Watercrafts Rack Lottery

Sign up for EITHER the watercraft rental lottery OR watercraft rentals at www.townofdavidson.org/dpr under programs.

watercraft rackAre you a Davidson resident wishing to store your canoe, kayak, paddle board, or rowing skiff on the lake? Do you want easy access to the water to use your boat frequently? If so, register by the third Monday of November for the Davidson Parks and Recreation Department's annual watercraft rack leasing program for the opportunity to lease a watercraft rack space for the next calendar year. Watercraft racks are available for lease exclusively to Town of Davidson residents. For non-residents or residents who do not get a rack space;  watercraft rentals are available most Saturdays April-October.

A total of 126 rack spaces are available for lease. There are 24 spaces at Parham Park (414 Davidson Gateway Dr. Davidson, NC 28036 near the Bexley at Davidson apartment community) and 102 spaces available at the Lake Davidson Nature Preserve (750 Jetton St. Davidson, NC 28036 behind Davidson Day School), six of which are designed specifically for rowing skiffs.

Each rack space is designed to support the typical weight of one canoe, two kayaks, or three paddle boards.  Residents can request which location to store their watercraft and whether they want to lease a top, middle, or bottom rack space. Davidson Parks and Recreation (DPR) staff will process requests in the order they were drawn from the lottery (first winner gets first pick of preferred location, second winner gets second pick of preferred location, etc.).

How the Program Works 

Lessees are determined via an annual lottery held on the third Tuesday of November. All entrants will be emailed lottery results no later than the first week of December. Registration for the lottery is free; however, lottery winners must pay a $150 leaseholder fee before watercraft storage can take place. Payment is only required when you are selected as a winner.

Current leaseholders are not automatically enrolled and must enroll in the lottery each year in order to compete for a rack space. Registration for the Watercraft Rack Leasing Program closes on the Monday before the third Tuesday of November.

Registration Information

Only one entry per household is permitted. During registration, you must provide your watercraft's make, model, and color. Residents can enter the lottery by calling 704-892-3349 or by clicking here.

Terms and Conditions

  • Terms of Lease: Third week of January - December 31
  • Before storing watercraft(s), lessees must complete the lease agreement and pay the $150 leaseholder fee.
  • Lottery winners will face forfeiture of rack space if the lease agreement and the $150 leaseholder fee is not satisfied by the end of the second week of January. Davidson Parks and Recreation can process exact cash, checks made to “The Town of Davidson” as well as credit/debit Visa, Master and Discover cards.
  •  DPR-issued decals will be issued and applied to watercraft(s). Any watercraft stored without appropriate DPR-issued decals will be impounded and will become property of the town 30 calendar days from impoundment.
  • Watercraft racks are designed for storing personally owned watercrafts.  Using the racks to sublease or to operate a for-profit business is strictly prohibited. Watercrafts must fit within the leased rack space as deemed appropriate by Davidson Parks and Recreation staff. Abandoned watercrafts will become property of the town 30 calendar days from termination of lease.

Contact Information

Email fkrupa@townofdavidson.org or call Davidson Parks and Recreation at 704-892-3349 for more information.

watercraft picWatercraft Rentals

Interested in renting a canoe, kayak, or paddle board? You don't have to be a Davidson resident to sign up to rent a watercraft! Rentals are available on Saturdays 2:00-5:00 p.m. April- October and Wednesday mornings between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. for the month of August. Sign up at www.townofdavidson.org/dpr under programs!