Great Bachelor(ette) Party Idea: PaddleTap

Still searching for the perfect way to celebrate your last few weeks as a bachelor or bachelorette? As Minnesotans, we have to cherish the few months of beautiful summer sunshine we get and that’s how Ryan and Emily Jaeger came up with the brilliant idea of PaddleTap! PaddleTap is the perfect way to have some fun in the sun on a beautiful Minnesota Lake with your friends before the big day. Read more about this creative and fun bachelor(ette) party idea in this week’s VOW!

Q: What is PaddleTap?

A: PaddleTap is the first human-powered boat in the Midwest! We have two boats, both on Lake Minnetonka. The boats have a large paddle wheel that is put in motion when our guests pedal at their bar seats. We have large coolers that store your favorite beverages and a canopy that can be used for shade or rolled back to soak up the sun. Both boats have a 20 horsepower motor and solar panels, which charge the electrical parts of our boats.

Q: When was PaddleTap created and how did the idea begin?

A: Each year, my group of college friends get together for a “Guys Weekend.” We always do a lot of boating and a little beer drinking, one afternoon we came up with the idea of paddling a pontoon while enjoying our favorite beverages. As an entrepreneur at heart, I come up with a lot of business ideas (most of them are bad.) But, when I got home and shared this idea with my wife she said it was “brilliant!”. We’ve worked hard to make this dream become a reality since that day! The business launched in the summer of 2015.

Q: Where is PaddleTap located?

A: Both boats are on Lake Minnetonka. Our large boat holds 14 people and picks up at Lord Fletcher’s. Our small boat holds 10 people and picks up at Metro Lakes Marina.

Q: Do you host a lot of bachelor(ette) parties on board?

A: Yes! They are our number one booking!

Q: What does a day on the PaddleTap look like?

A: We’re lucky that our summers are so beautiful and we have so many great lakes to enjoy. Our days on PaddleTap are full of people enjoying the company of their friends and family while sipping their favorite beverages and listening to their favorite music….and pedaling, of course!

Q: What is your favorite part about working at PaddleTap?

A: I love the people we get to meet. Our customers are the best and have welcomed our boats so graciously to Lake Minnetonka. We get to meet hundreds of people every year and see our dream of owning a business come true. Each tour is unique and watching our guests enjoy their time on our boats is a great bonus, too!

Q: What is your beer of choice?

A: I love a good IPA, but on a hot summer day I always choose Bud Light!

Q: Do you have any fun or memorable stories from a PaddleTap party?

A: We had a wedding party that booked both boats this summer. They had 24 people and wanted to use our boats as an activity after their rehearsal. We had PaddleTap races between the two boats and then tied the boats together side-by-side so the wedding party could walk back and forth between the two boats. It was a blast!