How it works
A friendlier way to spend time on the water.
BoatStays connects you directly with the people who own and love their boats. No fleets, no anonymous handovers, just a warm welcome and a great trip.
The journey
Booking a boat, step by step
- Step 01
Find your boat
Filter by waterway, dates, type and group size. Owner-hosted means honest photos and detailed listings.
- Step 02
Request live dates
See real availability on every boat's calendar and confirm in a few clicks.
- Step 03
Meet & cast off
Your host meets you at the boat, runs through the handover, and waves you off.
The price you see is the price you pay, no hidden fees. BoatStays takes a small commission from the host side to cover payment processing and platform costs.
Owner income calculator
What could your boat earn?
A live estimate based on a few quick details. Drag the sliders and see how the numbers move.
Your realistic guess for how many nights actually get booked each month. Most active hosts see 6 to 10.
Commercial hire and reward insurance. Adjust to your own quote.
Estimated monthly earnings after insurance
£996
Based on 7 booked nights/month
- Gross revenue
- £1,260
- BoatStays commission (15%)
- -£189
- Your take-home
- £1,071
- Insurance
- -£75
- Net after insurance
- £996
At Bronze, the standard 15%. Once your trailing 12 month earnings pass £2,500 the Silver rebate takes you to an effective 13%, worth about £25 a month more before insurance.
Annual projection
£11,952
Mooring fees covered
~2.8 months
based on £350/mo avg UK mooring
Booked nights/year
84
Standard commission is 15%, with loyalty rebates taking it to an effective 13%, 11% or 9%
Founder Members pay 0% on every booking taken before 31 December 2026, then 10% from 1 January 2027.
Estimates only. Actual earnings depend on demand, season, your calendar and how well your listing converts.
Host-approved bookings
Bank-authenticated card, host approval on every request, optional ID check.
On-water support
A real person on the end of the phone, seven days a week.
Honest reviews
Both guests and owners review each booking. No fake stars.
FAQ
Common questions
The things people most often want to know before they sign up. The full answers (and more) live in the help centre.
More questions? Visit the full help centre.
