Boat Rental Company Grows Across Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Chesapeake Bay is Maryland's pride and joy. It's easy to explore ... when you have a boat. For many Marylanders without their own vessel, the bay might as well be across the country.

One company hopes to make boating more accessible. Meet GetMyBoat.

The online platform lets users rent or charter boats by the hour. The company compares itself to Airbnb, a marketplace for renting private homes.

Maryland has 123 boats available from Annapolis to Fort Washington, Middle River and beyond. Rentals and charters include everything from Jet Skis and cruisers to sailboats and yachts. Prices range from $15 per hour for a simple paddleboard to $2,400 per day for a luxurious catamaran.

"Annapolis has grown a lot for us this summer which is awesome," GetMyBoat Marketing Manager Val Streif told Patch in an email, naming the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River as other blossoming areas. "We're glad to bring more boating experiences to people in this boat-loving city!"

GetMyBoat launched in the San Francisco Bay area in 2013. It has since spread worldwide, boasting 140,000 listings across 184 countries. The business also added additional experiences like whale watching and sailing lessons.

That expansion helped the company report 700 percent year-over-year growth in the first third of 2020. GetMyBoat stated it is on track to put 1 million people on the water by the end of the year.

"2021 is off to an incredible start with tremendous, pent-up demand," Chief Operating Officer Bryan Petro said in a press release. "There has always been a significant desire for boating experiences, but last year really amplified the need for customers to get out on the water quickly, easily, and safely."

To browse all the offerings, interested renters can visit getmyboat.com or download the business's mobile application. The sailboat pictured above is docked in Rock Hall and posted at this link.

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