From Sailboats to Yachts, These Apps Let You Rent on Demand
For this month's installment of our "Sail Away" series, TPG Contributor (and experienced sailor) Shayne Benowitz explores the latest arrivals to the sharing economy arena: websites and apps for on-demand boat charters.
Today's tech-savvy travelers have grown accustomed to the near-instant gratification of on-demand services such as Uber, SilverCar, HotelTonight and Airbnb, which provide what we want, when we want it with the mere swipe of an app on our smartphones.
Recently, a number of startups have jumped into the water with this same tech-forward approach to boat rentals and charters. Eliminating the need to hunt down the local marina and ask around the docks for charter captains, sailing clubs and boats to rent, these new services allow you to simply log into their websites and apps to make a selection from a virtually unlimited fleet. Whether you're an experienced sailor looking for a bareboat charter or you simply want to get on the water with the guidance of a licensed captain, you have plenty of solid options.
Here are are four of the best on-demand boat charter services:
GetMyBoat
Considered the Airbnb of boat rentals, the GetMyBoat service/community is available online and as an iOS or Android app, with an inventory of more than 29,000 privately owned boats for rent in 135 countries (and counting).
Users start their search by location, then narrow the results based on whether or not they require a captain. Next, they filter their needs by type of vessel (fishing, sailing, power, non-power or megayacht), price and passenger count. Available rentals range from hourly charters to full days. Once a user finds a potential rental, the detail page for that boat links to more information about the vessel, additional images, user reviews and an interface to request the boat during a specified date and time.
I took GetMyBoat for a test spin by searching for Miami-area sailing charters with a captain and found 20 options, including a good-looking 40-foot sloop that was docked in Coconut Grove, charged $145 an hour and could accommodate six passengers. There were also smaller sailboats available for $50 per hour, as well as day charters starting at $465 for a Beneteau 40, and topping out at $1,800 for a 44-foot Lagoon catamaran accommodating eight passengers.
However, searching through the inventory, I didn't come across a single vessel with user reviews. Just as with Airbnb, there's a certain amount of trust necessary to engage in these services. While rental liability insurance is available starting at $27 per day, the onus is on the renter to virtually vet a prospective charter.
Sailing Collective
A next-generation approach to the long-practiced flotilla vacation model, Sailing Collective's beautifully designed website offers detailed information about captain, destination, itinerary and vessels with plenty of images that will make you want to dive through your computer screen. For sailors of all levels — whether you're traveling solo or have your crew established — the company offers year-round and worldwide organized journeys (from roughly $2,000 to $2,800 per person), as well as customized, private charters (from $9,000-$30,000 per week). Prices include the majority of food provisions.
Led by experienced captains, upcoming organized, week-long journeys are heading to Nosy Be, Madagascar on a 40-foot Lagoon catamaran with four double cabins in late May; Sardinia's Costa Smeralda aboard a three-cabin Jeanneau 44 in June; and Phuket's Andaman Sea aboard a Lagoon or 48-foot luxury monohull with four cabins in December of this year and February, 2016.
Boatbound
Similar to GetMyBoat, but on a smaller, domestic scale, Boatbound is a marketplace of 13 million boat owners nationwide offering their boats to pre-screened renters. Founded in San Francisco with headquarters there and in Miami, Boatbound offers both sail and powerboats along with bareboat and charter captains throughout the country.
I searched New York City and narrowed down my selection to a sailing charter with captain to find five options (about half as many as in GetMyBoat's inventory) with prices ranging from $590 to $1,700 for full-day charters in New York Harbor. Hourly rentals were not available, but half-day options were. As with anything, comparison shopping can't hurt, and Boatbound is another established source for boat rentals calibrated to the sharing economy.
Boatyard
For South Florida boaters, Boatyard offers on-demand convenience to boat owners looking for typical boatyard services with the swipe of an iOS app. For everything from boat washing and fuel to delivery of ice and drinks, Boatyard matches service providers with boat owners to save them valuable time and hard labor. The service even provides charter captains for full or half-day sails, as well as boating lessons. The "Whatever" button allows for just about every request under the sun: a wedding officiant to marry you at sea, engine maintenance, bottom paint application, you name it!
See this related post:
Learn to Sail—And Set Off For the World's Top Sailing Spots
How do you typically arrange a boat charter? Have you used any of these apps or services?
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.