LakeHop

What is LakeHop?

LakeHop is a peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace that gives owners the option of captaining the ship, or offering it as a “bareboat” rental.

LakeHop review:

If you have a boat — or skills that would be of interest to water-lovers — check out LakeHop.

LakeHop, like other boat rental marketplaces, allows boat owners to list their watercraft for rent. It also provides a marketplace for people wanting to buy and sell water-related services ranging from fishing lessons to water skiing and wakeboarding adventures.

But unlike other sites, boat owners typically list their craft with a “ride share driver” on this site. That essentially means that the craft can’t be booked without a driver — often the owner.

That may give comfort to boat-owners who don’t want to worry about some landlubber crashing their craft. It can also be a nice perk for renters, since you don’t have to worry about navigating and there’s no extra charge for the driver.

But, the site does have the option of renting the boat without a driver, too. How you handle it is up to you, the boat owner.

How it works

Boat owners and service providers can create a profile on the site for free. You set your own rates, terms and availability. Boat owners, for instance, determine rental rates, deposits and rules. They also determine whether they’ll rent the boat “bare” — allowing the renter to drive — or if the boat comes with a driver.

Providers of water-related services determine what services they offer — i.e. , water ski or paddle boarding lessons; fishing trips, etc. And they set the price per hour and what’s included, permitted, and other policies.

Pay

If a boat or service is booked, the site will take a 15% commission for the connection and collection services. Payments are collected from renters on confirmation.

Money is paid to boat owners and service providers within 10 days following the rental/service.

Cautions

The site expects boat owners and service providers to respond to requests within 24 hours. You must also keep communication and payments on the platform so that the site can collect its cut. If you don’t, you could be subject to a site fine of up to $1,000.

More significantly, LakeHop does not provide any sort of insurance for your boat. So, boat owners should buy commercial coverage for their watercraft AND collect a deposit on every rental. LakeHop’s terms also state that boat owners need to submit receipts for any claims within 48 hours of a rental. So, be sure to check the gas level and condition of the boat when it’s returned, if you don’t skipper it yourself.

Recommendations

You should also never rent out your watercraft without a commercial insurance policy for both damage and liability. Be sure to talk to your insurance agent about your rental plans and get the appropriate coverage before listing your craft for rent.

Also know that LakeHop is a relatively young boat rental service, so it’s not as widely established as BoatSetter or GetMyBoat. That means you’re less likely to find a renter here.

That said, none of the boat rental services have exclusivity clauses. So there’s no downside to listing your watercraft and services on all three boat rental sites. You can sign up with LakeHop here.