GetMyBoat— A Platform for Non-Boat Owners, Created by Boaters to Help Both

Whether you want to rent a boat or rent out your boat, GetMyBoat is the smartphone app that is the “Airbnb for boating” and connects users to the water one reservation at a time.

By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS

Southern California is a desired destination because of everything we have at our fingertips. Within a matter of hours, we can be boating in Big Bear, the Pacific Ocean, or Pyramid Lake, and these boating adventures have become more accessible for those who are not boat owners.

The GetMyBoat app allows users to rent someone else’s boat by the hour while helping boat owners make a profit.

GetMyBoat began when serial entrepreneurs and co-founders Sascha Mornell and Rafael Collado were out on the water and noticed all the boats sitting unused in dock slips at marinas. They asked themselves, «How can more people access great boating experiences for less?»

A few years later, and with the emergence of the sharing economy, Sascha and Rafael brought GetMyBoat to life, officially launching in 2013.

Founded originally as a boat rental marketplace, GetMyBoat has grown to offer every type of on-the-water experience – from whale-watching tours and eco-kayaking trips to houseboat rentals and private sailing lessons. Its goal is to help people of every age, background, and budget experience everything the water offers in a fun, safe way.

Applications such as GetMyBoat combat the boat charter industry, a specific market inaccessible to most of the public due to the general cost of the boating industry. In many cases before, the only access to boats was via a travel agent, two levels removed from the boat owner. In addition, the boating industry is less likely to bring in a new generation of boaters. The difficulties of going boating are unfortunate because boating is one of the best ways to have memorable experiences, and it should be easier to find, book, and enjoy.

The GetMyBoat app strives to create a platform that connects people with the water or to generate charter boat businesses that need customers.

GetMyBoat is similar to other rental apps such as Airbnb, where the listings on the platform are boats that individual private owners, charter companies, and boat rental operators own. GetMyBoat does not have a fleet of boats in various locations.

“We are the platform that brings together renters and boat owners,” said Val Strief, Marketing Manager for GetMyBoat. “The majority of bookings on GetMyBoat are captained charters, and these are often through local charter companies that use GetMyBoat as a tool to book more customers in addition to their own marketing efforts. There’s no rule against having an independent business and using GetMyBoat. We have over 150,000 listings across 9,300 destinations worldwide.”

How the User Benefits:

There are lots of obstacles when it comes to owning a boat. You not only need money, but you need time. GetMyBoat is making boating more affordable

Please see GETMYBOAT, PAGE 13