The Airbnb of boats: This app lets you cruise to a boat rental on your phone

EDMONTON -

For water-lovers interested in renting jet skis, pontoon boats, fishing charters and yachts, the GetMyBoat app is available in Alberta.

Launched in 2013 in San Francisco, the boat rental app has expanded across North America -- with significant growth in Canada in 2020.

Through the app, renters can choose their water experience and location. An inquiry is then sent directly to the boat owner who responds with availability and pricing. Bookings and payments are done online.

“With an app you are going to see lots of price transparency, lots of different options. Sometimes you travel to a marina and they tell you they have one pontoon and its going to be a $1,000,” said GetMyBoat marketing manager Val Streif.

Josh Frick, a local boat owner, uses the GetMyBoat app to rent his wake-surf boat which can cost anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000.

“We’ve rented our boat out probably six or seven times now through GetMyBoat and it’s worked quite well,” said Frick.

His boat is rented with a captain who launches and drives the boat. Frick’s boat is supplied with water-sport equipment such as tubes and wakeboards and rents for $300 an hour. The minimum to rent the boat is three hours. Boat owners set their own prices for rentals and a service fee of 8.5 per cent is included in the fee.

He says the app allows for him to break-even on his boat costs while providing summer fun for a family or group of friends.

“Other people may not get the opportunity to own a boat like this so we will rent it to them at a reduced cost of actual cost to run a boat,” he said.

More on the boat rentals can be found online.