Take the Craig Cat for a two-hour spin from 1220 W Le Moyne St to see Goose Island, Wolf Point, and the Chicago skyline from a nimble hybrid catamaran. Beginner-friendly and fast, this rental turns a skyline tour into an active downtown adventure.
Take the Craig Cat for a two-hour spin from 1220 W Le Moyne St to see Goose Island, Wolf Point, and the Chicago skyline from a nimble hybrid catamaran. Beginner-friendly and fast, this rental turns a skyline tour into an active downtown adventure.
Book with Kayak Chicago
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Kayak Chicago · Chicago, Illinois
Launch from 1220 W Le Moyne St in Chicago and cut a clean line across the city's waterways aboard the Craig Cat, a compact hybrid power catamaran that feels like a cross between a boat, a jet‑ski, and a go‑kart. This two-hour E‑Boat Rental from E-Boat Rental is built for first-timers and small crews: the craft seats two, responds with sporty agility, and opens a route through neighborhoods that read like a living architecture tour. The route threads Goose Island, the Wild Mile, and the river confluence at Wolf Point before peeling out onto vistas of Lake Shore Drive, the South Loop, and the neon edges of Chinatown. You’ll glide under historic bascule bridges and alongside limestone and steel facades that chart Chicago’s industrial rise. The Craig Cat’s shallow draft and twin hulls make hidden river cutbacks and narrow channels accessible—places larger boats can’t reach—so every bend delivers a fresh skyline angle. What makes this rental special is the boat itself: a high-performance compact power catamaran designed for instinctive handling and instant fun. Its hybrid character—stable like a catamaran, quick like a personal watercraft—lets novices feel confident while still tasting real speed. The operator’s check-in and safety orientation, required 15 minutes before launch, ensures you know throttle, turning, stopping, and shallow-water etiquette before you push off. Families and first-time boaters will appreciate the low learning curve and the on-water vantage of sculptures, the loop of the Riverwalk, and the complex of lifting bridges. Photographers can time a run for evening light when glass towers pick up sunset hues; urban naturalists might spot double-crested cormorants poking from pilings or river trout flashes in clearer falls. You can plan to round corners at Wolf Point for one of the best uninterrupted skyline profiles facing west. Practical notes: rentals are two hours long; renters must be 21+ (16+ with a license to operate) and return to the office for staff checkout so the company knows you’re off the water. Wear non-slip shoes, bring layered wind protection, and file waivers from your confirmation email before arrival to save time. E-Boat Rental’s Craig Cat runs a compact, high-energy loop that reframes Chicago’s famous waterfront as an active playground. It’s fast enough to satisfy a need for speed, simple enough to let beginners steer, and specific to Chicago—an urban boating option that opens the city’s industrial edges and architectural icons from a unique, immediate vantage. Local staff maintain each Craig Cat to high safety standards, perform quick briefings, and handle fuel and charging between rentals; the launch at 1220 W Le Moyne St is a short walk from public transit and bike routes, so this rental slots neatly into a downtown day of theater, riverwalk exploration.
easy.
2 hours.
Light activity level—able to step on and off a small boat, handle brief periods of standing and leaning.
Renters must be 21 or older to operate; ages 16+ may operate with a valid license. All ages may ride as passengers.
Standard bookings are two hours long as listed in the trip description.
Check in at the office at 1220 W Le Moyne St; arrive 15 minutes early for orientation and safety briefing.
No prior experience is required—staff provide a hands-on orientation covering throttle, turning, and safety procedures.
Yes—secure devices in a dry bag or use wrist straps; polarized lenses help with reflections during skyline shots.
Cancellation details are provided at booking; seasonal weather can force schedule changes so confirm policies when you reserve.
The Chicago River was famously engineered and reversed around 1900 to protect Lake Michigan, shaping the city’s waterways and industrial corridors.
Keep fuel off the water, stow trash, and avoid harassing wildlife; small-boat etiquette helps protect river habitat and urban shoreline.
Ages 21+ to rent • Ages 16+ w/ License to operate • Seats 2 People
Book with Kayak Chicago