When Jim O’Connell retired as a geophysicist from Louisiana’s oil industry, he decided to share his lifelong love of sailing with others. He received his Coast Guard license and began offering cruises on Lake Pontchartrain onboard his 52-foot sailboat. But with chartered trips come paperwork for reservations and bookings, so O’Connell signed up to offer his boat as part of GetMyBoat.com, a website geared to connecting boat owners with renters.
“It allows me to focus on the people,” he said.
Visitors may reserve trips via the website or through the app, and choose boats by type, price and guest count, said Val Streif, marketing manager for GetMyBoat.com.
“Once you find a boat or experience you would like to book, you can select the dates and pay for the rental,” she said. “Or you can send the owner an inquiry to answer any outstanding questions you might have.”
Visitors who wish to enjoy a sunset cruise from Capt. O’Connell, for instance, may reserve the boat for a sail from the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain — approximately an hour from downtown New Orleans — with a three-hour minimum at $110 per hour. The trip includes snacks, drinks and music, and the boat provides plenty of seating areas and a full cabin.
“Most people bring their own adult beverages,” O’Connell added.
O’Connell limits his cruises to six people, but other GetMyBoat.com owners accommodate larger groups, Streif said.
“Hosting groups and events on boats is a huge part of our business, and many special celebrations like bachelorette parties, birthday parties, corporate events, family gatherings and more are hosted on GetMyBoat.com charters,” she said.
Currently, the website doesn’t have a specific program for travel advisors.
“We’re working on some sort of referral program,” Streif said. “Right now, travel agents are welcome to use our platform to find and book boating and yachting experiences for their clients.”
For questions about boats, trips and the owners, all communication happens through the website or app, similar to Airbnb’s procedures.
“Just like Airbnb and other booking platforms, contact information like phone numbers and email addresses cannot be shared until after a booking is confirmed,” Streif said.
GetMyBoat.com also has a 24/7 customer service team to help resolve any questions that either owners or renters might have.
