Would you rent your boat for the right price?

As a boat owner, I get a lot of people who want to use my boat. What do you think about renting your boat out for the right price? Would you do it? If not..why not?

Boats are expensive and aren't used everyday...so I say why not make some money off my boat while I'm not using it.

Re: Would you rent your boat for the right price?

Of course I would. But who would want to rent my boat for $40,000 a week.
(if you find them send them my way, with the money up front and the damage deposit)

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Of course. But as rallyart says, it would be really expensive.

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LOL $40K? That cheap?

Seriously - it depends on the boat. We rent our cottage out to cover costs and the kayak and canoes are available - the sailboat if I know them and they can sail. Not the Scout. Too much to go wrong. It's not like a rental car where it's very clear where to drive, where to park, or at least most dummies can figure out enough to get by and those things still live hard lives. I guess I'm just far too anal.

I had a hard enough time getting over a trashed lower unit when my sister let her boyfriend's dad pilot our SeaRay for an afternoon. And she's family!

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Insurance company's may frown unless you up your coverage.Lawsuits are not in my horizon as the renter T-Bones some object.What reef? He said after you inspect the lower unit. Blower motor he said after the explosion . I only ran it WOT for a 1/2 hour straight, he said while you are looking at your junk engine.Sorry I did not compensate for the wind and boat speed he said as you were inspecting the 12' gash down the side of your formerly pristine hull.It will come back and bite you in the azz.

Re: Would you rent your boat for the right price?

This has been discussed a lot previously. Hard to answer since everyone's boat and boating conditions are different. But generally soeaking:

The first problem with renting a boat is that you most likely void your insurance coverage, so you wouldn't want to rent to a person who can't afford, or wouldn't, replace it if it sank, or fix it if it were damaged. This rules out renting a new or large boat.

The second is that, just like renting out a beach house, you have to accept getting it back with "wear and tear" at least and greater damage at worst. So if the boat is already beat, maybe so. The money you collect in rent is there to fix these problems. A damage deposit is for major problems.

The third is the risk that your renter won't know how, or bother, to take care of it, and will likely run it hard and put it up wet. Again, you have to be willing to accept this.

If you are already willing to lend it to friends, a lot of the above won't matter to you. Some people are generous that way. Some people don't even like having their own friends and family members ON the boat, much less taking it out!

I agree that the fixed costs can be large in consideration of a boat not getting a lot of use. Consider, instead, joint ownership--but it has to be with the right person, you both have to have the same tolerance for "wear and tear" and you have to agree in advance on repair, replacement and buy-out. It can work well in the right circumstances, and be a disaster in others.

Consider also donating it to a boat club and renting it back. A friend did that with a sailboat and it worked out great for him.

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Not just no, but hell no!

People don't care about rented equipment like cars and boats, it's not theirs so who cares?

I don't rent or loan my dog, truck, boat, or power equipment... but my wife is available, cheap!

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There is no way I would rent my boat to ANYONE!!! I won't let anyone besides the wife drive it, much less let someone take it out of my sight....

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I had to vote no on this one. The one reason for voting yes seems to be outweighed by all the reasons for voting no. I put too much time and effort into getting my boat water ready to possibly have it screwed up in order to make a little money. For me, there are better ways to make money.

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Aside from the "drive it like you rented it" issue, the liability on that gig has to be a little steep too.

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Ayuh,... My boat,.... I'll sell it to ya, for way less than I'd rent it out....

I don't think a wheelbarrow full of hundred dollar bills would be enough for a days rent....

Re: Would you rent your boat for the right price?

Whats the only car you can throw in reverse at 55mph?


A rental.



I'm the only one who sits in the Captains chair....

Re: Would you rent your boat for the right price?

I would consider renting out my boat. But I, like others, am a little cautious when it comes to who I can trust. I ran across a site called qraft.com the other day that lets you rent out boats and has several security checks with the renters so its not like you are posting your boat on craigslist and wondering who the hell you are really renting your boat out to. Looks like they are working on getting insurance for the boats too to eliminate all the risky business of renting.

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Never, EVER.
Too much potential liability.
In the past I've had both a co-worker and neighbor ask if they could rent my boat for vacation.
I told them that, to me, that's the same as ME asking THEM if I could borrow their wife....
I think they got the message.

Re: Would you rent your boat for the right price?

Possibly, but only after checking on insurance coverage as a rental and talking with a lawyer to make sure all liability waivers were in place. Then I'd have to have a background check and a cash deposit and a credit card in case there was damage/loss.

Short answer: NOPE!!!

Id have to say no with the work I've been putting into restoring my boat to than have someone go oops gee sorry. Nope no way just made me sick thinking about it.

Now if they wanted to rent the boat and than also pay me to pilot the craft as well that gets into another boondoggle.

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No way! Too much time and effort spent to make my boat nice for my family.

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My boats were all bought cheap and with cash. Basically, there is no overhead while sitting in the driveway. Thus, There is no upside to renting them out. The small amount of money I would make renting them means almost nothing in this case. The negatives and just plain worry outweigh the positives by a long shot.

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better check with insurance,mine states cant rent,loan,use as a livery,that transport people to other boat. just a thought,but woulde never,never,never loan my boat.

Re: Would you rent your boat for the right price?

anyone in the right mind would refuse the "right price" to rent my tin can.