Zsolt Szadovszki (left) and Walker Peck pose with a single kayak, surf ski, and electric disc, three of the watercrafts available for rental at Lake Fun at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.
Feeling landlocked with no boat and no dock to get out on the lake that beckons steps from your door? Need a new activity to liven up the season and get the heart rate up? Or, seeking a unique outdoors experience with a special somebody or business partners? Lake Fun watercraft rentals at Lake Lanier Olympic Park can put you on world class water where Olympians paddle and nature lovers bask.
The paddle-craft and electric boat rental business will open for its second season this month with six kinds of vessels to choose from: single kayak, double kayak, Hobie kayak, Epic surf ski, stand-up paddleboard, and motorized electric disk. Lake Fun owner Zsolt Szadovszki, former Lanier Canoe & Kayak Club coach, and assistant Walker Peck, an aspiring international paddler can explain the how-tos of each and launch getaways on a quiet cove of Lanier behind The Boathouse.
The pair explained the appeal of each last month as they prepared for opening day. “The double is pretty popular,” Szadovszki said, especially for couples seeking an outdoor date or folks just wanting to partner-up to paddle. Last year several anglers rented Hobies for fishing, rigging them up with rod holders and fish finders. The sleek, low-profile surf skis often draw more experienced paddlers perhaps targeting a swifter aerobic workout. Inflatable SUPs, once unusual sightings on Lanier, remain popular for skilled paddlers and newbies wanting to try the popular watersport. The non-motorized boats can be rented an hour or two, eight hours or even longer through Lake Fun’s flexible rental arrangements.
And, then there’s the electric disk – a six-foot floating circle with a comfy seat, steering console, and small motor capable of propelling the lightweight craft about five miles per hour. “It’s so easy,” Szadovszki said. He and Peck have helped parents situate themselves and a small child on the disk for fun one-to-two-hour excursions.
“We show them how to work it and help them onto disks or kayaks,” Peck said, adding that “it’s really safe here” in the coves and wake-restricted waters at LLOP. He’s out patrolling in a motorboat when families or corporate groups rent from Lake Fun.
Some returning customers who originally rented kayaks come back to try the surf ski, the “new wave for recreational kayaking,” Peck said. “It’s faster, easier and stable.”
A group of Lake Fun customers board watercrafts last summer.
Szadovszki started the business last June, working out a partnership with LCKC to use a portion of their leased space at the city-owned park. That space, a metal building with its own dock to the left of The Boathouse and the main docks, once housed rowing equipment and now is partially stocked with the rental boats and LCKC boats that Szadovszki refurbishes. In addition, he works for Epic Kayaks, which stores kayaks in his “shop” and donates boats to LCKC.
LCKC president Kim Martin described Szadovszki as pretty much “the guy. He has been an Olympic level coach … He is our boat repair specialist. He coaches when we need his help and expertise. He is also the owner of Lake Fun and he partners with us by helping us promote our programs and making financial contributions to the club in our partnership,” she said by email.
The Hungarian native has built his life around paddling, first as a competitor on the Hungarian National Team, then on the California coast where he rode the waves in ocean kayaks and surf skis, attaining a reputation as an elite marathon paddler. He packed up and moved to Hawaii and trained individuals before coaching the Hawaiian team. LCKC tapped him as head coach in 2019. He also coached the American Canoe Association sprint team, including 2020 and 2024 Olympic gold and silver medalist Nevin Harrison who trained at LLOP. He no longer coaches full time but mentors athletes such as Peck, who is making his mark in international waters in the under age 23 category.
“It has always been my dream to work with an organic, locally grown club,” Szadovszki said. He added that the warmth of the community is similar to what he felt in Hawaii. “The bottom line is, this shop (and Lake Fun) makes me feel great, to put all kinds of people on the water and see people smiling makes me feel great.” He recalled a regular customer last year with a mobility impairment on land, but she discovered new freedom in a kayak. He mentioned other “weekend warriors” who got their workouts or found serenity in a sleek surf ski or SUP.
Szadovszki said he hopes this season’s rentals will surpass last year’s slow start. “We learned, we did good, but we need to get into the public eye,” he said. “We need to put it out there,” even if it means standing in hotel lobbies with fliers and posting signs at apartments springing up around Gainesville, places where folks may feel the pull of the lake but have no means to get out on it. He also plans to make appearances at Food Truck Fridays and spread Lake Fun news to wedding parties, corporate retreats, and family gatherings renting space at The Boathouse.
Gainesville Tourism Director Robyn Lynch recently touted the lake’s value to city tourism and the role Lake Fun can play in tourists’ visits. “Lake Lanier is a destination for over 12 million visitors a year, and having access to the lake in Gainesville through water sports rentals can enhance the visitor experience,” she said.
See www.lake-fun.com for hours, rates and reservations. Walk-ups also welcome.
Photo of Szadovszki and Peck: by Jane Harrison, Group Photo: courtesy Lake Fun
