The Airbnb of boats: This app lets you cruise to a boat rental on your phone
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.