Here in Canada, there are only so many days of the year that we Canadians can spend out on the water (excluding ice fishing season). We all feel the lure of our lustrous lakes, but we can’t all afford the down payment on a shiny Jet-Ski. Or, perhaps, you’re fortunate enough to own one and would like to make a bit of extra money renting it out on weekends every now and then. For those on either end of the spectrum, there’s now a solution: the GetMyBoat app, a digital boat rental marketplace.
GetMyBoat began when serial entrepreneurs and co-founders Sascha Mornell and Rafael Collado were out on the water. They asked themselves, “How can more people gain access to great boating experiences for less?” A few years later, bolstered by the emergence of the sharing economy, Mornell and Collado brought GetMyBoat to life.
“We are great at getting people out on the water!” said Valerie Streif, head of marketing at GetMyBoat. “Our goal is to help people of every age, background and budget to experience everything the water has to offer in a fun, safe way. We aim to enrich lives with meaningful experiences and joy. Our mascot, Joy the Dolphin, embodies the playfulness and fun that being near and on the water offers. Joy also represents our focus on being a champion to protect and defend the marine environment.”
GetMyBoat has over 130,000 boats in 184 countries and has sent over 60,000 people out on the water in the past two years alone. Reasons for their quick success are due to having an easy-to-use app, 24-hour customer support and a straightforward low-fee structure for both renters and owners. Most enticing of all, there’s no fee to list your boat or water experience. The company accrues revenue by taking a seven per cent charge on confirmed bookings. GetMyBoat collects payment digitally and provides fraud checks and ID verification so that captains are guaranteed their money. They just have to worry about providing the best possible customer service.
GetMyBoat’s most popular locations to rent from in Western Canada are Kelowna, Vancouver, and such Vancouver Island communities as Campbell River and Port Hardy. Some rural locations in Western Canada with a variety of options are Yellowhead County and Saskatchewan. Conversely, destinations in demand of more options include Whistler, the Okanagan region and Manitoba. So if you have a vessel to rent out in those rural locations, you might want to consider listing it. There’s a good chance you could make some extra income in the underserved markets.
“We have boats in very remote locations around Canada,” said Streif, “but at the moment, there may just be one or two listings in those spots. We are working to grow more though.”
The most popular boat rentals on GetMyBoat are pontoons and wakeboarding boats for water sports.
“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,” Streif said. “It’s a great way to find wakeboarding boats or rental opportunities wherever you are, whether it be in Western Canada or an exotic location on the other side of the world.”
Share your boat!
Renting out your boat is simpler than ever. Valerie Streif breaks down the process.
“New users can create an account at GetMyBoat.com for free, upload great photos and type in data about their boat (year, make, model, capacity, etc.) and write an enticing description to spark an interest for renters,” she said. “Be sure to include details about any water sports equipment or other extras you’re able to include as well as info on location and pick-up/drop-off.”
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