Compass did a fantastic job. They gave us a well maintained boat, great suggestions on where to go to enjoy that boat, and we had a great family vacation. Compass is a local family business, they truly care and do a wonderful job.Rich N.Verified Google review
The Family Behind Compass Boat Rentals
John and Kristen Orr own the boats, run the trips, and answer the phone. That is the whole of this family owned boat rental on Anna Maria Island, and it is the reason guests keep using our first names in their reviews.
5.0 stars, 160+ Google reviews
30+ years on this water
Coast Guard licensed captain
Bradenton's Best, three years running
Thirty Years on This Water
How Compass started
John grew up on the water around Anna Maria Island, and after more than thirty years on the Gulf the pull of it finally turned into a business. He and Kristen started Compass in 2022 for a simple reason: the best days of their lives had happened on this water, and they wanted to hand that kind of day to the people who visit it. Everything about how Compass runs, the owner meeting you at the ramp, the boats checked before every trip, the honest advice about where to go on that day's tide, comes straight from that.
Why the fleet stays small
A small fleet is a choice. It is the size where every boat gets looked at before it leaves the dock, where John knows the exact condition of each one, and where the boat you step onto was checked this morning. Guests notice it the second they come aboard, and they say so.
What three decades on the water buys you
Local knowledge is the part of this business that cannot be franchised or faked. Knowing which sandbar is worth the run on a falling tide, which restaurant docks are usable at low water, and where the dolphins have been working that week comes from being out here for more than thirty years. You get all of it in the ten minutes before you leave the dock, and it is usually what turns a good day into the best one of the trip.
John and Kristen Orr, owners and captains
A True Family Business
The two people you deal with
John grew up on the water around Anna Maria Island, and the pull of it eventually turned into a business he and Kristen run together. He maintains the boats, meets you at the boat ramp, and drives them to waterfront homes himself. Book with Compass and you deal with the family that owns it, from the first phone call to the moment you hand the keys back.
A daughter already learning the trade
Their daughter Millie is a fixture on the boats, a water baby learning the family trade before she can spell it. One of the couple's favorite spots on the water is Woody's River Roo on the Manatee River, which happens to be where John first met Kristen and the first place he stopped after proposing to her out on the water. That is the kind of business this is.
The Things You Can Actually Check
A licensed Florida livery operator
Compass holds a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Livery Operator Permit, the license that legally authorizes renting boats in this state. You can look the requirement up yourself. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
A Coast Guard licensed captain
John holds a United States Coast Guard captain's license. These are bareboat rentals, so he is not aboard with you, and it does mean the person briefing you on the boat and the water is credentialed to do it. United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center
A million dollars of coverage on every boat
Every boat in the fleet carries $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage. It is not the detail that sells a day on the water, and it is the detail that matters if something ever goes wrong.
A fleet certified every year
Each boat is Coast Guard certified annually and kept to a standard guests describe as the best-kept boats around. That is not a slogan we picked, it is the phrase that shows up again and again in the reviews.
Bradenton's Best, three years running
Compass has finished in the top three of the Bradenton Herald's Bradenton's Best awards three years in a row, twice in second and once in third. It is a local vote from people who live here and have plenty of other options, which is the kind of recognition that means something.
Everything Comes Loaded and Ready
What is already on the boat
On the boat before you arrive, at no extra charge:
- Cooler, floats, and snorkel gear
- Bluetooth stereo, GPS, and depth finder
- Bimini top for shade, dual anchors, and all Coast Guard safety gear
- Your dog and your fishing gear, on any boat and any trip
You show up, and the day is ready for you. See what is already on the boat for each rental.
Delivered to your dock
For guests staying at a waterfront rental on the island, we bring the boat to the dock, help you tie up, and get you oriented before we go. It is the detail multi-day guests mention most often afterward, and it is rare among operators here.
Two add-ons, priced plainly
There are two optional add-ons and both have a plain price. The fuel-fill service runs $25 plus fuel, so you can hand the boat back without stopping at the pump, and most guests take it. The prop-and-skeg protection is $75, an in-house plan that covers you if the propeller or the fin under the engine gets nicked, which is popular with anyone new to this water.
How We Keep Every Day on the Water Safe
We match the boat to the boater
Not everyone who wants a boat is set up to handle these ones, and part of the job is saying so. If a caller describes experience that does not fit the conditions or the boat, we move them to a more forgiving option or turn the booking down. Turning away a booking is the least fun call in this business, and it is a big part of why the review wall reads the way it does.
We reschedule for bad weather
If the forecast is unsafe on your day, we reschedule you without a rescheduling fee. We will give you the honest odds beforehand, and we will not send anyone out into conditions we would not take our own family into.
The one rule that surprises people
We hold one line firmly: nothing gets towed behind the boat, so tubing and wakeboarding are out. It catches people off guard, and the reason is simple. Putting a person in the water behind a running motor, with a guest at the helm, is a risk we will not take with your family.
What Guests Say
160+ five star Google reviews, and guests keep naming John by his first name in them. That is the part we are proudest of, because it means the day came from a person who cared how it went.
When family came in town last week and wanted to go boating, John at Compass boat was our first call. They made our rental experience so easy and pleasant. Their equipment, professionalism and personnel are stellar!Wayne M.Verified Google review
John is not only a knowledgeable person when it comes to boats, but an all around great human being, who is such a pleasure to talk to!Kerri W.Verified Google review
Where We Are
The meet point
Pickup is at the Kingfish Boat Ramp, 752 Manatee Ave, Holmes Beach, Florida 34217, which puts you on the water within minutes of leaving the dock.
Where we deliver
We deliver across Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, Bradenton, Palmetto, Ellenton, and Sarasota. We keep that range deliberately tight, because a boat that turns up late is worse than one you drove to meet.
Anna Maria IslandHolmes BeachBradenton BeachBradentonPalmettoEllentonSarasota
When we are open
We are open seven days a week, Monday through Sunday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Questions About Us
More common questions are answered in full.
Who actually runs Compass Boat Rentals?
John and Kristen Orr own and run the business themselves. The person who answers your call is the person who hands you the keys.
How long have you been doing this?
Compass opened in 2022, and John has been on this water for more than thirty years.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Compass holds a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Livery Operator Permit, John holds a United States Coast Guard captain's license, and every boat in the fleet carries $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage. Permit and license numbers are available on request.
Do you deliver the boat to us?
Yes. For guests staying at a waterfront rental on Anna Maria Island, we deliver the boat to your dock, help you tie up, and orient you before we head out. Delivery is most popular with multi-day guests.
Do I need a license to rent a boat?
You need a valid driver's license, and Florida requires a boating safety education card for anyone born on or after January 1, 1988. The renter must be 18 or older and the person driving must be 21 or older. If you are not sure whether you qualify, call before you book and we will walk you through it.
Do you offer captained tours?
No. Compass rents boats you drive yourself. Captained tours have been discontinued.
Come Out on the Water With Us
Pick your boat and your hours, and we will have it fueled, loaded, and waiting at the ramp or at your dock. If you would rather talk it through first, call John at (941) 877-0825.