Simply Paddle brings inclusive recreation to Manitowoc

Rachel Kroeger

Staff

June 29, 2026

MANITOWOC – Two nonprofit professionals – husband-and-wife Steph and Ben Peters – are trying their hand at business ownership, having recently become co-owners of the lakeshore’s newest water recreation opportunity.

Simply Paddle, the couple said, is a self-serve kayak and paddleboard rental kiosk with immediate, ADA-compliant access to the Manitowoc River.

“It’s so fun to sit out here,” Steph said. “We have families using this, couples using this, friend groups, [people going] solo – we had one woman come up on her bike, and she was [saying], ‘I had a terrible day at work, and I am so happy I could just ride my bike here, get out on a kayak and restore tranquility in my life.’”

By day, Manitowoc-native Steph said she is the director of community engagement for the area’s YMCA – a position she took after moving back to the area from Atlanta, where she worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I moved back here in 2020,” she said. “This will be my lifetime home. I thought I might move back to Manitowoc for a little bit, and then go back to Atlanta, but I sold my home there, and I met [Ben].”

Despite growing up in Green Bay, Ben said he has called Manitowoc home since 2006 and currently serves as program and outreach director for the Manitowoc County United Way.

The couple said the idea for Simply Paddle came to them on a date night in Appleton.

“We saw a kayak kiosk like this, and at that point, I had never wanted to be a small business owner, [but] it just kind of sat with us,” she said. “So, I reached out to the City [of Manitowoc] to see if it’d be something [they would be] interested in. They invited us to a City Council meeting to talk about the idea. Then they put out an RFP (request for proposal), and we bid.”

Out of the four submissions the city received, Ben said he and Steph believe theirs won out because they included paddleboards and commitment to local collaboration.

“We have a community-oriented mindset where we want to make this great,” he said. “I think that shone through in our RFP.”

‘Having a good time’

Ben said Simply Paddle’s self-serve kiosk – conveniently neighboring River Point Park at 1001 River Point Drive – features an easy-to-use rack, lockers and life jacket setup designed by Texas-based Outdoor Vending Solutions.

“It’s a good spot [because] it’s sort of in the middle of what you want to explore on the Manitowoc River where it’s flat water,” he said.

When city officials initially issued the RFP, Steph said they initially wanted the kayak launch upriver at Manitou Park.

“Until we told them [River Point] was actually [the location] we had our eye on,” she said. “So, they revamped the RFP to include this location, and that’s what we put our bid on.”

Ensuring the boat launch was ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible, Steph said, was also important to her and Ben.

“We wanted to be as accessible and inclusive as possible,” she said. “A woman talked to me yesterday, [and] she [said], ‘With my knees, I always wanted to kayak, [but] I haven’t been able to,’ and she got teary-[eyed saying], ‘You’ve given me like a whole new opportunity,’ because [at our kayak launch], you can grab onto the bars over head [to] lift and lower yourself in.”

The kayaks themselves, Ben said, are also “sit-on kayaks.”

“So, you don’t have to worry about trying to sink your way in,” he said. “They’re more stable, [and] they have a high weight capacity.”

Steph said she and Ben also intentionally set Simply Paddle’s price point to ensure everyone can afford a trip on the water.

“That makes recreation available to everybody,” she said. “It’s $25 for two hours – two hours is our minimum – for single [kayaks] and stand-up [paddleboards]… It’s a little bit higher for tandems, but we try to keep it pretty low so families can go.”

Though their minimum rental is two hours, Ben said customers are welcome to stay out longer if they’d like without having to return to shore.

“If you’re having a good time [and] want to stay out for another hour, it’s just an extra $10,” he said.

After agreeing to the activity waivers, Steph said customers use the built-in touchscreen – located beside the kiosk’s locker system – to select a watercraft and purchase their rental.

“You swipe your credit card [or] tap your phone when you leave,” she said, “then when you come back, you swipe [or] tap the same [payment method] and your locker will open. That’s [also how] we know how long you’ve been out.”

Eliminating the ‘hassle’

Since Simply Paddle’s grand opening at the end of May, Ben said he and Steph have received “surprising feedback.”

“We have [had] people expressing gratitude that it’s here, [saying things] like, ‘Thank you for taking a business risk and putting something like this here – it’s a great addition to our community,’” he said. “It’s part of the downtown, [and] it looks like it was designed to be here.”

Simply Paddle’s logo, Ben said, was also intentionally designed to express the fun and light-hearted nature of the activities it offers – making it “less intimidating if you’re a beginner.”

However, Steph said they’ve also rented to some more experienced customers who own their own personal watercraft, but have opted for the convenience Simply Paddle provides.

“It just eliminates the hassle,” she said. “It’s here when you want it, or, [for example], if you own [equipment] but your friend doesn’t, you can still go together.”

The couple said customers are instructed to wear the provided lifejacket “at all times” and “stay within the boundary of the harbor.”

“These are not sea kayaks,” Steph said. “We don’t want anyone going out into Lake Michigan. The [breakwater] lighthouse is as far as you should go.”

With local companies such as Konecranes upriver and the U.S. Cobia submarine docked downriver next to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Ben said there is plenty of interesting infrastructure and attractions for recreators to sightsee after setting sail.

Though customers can’t venture out into the Great Lake, Steph said there’s still plenty to see within the boundary waters.

“There’s an osprey nest…, we’ve seen otters out there, tons of bald eagles and egrets,” she said. “It’s a neat way to see nature.”

Overall, Ben said he and Steph are “simply” excited to continue providing a new recreation opportunity to their city.

“We want to make this the type of community we want to live in,” he said.

For more information on rental prices, available watercraft and upcoming events, visit simplypaddle.net or find Simply Paddle on Facebook.