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Mission Bay Sportcenter
Your gateway to water adventures on Mission Bay with kayak, paddle board, and sailboat rentals.
2.6(5 reviews)
home-services
$$
Your gateway to water adventures on Mission Bay with kayak, paddle board, and sailboat rentals.
Mission Bay Sportcenter provides watercraft rentals and activities on Mission Bay in San Diego. Customers can rent kayaks, paddle boards, sailboats, and jet skis for recreational use on the bay. The business offers summer water camps for children and sailing lessons. Reviews mention experiences with both helpful staff and occasional service issues, highlighting the importance of clear communication regarding rental policies and operating hours.
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Hourly rentals of single and tandem kayaks for exploring Mission Bay.
Powerful jet skis available for rent with safety instructions and guided areas.
Stand-up paddleboards for a relaxing or active experience on the water.
Sailboats for rent, including Hobie Cats, with optional lessons for beginners.
Educational and fun camps for kids to learn water sports and safety.
Professional instruction for sailing, from basics to advanced techniques.
Extremely Disappointing Experience - Poor Management and Rude Staff I had two terrible experiences with Mission Bay Sports Center that I feel compelled to share. Day 1: We booked a 9 AM sail and were instructed to arrive 45 minutes early. We showed up at 8:15 AM as requested and waited until 10:30 AM - over 2 hours - with no communication. We called multiple times, but no one answered. We eventually left without sailing. The next day, we received an email saying there was a “system glitch” and no sail had been planned for that day. No apology, no proactive communication while we waited. Day 2: We returned to book in person, hoping for a better experience. We arrived at 3:30 PM, and the staff member at the ticketing counter made my 5-year-old and me wait for 40 minutes while he attended to every other guest - people checking in, checking out, everyone but us. He was fully aware that the wind dies down at 4 PM, making sailing difficult. When he finally got to us, he was incredibly rude, mentioning a $75 recovery fee for the Hobie Cat and stating he “cannot push or help” bring the boat back to the beach. The combination of poor management, zero communication, and genuinely rude staff makes this place impossible to recommend. If you’re planning to sail with kids, save yourself the frustration and go elsewhere.
After I already paid for the premium jetski package, the manager asked to finger me in the stalls to verify my credit score. I politely refused and in his anger, he forcefully removed my bowel contents on the sidewalk. The front staff refused to give me a refund after the procedure was complete. I had to fight with the bank to receive my money back. This whole process took two weeks and my dog passed away since I didn't have money to feed him.
I booked a jet ski rental online and ran into a few things I wish had been mentioned ahead of time. The website doesn’t say that you can’t take a jet ski into the ocean, but when you arrive and sign the waiver, it states there’s a $150 fine if you do. That’s important information that should be clear before booking. The check-in instructions were also confusing. My rental was at 9:00 a.m., and the email said to arrive 45 minutes early. I showed up at 8:15, but the place didn’t open until 8:50. No reason to be there that early if no one’s around. Once you’re out on the water, you’re basically limited to two separate areas where you can actually ride at speed. Everything else is a no-wake zone, which makes it pretty boring unless you’ve never been on a jet ski before. Even then, it’s fun for about 30 minutes, but after that you’re just wondering what to do next. The booking itself was easy, but the lack of clear information and the limited riding area left the whole experience feeling underwhelming. Some simple updates to the website and clearer instructions would make a big difference.
Will and Zach were so professional our boat got stuck in a super difficult spot and they were able to pull us out and rescue us. It was a super windy day and honestly without them I’m not sure how we would made it back safely. Kevin and Jon helped reel us back in and we’re so polite letting us know that sailing maybe be tricky at first but even offered to take us out for a lesson after. Needless to say the entire safe from the ladies who help at the front to the fellas out there manning the boats are an incredible people. Mission bay sports center is an outstanding. Company, you will definitely be seeing us again!!
We like renting their kayaks and paddle boards. Our kids used to take their summer water camps here for years. The owners were so nice to allow the parents to use their extra kayaks and paddle boards for free while our kiddos were in the camps. My friends and I have been customers since. We even rented a sailboat from them once to go around the beautiful bay. We usually go during the week when it is not crowded on the water. Rental is about $25/hr for the tandem kayaks and we usually are on the water for 1-2 hours.
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