Peer-To-Peer Renting

[Tranona]

Interesting. I would be very happy to swap my boat, but I'd want to know the other person reasonably well, or at th every least have them vouched for by a trusted mutual friend.

That is the rub. The sites I looked at are just like dating sites where you put your profile up but all the transaction takes place direct between "members". One (Salium) lists all boats (170) on its site, but about half of them are actually charter boats but offer swaps. The boats available for rent sort of meet the OPs idea of peer to peer renting - that is cutting out the intermediary in a commercial transaction. A very eclectic mix all round the world but only a handful in the UK. Other sites are charter brokers offering options of shares. None are UK based, mostly Europe.

Just to put in perspective, in the house swap market one site lists 450,000 homes and another "members" club 12000 members.

What I have seen confirms my view that the potential market is tiny. Matching boats/owners/locations/times is a challenge given the small number interested.

 

[Bouba]

One solution could be to swap spouse along with the boat. That way she / he can demonstrate the loo, the engine starting, and perform other useful and amenable functions.

That would make a great reality tv show...oh wait they already did it..