramp on the chain, such as one of these:
Vacation rentals
Isleworth
Bay Hill
Orange County Sportsman’s Club
Please confirm you have private dock access before calling to book.
Why rent on the Butler Chain of Lakes?
Bird Island
The most famous sandbar party spot in Orlando. Anchor up, play music and enjoy the water.
Celebrity mansions
Cruise past the former estates of Shaq, Tiger Woods and other stars who have called Windermere home.
Clean, clear water
Spring-fed and clear, which makes it excellent for swimming and tubing.
Dockside delivery
No trailer, no ramp queue. We launch, deliver and pick up for one flat price.
Bring the swimsuits
This is the chain for getting in the water. Anchor at Bird Island and use the swim ladder on the pontoon, or take the Hurricane deck boat and spend the afternoon tubing and skiing behind it. Either way, the spring-fed water is the reason families pick the Butler Chain over the darker lakes.
Boating on the Butler Chain of Lakes
The Butler Chain is widely considered the crown jewel of Central Florida boating, and a boat rental on the Butler Chain of Lakes gives you all 11 connected lakes to explore. Pick your pace: a sandbar party, an afternoon of watersports or a quiet cruise.
Planning your day on the chain
The lakes
We service all 11 connected lakes on the chain, including Lake Butler, Lake Tibet and Lake Sheen.
Sandbar day
Head for Bird Island, anchor up and let the Bluetooth stereo run. The pontoon’s Bimini top keeps the shade over your group while you swim.
Watersports
Tubing and skiing are done on the Hurricane deck boat.
Cruising and fishing
The quiet four-stroke engine makes the pontoon perfect for a slow cruise or a fishing trip. Anyone 16 or older who fishes needs a Florida freshwater fishing license.
Sightseeing on the chain
Windermere has long been home to famous names, and the Butler Chain is where you see it best. Cruise the shoreline past the massive former estates of Shaq, Tiger Woods and other stars, then find a quiet spot on one of the smaller connected lakes to drop anchor.
Love the idea of clear water and a sandbar but staying on the east side of Orlando? Our Lake Conway boat rental in Belle Isle offers spring-fed water and a popular sandbar, also with private dock delivery.
Which boat suits the Butler Chain?
Both boats work well here. If tubing or skiing is on the plan, go with the Hurricane deck boat, since that is the boat we tow from. If your day is more about relaxing at Bird Island, a family pontoon party or a slow cruise past the estates, the pontoon gives you shade and room to spread out.
| Compare | Deck boat “Betty” For watersports | Pontoon “Wilma” |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 20ft Hurricane | 21ft Lowe |
| Seats | 8 to 12 | 8 to 11 |
| Shade | Bimini top | Bimini top |
| Stereo | Kicker Bluetooth | Kicker Bluetooth |
| Engine | 200 HP Mercury | 90 HP Mercury, quiet four-stroke |
| Best for | Tubing, skiing and groups who want to go fast | Bird Island, family parties, cruising and fishing |
| From | $550, four hour minimum | $450, four hour minimum |
See the full spec on both boats
No private dock? Pick a lake with a public meeting point
We would rather tell you that now than after you have booked. Without a private dock or ramp on the chain, we cannot hand the boat over on the Butler Chain. Our Lake Toho boat rentals meet you at the Kissimmee Marina, our Winter Park boat rental meets you at the Fort Maitland Park ramp, and our St. Johns River boat rental meets you at Lake Monroe Park in DeBary.
Who drives, and when we start
Captain Mike, USCG licensed
You drive, so you get the boat’s full capacity: up to 11 on the pontoon and up to 12 on the deck boat, depending on weight.
Captain Mike launches the boat at R.D. Keene Park, brings it to your private dock and walks you through it before you leave: throttle and trim, how to get around the chain, and how to reach him if anything comes up. Never driven a pontoon before? That is most of our customers, and the walkthrough is built for them.
On the water with Boats To You
Rates and booking
We bring the boat to your dock for one flat price. The pontoon starts at $450 and the deck boat at $550 for a four hour minimum, then $50 an hour after that. Fuel and Florida sales tax are already in the number. For premium delivery directly to your dock on the Butler Chain, a one-time $50 valet fee applies.
Staying at a lakefront rental for the week? Multi-day rentals start at $275 a day, and we can leave the boat at your dock for the whole trip. Full rates are on the pricing page.
Butler Chain questions we get asked
Can you meet us at a public boat ramp on the Butler Chain?
No. Orange County regulations do not permit commercial boat rental transactions at the public ramps on the chain. We launch the boat at R.D. Keene Park, then deliver it to your private dock or private ramp for the handoff.
What counts as a private dock?
Any safe, accessible private dock or private ramp on the chain. That includes lakefront vacation rentals like Airbnb or VRBO homes, Isleworth, Bay Hill and the Orange County Sportsman’s Club.
Which lakes can we explore?
We service all 11 connected lakes on the Butler Chain, including Lake Butler, Lake Tibet and Lake Sheen, so you can cruise the chain and stop at Bird Island along the way.
Can we swim and go tubing?
Yes. The Butler Chain is spring-fed and clear, which makes it excellent for swimming and tubing. Tubing and skiing are done on the Hurricane deck boat, so book that one if watersports are part of your day.
Are life jackets on the boat?
Yes, a Coast Guard approved jacket for every seat, sized for adults and kids. Florida law says children under six wear theirs the whole time the boat is moving, so tell us how many little ones are coming when you book and we will have the right sizes aboard.
Is there a bathroom on the boat?
No, neither boat has a head. Since the boat is delivered to your dock, plan a quick run back to your rental or home mid-day if you are out for a long day with kids.
Can we bring our dog?
Well behaved dogs are welcome.
What happens if it storms?
Central Florida gets short, hard afternoon storms in summer, and lightning means everyone comes off the water. We try to look at the weather the night before and make the call then. If you lose an hour or so, we can work something out.
Other lakes we deliver to
The Butler Chain is our clear-water, private-dock chain. If you do not have a dock on the chain, or your group wants a different kind of day, one of these may be the better fit, and the same flat rate applies. We deliver to 11 lakes and chains in total. Lake Brantley and the Harris Chain are call-only.
See every Orlando lake we deliver to.
Pontoon from
$450
Four hour minimum, then $50 an hour
Deck boat from
$550
Multi-day from
$275 a day
Meeting point
Your private dock
Capacity
8 to 12
Fuel and Florida sales tax are in the price. A $50 private dock valet fee applies.
Book your boat
Fastest way is a text. Tell me your date, your dock address on the Butler Chain, and how many people. I reply the same day, usually within the hour.
Prefer email? The form works too.
Captain Mike