Question 1

What is the Refund Policy?

Accepted Answer

If you cancel 14 days or more before your trip you will receive a refund (Minus NON-REFUNDABLE booking fee and credit card processing fee - typically 10% of your rental). If it's within 14 days we will refund 50% or schedule you for another day.

In the event of bad weather or unsafe conditions, SPR reserves the right to reschedule. Rollins Lake is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and we have had to cancel previous summers due to smoke from nearby fires. This is solely SPR’s decision and will not be canceled until the DAY OF your rental, if you choose not to reschedule you will get a full refund (Minus NON-REFUNDABLE credit card fee).  If there is an state of emergency (wildfire, weather, ect) we will hold a FULL CREDIT for you.  No cash refunds will be given.  These credits can be used for ANY future rental with us.

If AQI (Air Quality Index) is measured DAY OF at 150 AQI we will start canceling rentals unless the groups want to go out. and at 201 AQI we cancel all rentals. We do make these decisions day by day because it can vary 100% each day on what our smoke and weather conditions are.

Partial Refunds
Our weather is extremely VARIABLE in early summer, that means sometimes it is a little cold and we still send out our rentals. We will offer a full refund (Minus NON-REFUNDABLE booking Fee) if conditions are deemed unsafe by SPR on the DAY OF YOUR RENTAL. If you get less than half of your rental time due to weather, we will compensate for time lost on the lake. TIME DOES NOT DIRECTLY CORRELATE TO THE PRICE.

Question 2

Can we drink alcohol on the pontoons?

Accepted Answer

In California, it's illegal to operate a boat while intoxicated, but it's okay for passengers to drink alcohol. We are patrolled by both Placer County Sheriff Dept and Nevada County Sheriff Dept. A person convicted of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) may receive a fine of up to $1,000 and six months in jail.  More importantly, alcohol consumption by the vessel operator or passengers is a factor in approximately 25% of all fatal motorboat accidents in California and BUI has become the leading contributing factor in fatal recreational boating accidents.  It is recommended that boaters avoid drinking alcoholic beverages which can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time.

Question 3

How do I make a camping reservation at Rollins Lake?

Accepted Answer

We do NOT handle camping reservations on Rollins Lake - each of the 4 campgrounds handles reservations directly. 
We are located at Long Ravine Campground - 
LONG RAVINE CAMPGROUND 
530-346-6166 (Reservations by phone only)
26909 Rollins Lake Road
Colfax, CA 95713

ORCHARD SPRINGS CAMPGROUND
530-346-0073 (Reservations by phone only)
19085 Larsen Rd
Grass Valley, CA 95945

PENINSULA CAMPGROUND

https://www.nidwater.com/peninsula-campground

GREENHORN CAMPGROUND
https://www.greenhorncampgroundllc.com/

Question 4

What if the water level drops?

Accepted Answer

For the 2024 summer season we experienced unsafe water levels and were forced to cancel reservations past July 7. While we are hoping for a full summer this year, we may once again be forced to close early due to low water levels caused by work at Lake Spaulding (the reservoir that feeds our lake). We typically do not take payment for reservations made after July 6. We can hold a date for you and as we get closer we'll determine if the water is still at a safe level to boat. We will update our website with information as we receive it.

Question 5

Do I need a California Boater Card if renting a boat?

Accepted Answer

Although you don't need a California Boater Card to rent a boat, we highly encourage it. It's important to be knowledgeable and trained to operate a boat safely. Most boating accidents happen because operators don't have the proper training which is why we ask that you have AT LEAST 2 YEARS BOAT DRIVING EXPERIENCE.
For more info on your boater card:
CA BOATER CARD (https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28734)

Question 6

What about boat fuel?

Accepted Answer

Boat fuel is an additional cost on our boats. Our boats leave full, when you get back we gas them up at the marina gas dock so you only pay for what you used. Marina fuel is more expensive so we do want to make sure you're aware of your usage. The more weight you have onboard and the faster you go, the more fuel you will use, especially when towing a tube. The 2024 price for our marina gas was $8 per gallon, but may vary depending on overall gas prices. We will update you with the per gallon pricing for fuel before your rental.

Question 7

What's going on with Golden Mussel boating protocol?

Accepted Answer

NID Water has notified us that there is an extremely aggressive and invasive mussel that has been discovered in some of our Northern California bodies of water. They are doing their best to avoid the overtaking of Rollins Lake Reservoir and will be implementing a tagging and quarantine system for visiting boats. This will not effect our rental boats since we do not move our boats to and from other lakes. Please contact NID directly with any questions.

NID WATER NEWS (https://www.nidwater.com/nid-closes-foothill-boat-launches-to-address-threat-of-invasive-golden-mussels)

Question 8

Why do I have to have 2 years of experience to rent a boat?

Accepted Answer

Most boating accidents happen because operators don't have the proper training which is why we require that you have AT LEAST 2 YEARS BOAT DRIVING EXPERIENCE. For more information please visit: CA BOATERS CARD (https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28734)

Question 9

Why a minimum age of 27 to rent a boat?

Accepted Answer

Our insurance sets the age requirement for our pontoon rentals. We cannot rent to drivers under 27 years of age by their rental date. If you do show up with an underage driver or a driver without sufficient experience - your rental will be forfeited or you'll be asked to pay an additional Captains Fee for us to send a driver out with you.

Question 10

Can the boat be delivered to other locations or campgrounds?

Accepted Answer

Our rental boats stay on Rollins Lake all summer long and cannot be taken to other lakes at any point. We do have delivery options for on the water delivery at any of the other 3 campgrounds on Rollins Lake, so please call to ask about Orchard Springs Campground, Peninsula Campground and Greenhorn Campground deliveries or shuttle services. We schedule only 1 delivery per day so it's best to make your reservation as soon as possible.

FAQ