Boatsetter: Airbnb for Boats

Want to get out on the lake without the hassle of owning your own boat or pontoon? Consider Boatsetter, an Airbnb for boats!

Officially launched in 2012, Boatsetter currently manages about 5,000 vessels and has more than 30 full time employees. Renting out a boat on Boatsetter is easy - simply visit the site and search for a boat based on location, date and party size, connect with a boat owner/captain and book your experience. The renter must be 18 years or older with a credit card in their name.

If you would like to captain your own boat (not all boats are eligible), you will either need a drivers license or a special permit, depending on local rules. Rentees also have the option to “add a captain," which allows them to assure their riders have a stress free time on the water. Boatsetter has 500+ U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains.

The same rules apply whether it's a privately owned boat or a chartered boat. The owner sets the rules in terms of requiring a captain or not, and they also get to screen potential renters who want to drive on their own. Users can rent out a boat on Boatsetter for half a day, full day or multi-day.

CEO and Co-Founder, Jackie Baumgarten

CEO and Co-Founder, Jackie Baumgarten got the idea for the service when two of her brothers were considering selling their boats due to the high costs associated with boat ownership. When she asked her brothers why they didn’t just rent their boats out to cover their costs, they made her aware of an insurance issue that prohibited occasional rentals. She quickly realized that if she could solve the insurance problem, she could create a completely new industry – peer-to-peer (P2P) boat rental. After spending eight-months putting together the world’s first P2P insurance policy with top experts in the field, Boatsetter was born.