Aug. 6. By John Johnson. Hiring a boat and captain for a charter on Lake Norman is a great way to see the lake:  You can sit back, let someone else drive the boat, and not worry. Some of the charter captains can provide entertaining tours of Lake Norman with great stories, some of which might be true.

But how do you make sure your charter operator is safe, knowledgeable, and insured?

The Lake Norman Marine Commission (LNMC) requires charter operators to meet these requirements:

You can prevent this…

1. The boat must pass a safety inspection

2. The Captain must hold a US Coast Guard License

3. The charter operator must have suitable insurance for chartering the boat

All charter boats have a sticker issued by the LMNC showing they are currently approved for charters.

Resources

Want a good charter? Click here for the list of LNMC-approved charters. You know you have a licensed captain, a safe boat, and a company that is insured.

Johnson

Beware of illegal charters that are unsafe or may have someone operating the boat that is incompetent.

—John Johnson is a member of the Lake Norman Marine Commission as well as a licensed captain