Renting your boat??? Has anyone ever considered it?

MI 420Sundancer

MI 420Sundancer

Member
Dec 9, 2017
38
Grand Haven MI
Boat Info
2004 SeaRay Sundancer
Engines
Cummings
I was debating if I should rent my boat next summer out of Grand Haven Michigan. Has anyone ever done it and what would you think is a fair price to charge?

I have a 2004 420 Sundancer and never have seen anything like it available for rent. Let me know your thoughts as I am out of town most of next summer and considering options. Thanks
 
Boat like that -- not a good idea, IMO. I suppose if you get a licensed captain to do charters with it you could make a few $.
 
Golfman25 said:
Boat like that -- not a good idea, IMO. I suppose if you get a licensed captain to do charters with it you could make a few $.
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Would someone rent it for a week at at time with a in depth training? I know it is maybe a little crazy to rent out a boat like this, but just curious.
 
No way I would do that. Maybe if I was the captain but there may be licensing requirements. And pretty sure you will have insurance implications to be a commercial boat. Unless I just didn't want my boat anymore and hoped for something bad to happen I wouldn't do it. I have been boating for 5 years and still wouldn't be comfortable taking a boat that size in unfamiliar waters. I'm sure I could do it and be fine but think about somebody with no experience doing that.
 
I don’t even let my wife drive the boat! ....nor my truck, my Harley, my lawnmower...
 
Just remember the old adage, "Nothing Parties Like a rental"
I was in the airplane rental business for years and just cringed at how fast the wear ant tear added up. If you do rent it you have to give up the idea that the boat is your baby and look at it as strictly a replaceable business asset. I couldn't do that.
Carpe Diem
 
Carpediem44DB said:
Just remember the old adage, "Nothing Parties Like a rental"
I was in the airplane rental business for years and just cringed at how fast the wear ant tear added up. If you do rent it you have to give up the idea that the boat is your baby and look at it as strictly a replaceable business asset. I couldn't do that.
Carpe Diem
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Completey understand, I really think I would cringe with that aspect.
 
Only way to do this is with trusted captain and crew.
In my neck of the woods there's a market for sunset cruises, dolphin sightings and the like but no one just rents a large boat out. Just way to much liability. Believe the insurance aspect was also mentioned. Most insurers spacificly prohibit the use of their insured vessels in any commercial application.
 
I'm imagining the folks that could afford to rent your boat, and are properly experienced to drive your boat, will likely already have their own.

I figure the most likely renter is a pontoon owner wanting to live the yacht life for a long weekend. That first docking experience could be expensive! Good luck getting them to let go of the steering wheel for that first time :)
 
Sea Ray tried a program to rent owners boats... not sure how it turned out.
 
Nice thought...

Bad idea...

All the reasons listed above, but, if you want to let us know when you find an insurer that will insure the venture and the cost.

The value renters would take from the boat could never be obtained from the rent they pay.

MM
 
The by-laws of my yacht club prohibit boats from being chartered or rented. Maybe commercial marinas have similar restrictions.
 
hottoddie said:
The by-laws of my yacht club prohibit boats from being chartered or rented. Maybe commercial marinas have similar restrictions.
Click to expand...
The marinia's by my have full charter fleets. Fishing is big business around here.
 
Think of it like a rental car and how a lot people treat those.
 
I imagine that between insurance, maintenance, accelerated depreciation and additional wear and tear it would be hard to make it work financially.
It might make more sense with a lot less potential damage and wear if you were to Captain it yourself and just take passengers out but that would still involve proper licensing and insurance. You’d basically be buying yourself a part time job. There was a woman doing that around here a few years ago with a sizable boat. Looked like mostly dinner and cocktail cruise type stuff. Never met her, not sure how she made out or if she is even doing it anymore.

UPDATE!
Just googled her. Here is a link to her website http://www.captainkatie.com/
 
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