Electric Boat Co. lets you captain your own party boat

Looking for a fun, affordable way to get out on the water with friends even though you don't have any boating experience — or a boat, for that matter?

From bachelorette parties and birthdays to holiday office gatherings and special anniversaries, the Electric Boat Co. at Lake Union's Yale Street Landing offers boatloads of ways to win serious points for creativity while allowing you to keep your independence and captain your own rented vessel.

At first glance, Electric Boat Co.'s colorful fleet looks like something straight out of Disneyland's Jungle Cruise ride. But step inside one of these electric Duffy boats, take it for a spin, and your head, too, will spin — with endless excuses of how to get out again and again in these clever little crafts.

"The boats are easy to drive so you don't need any boating experience, and they're electric so they are very quiet and environmentally friendly," says director of operations and special events, Lyssa Thompson.

The 21-foot electric Duffy boats can hold up to 12 passengers, and have tables, handy cup holders, CD players, heaters and canopies that can be enclosed to protect you from chilly weather. They can be rented by the hour ($75 per hour, with a two-hour minimum), half-day, full-day, or reserved for organized cruises.

This Duffy boat, named "Ohm of the Huskies" is decorated for an anniversary dinner cruise.

You can make your cruise as simple or as elaborate as you'd like it to be. Hire a captain or be your own boss. Decorate the boat to the nines, or leave it be with its naturally playful appearance. Cater a floating feast, or just bring bread crumbs to feed the water fowl.

Concerned about color? You can request your best match by canopy hue. And if you're superstitious about boat names, you can take your pick from the electrically inspired monikers such as "Watts Up?," "All Charged Up!," "Power Trip" and "Family Joules."

A family-owned business run by Arne Thompson and Tish Verbryke, the Electric Boat Co. switched on the engines in spring of 2004 after a trip to California's Newport Harbor, where, according to Thompson, "Over 1,300 Duffy boats flocked like pigeons in a body of water barely half the size of Lake Union."

The two were warned by many that Seattle may not fly as a market quite like the warm and sunny climes of California, but the owners have found that pre-heating the cabin, carpeting the inside deck and enclosing the boats with plastic zip-up covers keeps people warm and cozy all year long, even in Seattle weather. In fact, the boats have actually become quite a hit here.

"It's a great way to see the city from a different vantage point," says Lyssa Thompson. "And when the rain hits the roof while you're safe and warm under cover, it's the quintessential Seattle experience."

This cozy Lake Union houseboat sits across the water from the famous "Sleepless in Seattle" houseboat.

Looking for ideas for special cruises? Consider the following:

• Ring in the new year and watch the Space Needle's elaborate fireworks display from the water.
• Be the captain of her heart (or his) on a romantic Valentine's Day cruise.
• Make Mom's day with a memorable Mother's Day brunch on the lake
• Pop the question while passing city views at dusk.
• Consider an on-the-water wedding, and cruise off into the sunset.
• Impress out-of-town guests and tour Lake Union's houseboat community from the quaint, floating beach-style bungalows to the decadent, two-story, monster houseboats. (Get directions from the staff and you can also find the famous "Sleepless in Seattle" houseboat.)
• Get the boss to spring for a corporate scavenger hunt (boats compete with each other in search of items like the "giant green frog," which they capture on Polaroid film to prove their findings).
• Hop aboard on the way to a Husky game (the company offers a special water taxi service for $5 roundtrip on game days).

Tailor your experience to whatever wets your whistle. Making a date with an electric boat adds up to an unforgettable Northwest-style experience.

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