We celebrate many occasions aboard the Bonnie Lee. Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, graduation even burial at sea via ash scattering, we can host your special event for up to 6 passengers.

When it comes to decorating, it’s not uncommon for decorations to come loose and end up in the oceans. We adhere to strict garbage and pollution protocols and take this matter seriously. For this reason we do not allow any balloons (latex or mylar) to be utilized in any decorating theme. More often than not, Captain Matt plucks these items from other vessels who lost them which pose a serious issue to the abundance of sea life in the area. Dolphin, Manatee, Sea Turtles and Birds are at the highest risks, to name a few.

We would ask that every attempt to use biodegradable decorations be made including paper decorations and fresh flowers. Affixing items to the boat needs special care to not cause any damage to the vessel surfaces. So no duct tape, strong adhesives or bare metal wire.

We do provide quite a bit of leeway in decorations so long as it does not interfere with the Captain’s view or any safety equipment on board such as navigation lights, electronic equipment or safety gear.

The number one basic rule we have: If it comes on the boat, it must come off the boat at the end of the trip and may not end up in the water or leave behind any residual adhesive, residue, scratches or damage to the boat. Failure to adhere to this basic rule will result in complete forfeiture of the $250 damage deposit.

Smoking or any open flame is prohibited on board or once inside the marina gates. Battery operated vaping devices are permitted. All products containing THC are strictly prohibited under Federal Law

Person(s) that appear to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be permitted to board the vessel. If an illegal drug is found on board or is in the possession of any individual(s), this includes all products containing THC, prescribed or otherwise, or the captain determines that any individual(s) are unstable due to excessive drinking, the trip will immediately be terminated without refund.

The Bonnie Lee is an Uninspected Passenger Vessel (UPV) limited to up to 6 passengers, the captain and one additional crew member.

If doing any fishing during your trip, we may have to limit the number of “active fishermen” to 4 for the most enjoyable experience. We can still take 6 passengers and you can trade off/take turns for who is actively fishing. This is due to the currents and space on the boat. Nobody likes losing fishing time untangling lines.

*Absolutely! We encourage families to bring their children on cruising trips. When booking, if you intend to bring your children, let us know ages and weight so we can provision the vessel with the correct safety gear.

By law, children under 6 years old must wear a life vest at all times while underway and is strongly encouraged for children who are 12 and younger, especially if they can not swim. We carry the legally required Type 1 vests for children (under 90lbs) as well as for infants. They aren’t ,designed for comfort and frankly are indeed uncomfortable to wear for any length of time so if you have your own preferred vest that is USCG-approved, in good, serviceable condition, you may bring that along. If you do not have one, there are several retailers nearby the marina that carry them.

​*While they are welcome aboard, it is not advised to bring your children under 4 years old. They may not enjoy the trip as much as their older siblings or parents, especially when any person under 6 must have a life jacket on at all times.

Also, the Bonnie Lee is equipped with wireless Man Overboard, wearable fobs. We currently offer up to 2 passenger fobs to give you peace of mind while on the water. (Lost fobs subject to $125 charge against damage deposit).

The 1st Mate system is the industry’s first engine-integrated intelligent hub and wearable device that integrates with marine propulsion systems to provide safety alerts and information. It adds another layer of boating safety by notifying a boat’s captain or its passengers if someone has fallen.

Yes, children or infants count toward the 6 passenger limit.

The Bonnie Lee is powered by twin 200hp, Mercury Verado Outboards with a maximum boat speed of 49mph. However, in nearly all cases, the boat will not exceed 35mph and generally cruises between 25-32mph while on plane for optimal performance and comfort to guests. Of course, speed is always regulated by either speed zones or by conditions while underway.

The Bonnie Lee is equipped with a flushing head located under the console for emergency use. To access, this does require making 2 steps down, in reverse, through a narrow door but once inside provides 6 feet of headroom and ample space to change as well. There is no sink in the head compartment but a handwash sink is available topside.

Only provided toilet tissue is allowed to be flushed. Everything else must go into waste bin for disposal shoreside. Flushing anything other than the provided toilet tissue will automatically result in loss of damage deposit.

One of the top reasons for being charged against your damage deposit, is flushing non-approved materials into the toilet/holding tank, extra cleaning/sanitizing beyond normal use and damage to fixtures.

The Bonnie Lee meets or exceeds all safety gear requirements for a vessel of this size.

1. Wireless Man Overboard Protection: 1x Captain FOB – Shuts motors off, sends distress signal in event Captain goes overboard. 2x Passenger FOB – Alerts Captain or shared users of a Man Overboard, marks location of MOB event on chart plotter and cell phone(s). (exceeds USCG regulation/not required)
2. Type I offshore vests for all passengers. (8x Adult, 2x Child, 2 Infant). Each equipped with water activated safety strobe and whistle (meets regulation)
3. Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon( EPIRB), captain wears Personal Locating Beacon (PLB) (exceeds USCG regulation/not required under 100 gross tons)
4. 20″ Throwable Life Ring Buoy and Heaving Line (exceeds USCG regulation/not required under 26ft)
5. Lifesaving Throw Line (exceeds USCG regulation/not required)
6. Basic First Aid Kit (meets USCG regulations)
7. Visual Distress Signals, VDS (quantity and type exceed USCG regulations)
8. Fixed mount and handheld Marine VHF radios with DSC, both with stand alone GPS(exceeds USCG regulation/not required under 65.6ft)
9. Radio Station License (Ship Station License) for better accuracy if distress button is activated (exceeds USCG regulation/not required)
10. 2x Fire Extinguisher (exceeds USCG regulation)
11. Radar with collision alarm (exceeds USCG regulation/not required)
12. Sound making device (whistle and horn) (exceeds USCG regulation)
13. Kill Switch Lanyard (meets USCG regulation)
14. Navigation Lights (meets USCG regulation)
15. Two Chart plotters with independent GPS antennas for redundancy (exceeds USCG regulation/not required)
16. Publications: Paper Charts, U.S Coast Pilot, Light List, Tide/Current tables, Navigation Rules (meets regulation)

Not Required, Not Equipped

1. Life raft

The Bonnie Lee is a Boston Whaler 250 Outrage, 24.5ft. Boston Whaler prides itself in being an “Unsinkable Legend” and as a result, is one of the safest vessels on the water today. Due to the construction, every area of the hull is foam injected providing maximum buoyancy. Even if you cut the boat in half with a chainsaw, pulled the drain plugs and swamped the vessel or overloaded the boat, it will not sink. The Bonnie Lee has a rated capacity of 12 persons, though licensing only allows for 6 or fewer passengers under commercial use. With a maximum weight capacity of 3642 pound, and a swamped capacity of 2,980 pounds, while under commercial use, she will be way under any maximum limits and can handle just about any weather condition you throw her way.

Short answer: No

All guests should be physically fit to ride on a boat and will not hold Sandhill Charters, its employees, agents or other associated persons responsible if injured as a result of any problems (medical, accidental or otherwise) which may occur while chartering the vessel or otherwise participating in the trip.

All guests should be able to step up onto and step down into the vessel from a floating or fixed dock, with or without assistance from captain or crew. There are 2 steps and a narrow entry into the head compartment requiring reverse entry to use the facility. In the extremely rare chance an abandon ship order is given, guests should be able to place a life jacket over their heads, secure the straps and exit the vessel into the water for rescue.

Due to the size and layout of this vessel, we can not safely transport or secure any wheelchairs or scooters.

If available to do so and scheduling permits, prior to booking, please reach out to our Captain to arrange a “trial run”. When able, he will meet you at the dock to see if you are able to enter/exit the vessel or otherwise be comfortable while on board and give a full tour of the vessel while you are there. Your comfort and safety is our top priority. Rest assured, if for some reason the trip can not begin due to physical limitations or handicaps, we will offer you a full refund as a courtesy.

It happens to the best of us and even the most seasoned people have been known to suffer the effects on bad days. Please bring your own motion sickness medication and follow package direction.

We can not offer any medical advice or administer any medications so please consult with your medical provider if you are prone to motion sickness.

Please note if you request to return to the dock due to motion sickness, there are no refunds provided for ending the trip early. However, we will make every attempt to avoid this situation entirely. Generally, motion sickness is extremely rare while on ICW cruise/sightseeing trips. While fishing, motion sickness is more common but we typically do not venture offshore when condition peek 3-4ft for this reason. We don’t charge extra if you chum the water 🙂

What does Captain Matt use?

On the rare occasions, Captain Matt has gotten seasick on particularly rough days our guests will never see, He has seen good results with himself in eating a Green Apple believe it or not. But if something over the counter is needed Bonine seems to be a good choice as it doesn’t make you drowsy like Dramamine.

Any OTC motion sickness medication should be taken about 30-60 minutes before departing the dock. Avoid alcohol the night before and while on the water, a snack on the stomach does help and stay very hydrated. Alcohol, heat, dehydration, rough seas or going below deck are all big contributing factors to sea sickness.

Every person is different and has different medical needs so be sure to speak to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to tailor a remedy specific to you.

It all starts with a good nights rest and a healthy diet will help a lot. Limit your alcohol consumption the day before and the day of the trip and be hydrated well with water. Avoid going below deck if you are prone to motion sickness. The effects of dehydration amplify the effects of motion sickness and often times you don’t feel dehydrated while on the water with the worst effects experienced once back on shore. Drinking at least one bottle of water or electrolyte drink per hour is the minimum Capt Matt consumes to avoid motion sickness and especially dehydration.

There are many natural, over the counter and prescription remedies available and you should consult with your medical provider for what is best for you.

We try to avoid sea conditions where being motion sick is more likely and generally while on the ICW (Intracoastal) this isn’t a common issue to experience.