What's Up Watersports - Lake Norman

My wife and I, both originally from Charlotte, NC, recently decided to spend a relaxing afternoon enjoying the peaceful side of Lake Norman. After looking around at several water sports rental spots, we came across What’s Up Watersports, located on the quieter northern end of the lake at Long Island Marina in Catawba, NC. I’m so glad we did. This place is a gem—owned and operated by Jeb and Irene, who are some of the most communicative and helpful business owners I’ve come across in a long time. Even though they run the place, they’re incredibly hands-on and responsive. When I reached out to Jeb with a question about kayak routes, he didn’t just point me to a website—he sent me a satellite image with a dotted recommended path and tips for the best island to stop at for lunch. That level of personal service goes a long way. When we arrived, two young team members—one of them named Justin—greeted us with big smiles and were equally helpful. Justin even helped us get our kayaks into the water and bags on once we were in, which made the whole experience even smoother. The launch location is absolutely beautiful. It’s tucked away from the busier, more commercialized areas of Lake Norman, which means the water is calmer (flatter - less wake) and the scenery feels more natural and relaxing. Their gear is top-notch, too—clean, modern, and well-maintained. You can really tell they take pride in what they do. There were also plenty of photos and videos online that gave us confidence we were choosing a premium spot. We spent two hours kayaking along the route Jeb suggested, making our way to a little island in the middle of the lake where we stopped for lunch. It was exactly the kind of peaceful, recharging experience we were hoping for. If you’re looking to get out on the water—whether it’s for kayaking, paddleboarding, or even renting jet skis or pontoons—I can’t recommend What’s Up Watersports enough. Jeb, Irene, and their team made our experience easy, enjoyable, and memorable. We’ll absolutely be back.

This is the best place to rent a boat on the lake. From the moment I requested information to the time we handed the boat back to Jed this was a first class laid back fun experience. Here are some things we liked: - The Pre-paper work was sent ahead of time and easy to fill out on line. - Jed was helpful in picking the perfect boat for us. - When we arrived it took less than 15 minutes to go through everything before we were on our way. - The boat was IMMACULATELY clean and new looking. My husband even commented because other rentals we have had on the lake were junk. The engine ran beautifully, the stereo (most important part when you are just cruising the lake) ROCKED! - The boat handled like a dream If you are not familiar with the area this location is the farthest north on the Catawba River section. This is the area that is much calmer water for tubing as well as fishing. If you want to see the entire lake this is the best place to start. Rent a boat for the day, pack a lunch or stop along the way at The Blue Parrot and enjoy!

Jed and Irene were great .we rented 5 kayaks from them and had them delivered to the smaller lake in Davidson . they were quick to respond to my text questions and were on time for delivery and pickup. Good prices comparable to area , but when you get great service price doesn't matter . my security deposit was refunded immediately after rental no bs. As for the guy with the paperwork issues , buddy this is a business with liability insurance you can't just give someone the keys to a jet ski and say good luck. I would definitely recommend this company for rentals.

Rented a jet ski, pricing fair and service excellent. They delivered unit to dock and picked up from dock. Very knowledgeable and informative. Equipment in good shape. Recommend renting from.

This was our second time renting Jetskis with What’s Up Watersports! Jed was so friendly and helpful. We had such a great experience and will 100% come back again. Highly recommend this business to anyone interested!!