Boat for hire?

[Emilio22]

Check out HOBA rides APP

 

[Matt Phillips]

Boat US magazine also had an article on this topic last night about Uber doing a boat ride test in some markets. Their stance was their "yacht" policies wouldn't cover this, and they also recommended getting the correct USCG pilot rating, and they also suggested checking with your boat manufacturer as using a boat for charter may void a warranty.

 

[FloJet]

There is a Master craft in Oklahoma that gives wake board lessons or rides per hour or daily basis. Sounds like a good business plan in crowded areas. I thought about on the water catering services. Hotdogs, burgers, chips and drinks. Everyone always hungry on the water.

 

[T. Turner]

There is a Master craft in Oklahoma that gives wake board lessons or rides per hour or daily basis. Sounds like a good business plan in crowded areas. I thought about on the water catering services. Hotdogs, burgers, chips and drinks. Everyone always hungry on the water.

I bet you could sell a whole lot of hot dogs on the lake, especially on holiday weekends. Just pull into party cove and rake in the dough.

 

[Chad Sears]

My boat is an escape from everything else which is reason number one I would not want to turn it into a job ... it would not be as pleasureable for pleasure. What happens when some pulls a muscle climbing into your boat for a sunset cruise or slips and falls off the back? How about when a skier tweaks something that keeps them from working for weeks? All of these are things that outfits have to deal withand can make money on in scale but very tough for just one small boat.

UBER on the other hand is a decent idea. WA must be beautiful in the summer. I bet there are some restaurants that really pull in the customers in the summer. I know teachers who work as wait staff at a resuramt on the river near me that is only open in the summer. They claim to make about 20k each in 9 weeks including tips. Not shabby.

I really like the flexibility of an uber of lyft situation versus working for a restaurant with dedicated hours. I couldn't decide not to work one night or just show up and expect to get paid whenever I wanted. I think with the sports teams in town I could stay pretty busy after a ball game and make some decent money on the side.

 

[Chad Sears]

I bet you could sell a whole lot of hot dogs on the lake, especially on holiday weekends. Just pull into party cove and rake in the dough.

That brings a whole other set of issues with the health department and everything. It would probably be easier to get my captains license than a food permit.

 

[FloJet]

Yup that's what I'm thinking. But hot grill food on the water should not be much of a problem for the health department tho. Plus how many of those agents you see on the water

 

[Joe Hellaby]

In my area lakes I often see barges and pontoons selling burgers, hot dogs, and things like that. I think even alcohol, I'm not sure, as I haven't waded up to purchase anything yet. But most weekends in the summer in many of my local lakes we have vendors, which is surprising, especially considering our (warm weather) boating season is 3 months.

 

[FloJet]

In my area lakes I often see barges and pontoons selling burgers, hot dogs, and things like that. I think even alcohol, I'm not sure, as I haven't waded up to purchase anything yet. But most weekends in the summer in many of my local lakes we have vendors, which is surprising, especially considering our (warm weather) boating season is 3 months.

Now that's cool. Maybe they do that because of the shorter boating season, as in the South we have such long summers, most people buy the grille and other things to make food on that water as you will probably use them more. I'm sure in the north most are just happy to get that 3-4 months of boating. I started boating this year in early March. It's actually the earliest I've ever been on water as with my prior prop boat, you would want to wait to make sure no more freezes come before you de winterize them.

But on the flip side, you being in BIG NY, there are way more resources to get things like food service on the water since some of your areas have big big boats/yachts on the water at all times.

 

[T. Turner]

Yup that's what I'm thinking. But hot grill food on the water should not be much of a problem for the health department tho. Plus how many of those agents you see on the water

×2

 

[tim h]

https://boatbound.co/
https://www.boatsetter.com

They already beat you to it


We have a reservation to rent someone's boat listed on boatbound for a upcoming vacation to Tampa, FL in a few weeks

@Joe Hellaby
I am curious as to what boat you found...
and what the going rate is ?

I am on the verge of starting a charter business. I have my USCG OUPV 6-pack license and currently researching the best service to offer.
I am leaning towards Island / sandbar trips as well as sightseeing trips.

 

[Joe Hellaby]

@tim h

We're renting a 24' Sea Ray bowrider. I believe it was $415 for the day. Pick it up at a marina in the morning and return it the end of the day. This does not come with a captain, just us renting the boat for the day. However, there were listings that included captains, but that's not really what we were looking for on this trip.

 

[MrWizard]

I purchased my first boat this year and I am a school teacher so I have summers off and I am looking into earning a little extra cash. I was thinking about Uber and then thought why not do something like that with the new boat. Has anyone thought of or looked into doing like charter services on a local lake with daily rental rates where you pilot the boat and supervise while taking out paying strangers to enjoy your boat for the day?

I've been debating this for a few months now. I personally think that it's a great idea (in principle, at least).
The area that I'm boating is not under the jurisdiction of the USCG so I would not need a captains license, however locating an insurance company to insure has proven to be difficult.
My initial thoughts were to offer a service for groups of people who wanted to tube for a few hours... To teaching wakeboarding/water skiing lessons to educating new boaters...
I'll keep this thread in mind as I find out more information...

 

[MrWizard]

I'm pretty sure that offering a service like this would require you to have a Captain's License through the Coast Guard. My understanding is if anytime you offer someone passage on a vessel and are compensated for it you would need to be a documented captain. Just something to look into if you start doing this.

After my light research this is what I came up with re: the requirement for a captains license https://asa.com/pdf/USCG-questions.pdf?a7d0c4. Just a handy fyi, if you will.

 

[LOZBum]

I came across this article that discusses the possibility of this type of service on The Lake of The Ozarks. http://www.lakenewsonline.com/news/...uber-type-boat-ride-service-on-lake-of-ozarks

Sounds like there maybe a way around having a Coast Guard License... I guess you could just say that the passengers are just paying for your companionship, and it just so happens that it's at the same time you are using your boat.

 

[MrWizard]

I guess you could just say that the passengers are just paying for your companionship

Hmmm. Companionship...hmmm...having much fun out of the water, eh??

 

[Chad Sears]

Thanks for the info. I am thinking more about just setting up a way to connect people with tubing and wake boarding for a nominal fee but the liability scares me as does the idea of handing the keys over to strangers.

After my light research this is what I came up with re: the requirement for a captains license https://asa.com/pdf/USCG-questions.pdf?a7d0c4. Just a handy fyi, if you will.

Thanks this is really helpful. Now where do I find a list of waters under coast gaurd jurisdiction? Does the coast gaurd patrol smaller inland lakes?

 

[MrWizard]

Thanks for the info. I am thinking more about just setting up a way to connect people with tubing and wake boarding for a nominal fee but the liability scares me as does the idea of handing the keys over to strangers.
Thanks this is really helpful. Now where do I find a list of waters under coast gaurd jurisdiction? Does the coast gaurd patrol smaller inland lakes?

I just filled out my application for commercial insurance globalmarine.com. Awaiting their reply. Was quite the lengthy app...make sure you know EXACTLY what your plan is BEFORE you fill out the app...

...and there's no way in hell I'm just letting a stranger take my boat out. Maybe if I had several pontoon boats I'd go that route, but not a boat that goes 50 mph and can turn on a damn near dime...

 

[tdonoughue]

I would not give much credit to the 'companionship' payment idea. I have heard people getting nabbed for accepting beer from friends as 'compensation'. I don't know that you need to get that silly (though you might get a citation for it, I don't think they would prove beer as compensation in court). But if that is where the cases are figuring now, I don't think that the 'companionship' will have a prayer. IMHO.

As to the waters, I believe that the term of art for USCG waters is 'navigable waters'. The determination is made by the USCG district by district and changes from time to time. A good chart should show you, I would think, or you can check out that district's USCG page (they usually have a listing).

 

[Coheeba]

I thought about doing the "uber" thing with my boat, I was going to call it BBer