Business ProfileforLakeside Fun Rentals

I am so, so disappointed. Renters beware! I am sad to leave my first-ever negative review, but your life and health might depend on this one. After renting the “top of the line” 2007 tritoon from Lakeside Fun Rentals August 2024, along with a tube/rope for a day of family fun on the lake, we were horrified by the lack of cleanliness and upkeep on the boat, the musty/moldy (and not close to sufficient for the listed passenger count) life jackets, and the lack of a safety flag— which the company said was unnecessary because it was "not legally required in the state of South Dakota". With no way to get our money back for the full day's rental at that point, we decided to make the best of it. My husband is someone whose professions leads him to see the outcomes of emergencies regularly and is one of the most overly cautious folks you will ever meet . In spite of all safety measures imaginable in place, after a few short hours on this boat, our 17-year-old son was nearly taken out by the metal piece of the boat which holds the rope to the boat careening back at him, nearly missing his head. This mechanical disaster obviously cut our day at the lake short. It took the owner 19 days to reply to our concerns. He insisted that the mechanical error was due to negligence on our part and that no remedy would be offered and that he planned to keep our entire $500 deposit in addition to the full day rental fees. The owner was disrespectful, dismissive and unfortunately exactly what you would expect from the owner of the company whose boat nearly did a great deal of harm, or worse, to someone we love. PLEASE beware and spread the word when considering supporting this business. We hope this warning will help others avoid a similar or much worse outcome and also that it might encourage the company ownership to do better for their customers and community going forward.