A warm summer afternoon is the perfect time to spend on the water in Switzerland. If you are looking for the best things to do in Zug or planning a fun family day trip from Zurich or Lucerne, renting a boat is an excellent idea. We recently discovered Zug Boat Rental, which offers fantastic boat hire options on both Lake Zug (Zugersee) and Lake Aegeri (Ägerisee). Both lakes are located less than an hour’s drive from the major cities. Whether you want to rent a powerful motorboat for water sports or just enjoy a relaxing, slow-paced cruise, they have options for every type of family adventure.
Reviewing the Sunchaser 22 Geneva: The Ultimate Family Pontoon Boat
For our own Lake Zug boat rental adventure, we decided to go big and rented the Sunchaser 22 Geneva. This boat is spacious and comfortably fits up to 11 people, making it perfect if you want to split the cost and share the day with another family like we did. There were plenty of places to sit and relax, and we deeply appreciated the large canopy that provided plenty of shade from the summer sun.
Know Before You Go: Renting the Sunchaser 22 requires a Swiss Boating License (Category A). If you don’t have one, don’t worry! You can easily book a professional skipper through Zug Boat Rental, which is exactly what we did. Booking a skipper was the best decision we made. It allowed all the adults to completely switch off and relax while we cruised around the lake, listening to our favorite summer playlists on the boat’s Bluetooth speaker system.
Water Sports and an Onboard BBQ
The boat is powered by a hefty Yamaha 115Hp engine, meaning it has more than enough power to pull water toys. Zug Boat Rental offers plenty of fun add-ons you can reserve, including:
- Stand-up paddleboards (SUP)
- Snorkel sets with masks
- Wakeboards or waterskis
- An inflatable “banana” boat tube
We selected the banana tube, and it was the absolute highlight of the trip—the kids could not stop laughing and asking for another turn! Life jackets were also readily available on board to keep everyone safe.
Another fantastic feature is the gas BBQ grill mounted on the back of the boat. While the kids were swimming in the crystal-clear water, we were able to grill up some hot dogs right on the lake. The boat came fully equipped with grilling tools and a large cooler box to keep our drinks and supplies ice-cold.
Booking, Arrival, and Alternative Boat Options
- How to Book: We managed our entire reservation online through their website, which was straightforward and quick. While a larger premium boat with a skipper is on the pricier side, sharing the experience and the cost between two families made it incredibly worth it. Having a powerful boat with water sports toys created unforgettable summer memories. Note: The Sunchaser 22 Geneva is exclusively available for rent on Lake Zug
- Length of Cruise: We found that a 3 to 4-hour rental window was the absolute sweet spot. It gave us plenty of time to cruise the lake, enjoy a leisurely grilled lunch, and let everyone have multiple turns on the inflatable banana.
- E-Trinity Option: If you are looking for a more budget-friendly option or don’t want to hire a skipper, look into the E-Trinity electric boats:
- Capacity: Up to 6 people.
- License: No boating license required (anyone 16 or older can drive it).
- Locations: Available on both Lake Zug and Lake Aegeri.
- The Vibe: These boats use a quiet 1kW electric motor. While they aren’t powerful enough to pull an inflatable tube, they are perfect for a peaceful cruise, and you can still rent SUPs or snorkel gear to take out with you.
- Stress-Free Arrival & Pick-Up: One of our favorite parts of the experience was the flexible pick-up arrangements. The staff was incredibly helpful in answering our questions and recommended that we get picked up at Oberwil bei Zug instead of the main Zug harbor. Oberwil was much less crowded for a weekend, which made finding parking less stressful and getting the kids onto the boat much easier.
Final Thoughts: Is a Zug Boat Rental Worth It?
Our family had an absolute blast cruising around Lake Zug. Being able to bring another family along, watching the kids fly across the water on the banana, and cooking lunch right on the lake made for the perfect Swiss summer day. It is easily one of the best ways to beat the heat and relax.
For more of our favorite local swimming spots and outdoor activities, check out our travel guide.