Boat rentals ready to join the sharing economy with the launch of Boatbound

Boatbound, an early stage startup, looks to take boat rentals into the age of smartphones and the sharing economy. The startup, set to launch in early 2013, touts itself as the “Airbnb for boat rentals.”

The startup joined AngelList two weeks ago and has collected 449 followers in that time, likely boosted by the fact that it names Dave McClure, Benjamin Ling, and 500 Startups as a few of its well-respected and experienced investors.

Neither AngelList nor the site’s website go into detail about how transactions will go down or the marketplace will be designed. The site does clearly delineate the four players it sees as benefitting from the service: renters, boat owners, boat dealers, and marinas.

Key to the startup’s feasibility will be the $1,000,000 in insurance coverage that comes with each rental easing the worries of both owners and renters in case of an accident, taking cues from Airbnb’s early mishaps on that front.

BoatBound’s two founders are Aaron Hall and Matt Johnston. The team previously worked together on Tailored, which is just one of Hall’s past startups also including Stuffable, Dress Rush, and Weddzilla.com.

Rentals ready for innovation

BoatBound isn’t the only startup looking to innovate the market. Another startup YachtForMe, recent joined AngelList and describes itself as the “Airbnb for yacht rental and bareboat charter.”