Rentmyboatberth.com connects boaters with short-term berths
The gig economy comes to berths and moorings with rentmyboatberth.com turning empty spaces into convenience for boaters, and cash for ownersImagine if you could turn your empty berth or mooring into money? A new website – rentmyboatberth.com – has launched in Australia that aims to connect empty spaces on the water with people needing short-term places to tie up.
The rentmyboatberth.com service is ideal for anyone who has a berth or mooring available, but no boat on it. This could be simply because you are currently between boats, have it out of the water for a makeover, or are out for an extended cruise.
It also suits anyone in need of a short-term berth, such as long-term cruisers entering new waters and seeking the safety and comfort of easy shore access, families keen to extend a day trip into an overnighter, or boat owners who just want to enjoy a Christmas or New Year’s Eve from the comfort of a marina.
Rentmyboatberth.com, launched by yacht syndication identity Belinda Young, is free to join and has no monthly service fee, making it easy to either rent or lease out a space.
Unlock extra income
"The owners of all those moorings and berths in all those bays can now unlock additional income," Young says. "Boat owners can also have peace of mind knowing they have legally booked the berth or mooring and can’t be kicked off.
"There are thousands of properties along our harbours and waterways with empty pontoon berths or moorings.
"The owners may be away or may have bought the property with no intention of ever putting a boat on the pontoon," Young says.
“Now there is a chance to monetise that empty pontoon or mooring and offer a benefit to cruising boaters."
The service is also available to marina operators keen to convert empty spaces into income.
"It unlocks additional revenue for berth and mooring owners and saves mega dollars for boat owners who are looking for berths and moorings," Young says.
"It also allows boat owners to compare rates at different marinas and berths. The most economic rate equals occupied berths and moorings."
Ease of use
The service works by allowing a boater to reserve a berth or mooring via the rentmyboatberth.com website, allowing for things such as the length of the boat compared with the size of the berth or mooring.
The person making the booking can see a list of services provided with the berth, such as shore power and water, a laundry, showers and for the extended cruisers, maintenance and haul-out facilities.
The website also provides exact Google Maps or GPS coordinates so boaters can check out the site before making a booking.
Once the reservation is made, it’s up to the site’s owner to confirm the booking.
The boater will then pay for the reservation via credit card on the rentmyboatberth.com website, and once payment clears the boater gains approval to use the berth or mooring.
A week after the end of the rental period, the money is then paid to the berth or mooring’s owner, minus a small service fee calculated into the rental rate when the booking is made – the only fee rentmyboatbetrth.com charges under the scheme.
The money is held for an extra week to ensure the person who rented the berth or mooring was happy with the experience.
"This covers the boater who may find a berth is not what was advertised," Young said. "In that case, we are able to refund the full cost to the boater."
The rentmyboatberth.com website is set up for transient boaters, but there are no limits built into the system for the length of the stay.
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