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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2016)
FRIDAYEXTRA ! The Daily Astorian Friday, May 6, 2016 Weekend Edition Courtesy of GetMyBoat Boatbnb In sharing economy, boats are on offer By KYLE SPURR The Daily Astorian T wo entrepreneurs were boating together more than a decade ago in California’s Bay Area and asked themselves, “Why can’t more people enjoy the thrill of being on the water without hav- ing to buy a boat?” Their idea did not gain traction until the emergence in recent years of the “sharing economy,” peer-to-peer transactions where owners rent out something they are not using, such as a car or house. Instead of a taxi , some people use Uber. Instead of hotels, some people use Airbnb. Sascha Mornell and Rafael Collado thought the same principles could apply to boating. Consider their concept Boatbnb. The co-founders launched GetMyBoat in 2013. The San Francisco-based company has become the largest boat rental and char- ter marketplace in the world with 53,000 boats in 154 countries. There are currently six listings in the Astoria area for fi shing charters and guided trips. “For us right now, we want to have options for everybody no matter where you are looking,” Bryan Petro, GetMyBoat’s chief information offi cer, said. “While we have made it great for the owners to use, the real goal is to have a boat in every location that someone can rent.” People can access the service at Get- MyBoat.com or by downloading the appli- Courtesy of GetMyBoat cation to their phone. The founders used feedback from people to add instant mes- saging between parties, an organized cal- endar system to book dates and fl exible pricing. GetMyBoat operates similar to other sharing services, where people can write reviews after the experience. In addition, users must have boating licenses and insur- ance is offered. “We leave it open to customize,” Petro said. The service initially launched in three markets on the West Coast, then three states. Eventually, it went worldwide. Petro said the company, which employs more than 60 people, had to think bigger. It now offers boat tours, dinner cruises and fi shing charters. A new offering allows peo- ple to rent a boat and never leave the dock, sort of like a boat and breakfast. Everything watercraft is offered, from yachts to kayaks . The company was surprised to see celeb- rity listings on its site. People can rent the yacht from the James Bond movie, “The World is Not Enough,” or the yacht featured in the music video for the song “I’m on a B oat,” by The Lonely Island. “You come across some high-profi le boats,” Petro said. For Astoria, the company sees an endless opportunity for fi shing charters. “We look in Astoria, and see fi shing char- ters,” Petro said. “I would love to have that built out a little bit more.” GetMyBoat is not getting the same push back from communities as Airbnb and Uber. In fact, Petro said, the company sees itself as giving a platform to entrepreneurs. Owners can make money off of boats that often sit idle in a marina. The service can create an extra income for boat owners or charter companies, Petro said. “One of the things we wanted from the beginning was to create this ecosystem with sustainable jobs,” he said. “We are creating jobs. It’s inspiring.”
