Setting up a Boat Rental Buisness

[siggyrocks]

At least I'm thinking about it. I live in the beautiful San Juan islands and have a 13 and a 15 foot boston whaler I'm thinking about renting out to tourists. Anybody know the in's and out's of this buisness. Insurance, etc?

 

[oops!]

Re: Setting up a Boat Rental Buisness

hi siggy....welcome to i boats !

im not in the us.... but done properly...in canada....they thrive !.....the key is costs....keep them down.....as far as the rental boats.....you have to have what they want !....a wake boat....a toon....a fish boat.....and pick up and deliver.
insurance....is something they customer pays for

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Setting up a Boat Rental Buisness

you will have to have everything you state requires. are you an outboard mechanic? any good with fiberglass repair?
you would be surprised what these people do to boats.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Setting up a Boat Rental Buisness

I agree on unsuspecting damage. Probably none of your customers would be familiar with your boats in general, much less the one they get. Other than unforseen underwater obstructions, I'd say ignorance (by your customers) would be your #1 enemy.

Additionally, situations that could gravitate to "emergency" happen all the time and an unfamiliar person, or one that has not been trained (professionally or OJT....like you have if you owned your boat for several years and knew what it was capable of and what to expect out of it) could make a big mess out of the situation.

Then there is the boat that comes back in, looks ok, but the next person taking it out gets 5 miles from camp and the engine dies. Now what?

Good luck,

Mark

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Setting up a Boat Rental Buisness

Be ready to deal with not so happy regular boaters in the area. Your the guy that lets newbies on to "their" water and they aren't very apprecitive of it.

Amen brother. There is a new boat rental place a few miles from "my" area of the lake. Luckily they put a big red sign on the side that you can see from pretty far away. These boats get a VERY wide berth.