Platforms providing private yacht charters and peer-to-peer boat swaps are en vogue. Recently, I've received a few press releases announcing sites where I can find transparent pricing for mini and mega-yachts, a captain or skipper, along with the opportunity to see how the other half live. There are also options to take a catamaran or speedboat out for a day or even an afternoon. But, once you’ve booked the boat, then what? Where to go? What to do? Boating is an activity where knowledge and planning are essential.
Natalya and Adrian Walker founded BoatAffair in 2017 after realizing how infrequently they used their boat and how inaccessible sailboats and mini-yachts were to those who didn’t own them. Natalya had exited a London-based startup and Adrian left his role at a Swiss-based VC fund before the couple invested their own capital, followed by a seed round of about $600k to establish the platform. The Walkers' unique selling points are their vetting process and bespoke itinerary and experience service.
“There are a lot of companies out there who put up a website for a boat charter and list inventories but when you look closer, it’s difficult to see what’s what. We take a diligent approach to quality. Yacht owners have their own network; that helps us grow inventory and vet people. We check insurance and maintenance papers as well as other documentation,” Natalya explains.
The current quest for experiences is driving the Walkers’ business. Consumers no longer see a lack of background in boating as an obstacle. Ninety-percent of Boataffair’s customers have no boating experience. Some even battle motion sickness, something she helps them work around by suggesting boats with greater stability and less windy routes.
The business evolved into more of an experience site once Natalya realized that boat owners had much more to offer than inventory. They have the secret sauce: knowledge of places – tiny restaurants in spots no one else knows, deserted beaches and other insider information…the kind of information that makes them popular with A-list clients, like footballers, NHL stars and others.
“We realized there was so much we could tap into that was valuable to our customer base. Out of those conversations with owners and captains, our experiences page was borne. Now, that page drives most traffic to our rentals.“
Natalya works with owners and captains to design custom itineraries, including one for a family with a teenager. The parents were worried that a weeklong boat trip might cramp their son’s style. Natalya suggested a mono-hull sailing yacht and chose a skipper who would be happy to provide impromptu sailing lessons. She also created an “adrenalin package” full of various water sport toys on board. Ultimately, Natalya designed an itinerary with lots of variety and different daily stops including deserted islands to explore and coves for snorkeling, as well as national park stops with hikes and other land activities. Parents were catered for with gourmet restaurants, memorable sunsets and swimming under the stars.
Like many startups, the Walker’s struggled to identify the right people for their business.
“We both had a corporate background, but with entrepreneurship, you need something a little bit different. We realized we had to be a little more open-minded and consider younger people with less formal experience and more startup experience, or those with particular skills sets or even personal interests that aligned with the business. You can teach a person if they have the right attitude and mindset, ” Natalya says.
The Walker’s project a strong future for the boat sharing business. In Europe alone, there are 600,000 registered commercial vessels. The Walker’s site lists 1,000 of them. Meanwhile, their research indicates there are 34M people in Europe who enjoy water-based holidays, let alone those who have yet to try it. Beyond the holiday market, there’s also an influx of event planners searching for unique venues for meetings and other activities. More boats are being rented for a half or full day to host parties, view sporting events and even wedding proposals. As long as the appetite for experiences continues to grow and the world economy doesn’t splutter, the boat sharing and chartering business should stay afloat.
