Lake Norman boat company featured in Netflix’s “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” and MTV’s “Jersey Shore”
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Carolina Cruising Charters has only been open for one year and has already been featured on two reality TV shows.
Most recently, the local boat company was featured on episode four, season five of Netflix’s “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.”
- Before that, Jersey Shore‘s The Situation, DJ Pauly D and Vinny spent days on the water on one of their boats. The episode featuring Carolina Cruising Charters aired on season 6 of the show.
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Why it matters: National recognition from TV shows helps boost our cool factor. But more importantly, it shows everyone else what we already know: Charlotte’s the place to be.
Zoom out: “Farmer Wants a Wife”, a reality show starring Gastonia farmer Ryan Black, is currently airing on FOX.
- Guenther Steiner, a Haas team principal and Lake Norman resident is a prominent feature in Netflix’s latest season of its docuseries “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.“
- Last summer, Netflix’s “The Ultimatum” and “Love is Blind“ were casting in the Charlotte area.
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Background: Captain Matt Ryan launched the boat company in March 2022. He says most of their customers come from vacation rentals on the lake. Boat season officially started back up on April 1.
How it works: There are currently two Berkshire Tritoon Pontoon boats available to rent.
- One boat holds up to 10 passengers and the other holds up to 13.
- Each one comes with LED lights for sunset cruises and Bluetooth sound systems to control tunes.
- On board, you’ll find karaoke, inflatables, water skis and tubes.
- You can bring your own wine and beer but they ask that you don’t bring hard liquor.
Cost: Rates start at $500 and vary depending on the type of boat and how far you take it.
- Additional fees vary for add-ons, including paddle boards, wakeboards and a custom video reel.
- Of note: Rates do not change based on the number of people on the boat.
Hours: You can ride anywhere from two to eight hours on the boat daily from 9am-10pm.
- Rides can be scheduled over the phone or online.
What’s next: Ryan says they hope to add a 12-person boat to their fleet this season and he’s working on hiring more captains.
Go deeper: 7 boat rentals near Charlotte starting at $255
Editor’s note: This story previously incorrectly identified Guenther Steiner as a Formula 1 driver. He’s the Haas team principal.