Boatbound, the Airbnb for boats, is for people who really like spending money

By Natt Garun February 20, 2013

boatbound

Unless you live in a part of the world where the weather is perfect year-round, you are likely waiting for boat season. It’s that beautiful time where you can take the covers off your vessel and enjoy a cruise in the sun. For those who don’t own boats, or want to make some extra money off the boat they haven’t the time to enjoy, Boatbound will allow renters and owners to share the ride.

The concept is basically Airbnb for boats. Which is cool for those who can’t afford to own boats but want to take a small vacation, and great for boat owners who probably don’t need the extra income if they can buy a whole frickin’ boat – but what the hey. The startup will allow customers to rent anything from kayaks to yachts on a daily rate, and the trip comes with a $1 million dollar insurance plan.

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“The two best days of a boat owner’s life are buying and selling their boat because of all the fees in-between. It’s a big capital cost,” Boatbound founder Aaron Hall tells TechCrunch. “We think the third best day is renting your boat on Boatbound. You get peace of mind that your boat isn’t just eating you up financially.”

Take the Predator 92 yacht, for example. For one to own this luxurious vessel, they’d be looking to spend upward of $5 million dollars – however, they could probably charge $1,000 a night to offset the expenses. For those who can’t buy a multi-million dollar yacht, a couple thousand bucks might be worth the value of a high end, once-in-a-lifetime trip. Of course, most people using Boatbound likely have more modestly-sized boats, making the cost affordable to the general consumer. Boat owners also have the option of adding a small fee to teach potential renters how to operate the craft. From what we see so far, the interface looks a whole lot like Airbnb’s, which will allow users to search for boats by destination point, boat type, and price range. We’ll see if the layout changes by the time it hits the public eye.

Boatbound is slated to launch later this year. Those interested can request an invitation at the official website.

[Screencaps via TC]

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