Electric boat rental new at Batavia Depot Pond

BATAVIA – A new way to navigate the Fox River has launched in Batavia with the arrival of Cruisin' Waves electric boats, offering an easy and ecologically friendly experience on the water.

Owner Michael Preston of North Aurora has teamed with the Batavia Park District to offer the rentals at the site of the district's paddleboat rides available evenings and weekends.

He said the Go-Float vessels are as comfortable as a recliner. The trolling motor turns on with a touch, and the craft runs on the same long-term battery as a wheelchair, achieving speeds of 3 to 4 miles per hour.

Preston has equipped the boats with a speaker system on board, so people can bring along a music device and travel along to their favorite tunes. Because the boat is battery-operated, the music won't have to compete with a noisy engine.

"There's no motor noise and no [fuel] to foul up the water or wildlife," Preston said. "It's user-friendly and does no harm to the environment."

His wife, Greta, co-owner in the business, originally pointed out Go-Float models at the 2013 boat show in Chicago, and initially he was skeptical about their size. Now a convert, he compares them to the time-travel tardis of iconic English sci-fi hero Dr. Who for being deceptively roomy on the inside.

He trailers in the 175-pound boats and notes they are stored perpendicularly with wheels at the base to provide mobility for storage. Manufactured in Minnesota by Go-Float Electric Boats, they are fully charged after four to five hours using a regular three-pronged outlet, and will run for about the same period of time. Each boat will carry 500 pounds.

"I'm originally from Chicago," Preston said. "My summers as a [youth], I would always ride my bike from home on the west side 7 miles down to the lakefront. I would just sit on the edge of the water and watch all the boats go by."

That yearning gave impetus to letting Go-Float boats provide people watercraft fun without the usual expense involved.

"I wanted to bring something special and different to Batavia and the Fox Valley – something exciting," he said. "The people with the chamber of commerce have been so welcoming."

While currently the river is too low for the electric boats to operate, as soon as the water rises, Cruisin' Waves plans to be back in action.

If you go

What: Electric boat rental through Cruisin' Waves and Batavia Park District

Where: Batavia Depot Pond in downtown Batavia

When: 5 to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with last boat out a half hour earlier

Cost: $20 for 30 minutes

Info: One must be 18 to rent an electric boat, and life vests are provided; check facebook.com/cruisinwaves to determine whether the river level is high enough to launch the boats. Visit cruisinwaves.com or call 630-340-7239 to learn more. For latest updates, go to facebook.com/cruisinwaves.