Nantucket Current | Faces of Nantucket: Santiago Oviedo and William…

When it comes to summer jobs on the island, being on the waters of Nantucket Harbor and enjoying the sights and sounds of Straight Wharf is certainly one of the best.

This summer, 14-year-old Nantucket kids William Crowley and Santiago Oviedo are having that experience every day by working their first summer jobs at Jim Mondani’s Island Boat Rentals.

From cleaning and prepping the rental boat fleet to assisting customers, launching and docking the boats, and checking the booking website, William and Santiago are taking a crash course in the business and life of Nantucket Harbor in the height of summer. They may only be starting ninth grade next month, but for now they’re the face of the boat rental business down at the dock.

“It’s a great job and he was available,” said William, who is also preparing for the upcoming high school golf season. “Most of the leases are back to back… Yesterday we had to send out three at once.”

Santiago, who came to Island Boat Rentals after playing a lead role in Dreamland Stage Company’s production of “Newsies” earlier this summer, was brought into the job by his close friend William.

“I like boats,” Santiago says when asked what attracted him to this job. “I can’t get that close to boats.”

As he prepares to head to Nantucket High School in September, Santiago is trying to balance his job with his commitment to the Whalers football program, as he has already begun preseason training.

When asked about his hobbies, Santiago laughed and said, “Hanging out with this guy,” nodding toward William. The two friends ride their bikes to work every day, starting their shifts early in the morning and working together until the afternoon.

Mondani, a former corporate lawyer in Boston and North Carolina, gave up that career in 2011 and moved to Nantucket with his wife. He founded Island Boat Rentals and it has been a fixture on the harbor every summer since.

“I usually employ local kids,” Mondani said. “I keep them engaged – watch them grow up and go to college.”

Mondani keeps William and Santiago busy with the demands of the boat rental business. Customers book their rentals primarily online and a valid boat license is required to rent a boat. William and Santiago also assist customers by informing them of the port’s range, permitted speeds and ferry channels they need to be aware of.

As summer draws to a close and the boys prepare to return to school, the lessons and experiences they gained during a summer on the water will not soon be forgotten.