Boatsetter reports uptick in US rentals

US company Boatsetter is reporting a rise in experience-driven rentals this summer. The number of trips completed so far this year is three times higher compared to the same time last year, reports the company, as well as a 50 per cent increase in the number of boats listed for rent.

Boatsetter says it has seen a 378 per cent year-over-year increase in interest in pontoon boat rentals, as well as 332 per cent increased interest in party boat rentals, 261 per cent increased interest in fishing charter rentals, and 254 per cent increased interest in luxury yacht charters. This follows a difficult couple of years as the industry has grappled with the coronavirus pandemic.

“For so long, boating and watersports have been out of reach for so many — whether it’s an issue of access, prohibitive costs, or lack of awareness of all the activities you can do on the water,” says Boatsetter CEO Jackie Baumgarten. “Boatsetter is committed to a ‘sea’s the limit’ approach to water experiences. We believe that life is better on the water. If your dream can happen on the water or on board a floating vessel, we’re here to help make it happen.”

Credited with pioneering peer-to-peer boat rental insurance policy, Boatsetter’s two-sided marketplace also offers a way for boat owners to earn extra income to offset the costs of owning and maintaining a boat.

Borrow a Boat also says it has seen a definite rise in skippered charters pre and post pandemic, with younger, more diverse communities causing a surge in boat rentals.