STOCKTON, Calif. — With a slight breeze sweeping over the waters of the McLeod Lake in downtown Stockton and a bright orange umbrella blocking the sun, avid boater Brent Jensen departed the Stockton Downtown Marina on a much smaller watercraft than usual Friday.
"Simple, fun and easy," said Jensen before he boarded the eight-foot boat. "These are a lot of fun, they are electric, they are very easy to operate and extraordinarily safe."
Friday marked the first official day of operation for Coconut Boat Rentals. As the company's general manager, Jensen took the first trip of the day on one of the rental service's two mini boats.
The boats, equipped with a picnic table, an umbrella, Bluetooth speakers, ice, bottled water and life jackets, are now available for rent on weekends by the hour.
With a speed limit of just five miles per hour, trips on the boats are meant to let people soak in the sights of downtown.
"These things are awesome for birthday parties, anniversaries or just to go tootle around in the evening," said Jensen. "You can see the ballpark and the arena... You can make it all the way to the freeway and see some of those neat, old buildings down there where they built World War II vessels."
According to Visit Stockton, the boat rental service will be a first-of-its-kind for downtown Stockton's waterfront.
"I think just getting people out on the water is cool because not everyone can afford a big boat," said Jensen. "I look at it as an opportunity for people to get out on the water-- anyone and everyone -- and then also being a kind of a new piece to Stockton."
With Stockton's city hall expected to move in next door to the marina and a floating maritime museum also planning to take up space on the waterfront soon, Jensen says his business is looking for longevity and has plans for expansion, including by partnering with other area businesses next summer.
"I want people to realize that this isn't a flash in the pan. We don't plan on just being here for a year and then saying goodbye," said Jensen. "We want to be that local connection; we want to support and hopefully be supported."
For now, Jensen is hoping for more friendly waters and friendly visitors on downtown Stockton's McLeod Lake.
"We specifically chose this area in Stockton because we wanted to be part of the community. We kind of wanted to be part of the freshening up of this area," said Jensen. "Like everything else, we want to be a profitable business, but I think more than anything, it's just the fun factor. It's getting people on the water, but it's getting people on the water differently."
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