Portsmouth Water Taxi: Captain betting a boat is better than an Uber to get around city
PORTSMOUTH — Mike Comeau is preparing to launch his Portsmouth Water Taxi business in April.
The Dover resident believes his business will be the first of its kind in Portsmouth, and is aimed at zipping people around Portsmouth’s waterfront on a boat rather then in an Uber.
Comeau, who said he earned a Coast Guard master captain's license in 2021, intends to ferry people around the Portsmouth waterfront, Portsmouth Harbor and the Piscataqua River.
What will Portsmouth Water Taxi rides cost?
The boat captain plans to charge adults $15 per one-way ride and kids $10, to take them to destinations around the city and waterfront.
Comeau or “Captain Mike” said in a recent interview he’ll transport people on his boat, and drop them off at “public docks, marinas and restaurants.”
That will include, Comeau said, Prescott Park, Peirce Island, Martingale Wharf, the River House, Wood Island Life Saving Station and a host of other stops.
More: American Cruise Lines plans Portsmouth stops in summer, fall 2024
He said he has extensive experience working on the waters around Portsmouth.
“What I heard from a lot of people is, "Do you guys have a water taxi around here?'” Comeau said. “I used to have to say, 'No.' Then I started thinking, 'Why not have a water taxi in Portsmouth?'”
Comeau spent last summer working for Red Top Boats in Boston, as a captain for the water taxi company there, he said.
“I had a blast. I learned about Boston, Boston Harbor and the Seaport,” Comeau said.
“I was not only inspired to start a water taxi in Portsmouth, but I saw how the business worked, and what the business model was. I told my wife, 'I think now is the time to start a water taxi service in Portsmouth.'
“She was all for it,” he added.
What kind of boat is the Portsmouth Water Taxi?
Comeau bought a used 25-foot Robalo center console, which he transformed from a fishing boat “to a safe and comfortable pleasure boat.”
It features a 300-horsepower Suzuki motor and seats six passengers, Comeau said.
“The engine is new and all the electronics are state-of-the-art,” he said.
In addition to his water taxi service, Comeau plans to offer “scenic cruises and charters.”
“You can get up to six people together. I have a cooler with ice and people (who are of legal age) can bring their own food and booze,” he said. “Then I’m all theirs for two hours.”
It will cost $300 for those services, but Comeau points out if you have a total of six people on board, that's $50 per person.
“Otherwise I’ll be zipping people around quickly,” he said.
People interested in taking a water taxi ride around the waterfront can do so by booking and paying in advance for a ride in advance through the website, he said.
Once the reservation is confirmed, they’ll receive a text confirmation, Comeau said.
Information: portsmouthwatertaxi.com
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth Water Taxi planned in NH Seacoast city
