Boat Rentals by Owner?

How to lower the expense of boat ownership by safely renting out the use of your boat

They say the average boat is only used 15 days a year… which leaves 350 days of the year to pay for the boat, storage, maintenance, and registration expenses. We all understand that boating is expensive and this is exactly why boat owners are tired of hearing the old and worn out joke: “What are the two best day’s in a boater’s life?”

What if you could rent out your boat for $300 to $600 a day and it was insured for damages? The boat owner earns supplemental income and the renter saves.

The concept is Peer-To-Peer Boat Rentals & Powersports and it’s the only insured way to lower the expense of boat ownership. The company that has started this is called Fun2Rent.com. It’s an intimidating idea though. What would happen if your boat was rented out and the renter ran the boat up on a sand bar? Well, the insurance would cover this. Also, there are deposits to cover any minor damages.

Now, one can only guess what you’re thinking. Maybe it’s “You’re insane! I’d rent my wife before I’ll rent my boat!”  Another popular reply to renting out your boat is: “Ya right, they would steal my boat!”  Well the concept is working, owners are profiting and there is insurance for all those “What if scenarios”.  Most people can relate to the concept as “Boat rental by owner with insurance”.

If you’ve ever looked into renting a boat, generally you will find that the expense of renting is out of reach for most. In California and Texas a 19 ft. runabout will cost you about $300 to $600 for a day on the lake. If you’re looking for a wakeboarding boat rental at traditional rental companies, this could cost you as much as $1,500 a day. Add to this the fact that most rental companies do not offer insurance for the boat or renters liability. Why would anyone pay that much when they could rent a boat from an owner in their neighborhood for half the cost with insurance?

Peer-to-peer rentals is part of the sharing economy also known as collaborative consumption. There are many third party sites like Fun2Rent that provide a safe and insured marketplace for the sharing of expensive assets. Other examples are peer-to-peer car sharing services like Getaround.com and RelayRides.com.

Owning a boat can be a big drain on the pocketbook, especially once maintenance costs, docking fees, gas and other unplanned costs enter the equation.  Now anyone in the U.S. can lower the expense of boat ownership and you might even make a few new friends along the way. Recently the subject of renting your neighbors boat and peer-to-peer rentals was discussed in Boating Industry a leading publication for the industry.

It’s easy to get started with Fun2Rent’s Peer-To-Peer Boat Rentals & Powersports new members can create a free account. Those looking offset the expense of ownership can submit their listing for approval after joining. If your boat or other “Grown-up toy” is within 10 years new and in good to great condition, you’ll qualify for a free listing and commercial liability coverage. Qualified renters can then search Fun2Rent’s listings and request to rent a boat from the owner.

Throughout the whole process owners remain in full control, deciding who they accept for rental, what days the rent out, and for what price they will rent their boat.

About the Author:
Shawn Gardner is the founder of Fun2Rent which was created to lower the expense of boating and powersport activities in a safe and insured environment.

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