If you are looking for the best boating games - you're in luck. In this article, I’ll cover the top 9 boating games to keep you entertained all day whether you're at the beach or anchored off shore on one of Arizona's beautiful lakes. 

Watersports, karaoke, card games, and good old-fashioned board games are the most common games played on a boat. But we've taken these classics to a new level. 

We've expanded this list to include all of our personal favorite 9 boating games like pool noodle joisting, chicken-style water volleyball, stomp rocket relay, and more. Read on to get the full list. 

9 Best Games To Play On A Boat 

Break out these games that are great for all types of groups, big and small, young and old, and will make sure everyone has a great time on the boat. 

Water Basketball

Water basketball is a nice mix between water polo and regular basketball. It’s actually played competitively as well as for fun. 

How to Play

Each team should have 5 or 6 people and the goal is to get the ball in the basket within a certain time frame of gaining possession of it. You can either use a floating basket or an actual basketball hoop, should your boat have one available. Keep the “court” to the size of a swimming pool. And to make it more exciting, bring a shot clock timer out and put someone in charge of being referee. 

Stomp Rocket Relay 

If you don’t know what a stomp rocket is, then we can all assume that your mind is about to be blown. Stomp rockets are a super easy and really fun way to launch a rocket. Yes, launch a rocket.  

How to Play

Buy 2 Stomp Rocket kits and if you can find 2 different colors, then all the better, if not, take a Sharpie and write the team names on an equal number of rockets. Divide into even teams. Designate a ‘stomper’ for each team ad the rest of the team are designated ‘fetchers’ who will take runs swimming after the rockets once they’re launched. 

To start the game, the ‘stompers’ will stomp on the rocket launcher at the same time. When both rockets are launched, the first ‘fetcher’ embarks on a perilous race to retrieve their team’s rocket and bring it back to the ‘stomper.’ Once it’s back, the rocket is shot off again and the next ‘fetcher’ gets after it, and so on. Whichever team finishes the circuit first, wins. Amazing fun!  

Chicken Style Water Volleyball 

Water volleyball is the perfect game for Arizona’s calm and smooth lakes. You can play the regular version or spice it up with chicken style water volleyball. But it only works if the boat is anchored in a shallow spot. 

How to Play

Bring a floating volleyball net and inflatable ball. Divide into equal teams and follow the regular rules of volleyball, except everyone is paired up and riding on shoulders! Watching your friends fall over and try to dive for balls creates hilarious mental images you can’t stop laughing at the rest of the week! 

Pool Noodle Joust

Pool noodle jousting involves the age old sport of sword play plus the balancing ability of an acrobat. Plus, since it’s easier in smooth water than rough water, Arizona lakes make a great playing field. 

How to Play

Bring 2 floating mats and 2 pool noodles. Each player stands on a mat while trying to knock the other player off with a pool noodle. The first player in the water loses.

Jump the Deck Contest

Find out which of your friends puts on the best show of jumping off the deck. 

How to Play

Ask a few friends to be the panel of judges and have them hold up dry erase boards from the deck to rate contestants. Contestants can flip, cannonball, dive, spin, or do whatever they want to impress the judges. Whoever gets the most points wins!

Beer Pong 

Beer pong isn’t just for college students to get drunk, although it’s a common use on campus! It’s a super social and very fun game of skill, which, if you choose to use beer instead of something non-alcoholic, gets harder as you drink more. To make sure everyone has fun and doesn’t get drunk, substitute water, soda, or Gatorade. 

How to Play

Bring 20 plastic cups (red Solo cups are the traditional choice), 2 ping pong balls, and set up a long table. Set up 10 cups on each side of the table, fill them half way with your beverage of choice, and divide the party into 2 equal teams. Each person takes a turn trying to throw the ping pong ball into the other team’s cups. If the ball lands in the cup, then the person on the other team has to drink it and the cup is removed from the table. Whichever team is able to land the most balls in the most cups wins!

Note: Never do this with hard alcohol (it can be fatal!) and the boat driver can not play with any alcohol!

Board Games and Card Games

Board games are the classic choice. They’re easy to bring aboard, are perfect when everyone is getting tired, and build lasting friendships. Crowd favorites are Monopoly, Risk, and Battleship.

Card games are also easy to set up and can get really fun. Fun games like gin rummy, hearts, and crazy eights are great for the whole family and gambling games, like poker, can be played for candy, bottlecaps, or money.  

Karaoke Singing Competition

Every boat party needs music, and there’s no better way to bring more fun to a boat party than with boat karaoke! You can either bring a whole karaoke machine (check if the boat has an electrical outlet first!) or just a microphone and use the boat's sound system. Singers can look up lyrics on their phones. 

How to Play

Set up a panel of judges with dry erase boards (also needed for the Jump the Deck Contest) and allow each singer to be judged! The singer with the most points wins! 

Charades

Charades is another classic game that works great on a boat.

How to Play

Bring a card deck of Charades on board or simply make your own slips of paper with titles of movies, books, people, places, or actions, and put them in a bowl. You’ll also need to use a timer. Split into teams. The first ‘actor’ chooses a card and keeps it a secret. He or she attempts to act out the topic so that the rest of the team understands and yells out the answer. They have 60 seconds to guess, if they do then they get a point. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. 

Final Thoughts

Playing boating games on the lake can take a regular boat party from average to amazing. Competition, comradery, and, of course, fun, bring everyone together. Try out these 9 boating games during your next boat party and you’ll find you and your friends laughing your heads off and making memories you’ll never forget.