Welcome, Towpath Talk readers
Read about us in Towpath Talk?
BoatStays lets boat owners on Britain's rivers and canals hire out their boats direct to guests, with the checks and payments handled for them. Here's everything you need to get started.
Become a Founding Owner
0% commission on every booking taken before 31 December 2026, whenever your guests cruise. List your boat by 31 December to qualify. From 1 January 2027, Founder Members pay 10% instead of the standard 15%.
List your boat →How listing works
- 1Create your free account and add your boat, with photos and prices.
- 2Upload your insurance and licence. We check them before you go live.
- 3Confirm your ID and payout details securely with Stripe.
- 4Choose instant book or request to book, then welcome your first guests.
The checks we do
Insurance checked
Every boat needs hire insurance with at least £2m public liability, reviewed by us.
Licence checked
We check the boat is licensed for its waterway before it is listed.
Owners verified
Photo ID and selfie checks through Stripe for every owner.
Paid automatically
Your share is sent to your account 24 hours after check-in.
What you earn
You set your own nightly price. Guests pay an 8% service fee on top, and 3% of every booking goes to The Rivers Trust. Cleaning fees pass to you in full. See the full breakdown on how it works.
As featured in
Towpath Talk, July and August 2026