I work in the courthouse and you would not believe the stupid people filing stupid lawsuits for stupid reasons, mostly to harass someone.
I also look over Craigslist for kayaks and in Phoenix the CL is flooded with kayak rentals, mostly from business but the occasional private person seeking to make some cash from their private fleet also appears.
I had a friend, Nancy Kanu, who owned a kayak school but was driven out of business by the insurance companies who doubled her rates every year or two so I can imagine that only the business would be able to afford insurance.
Which leads me to the question of these private renters who probably do not have any insurance.
We all know that paddling has some inherent danger. More when you consider speedboats and rapids.
What are your thoughts about these private renters?
Private renters ought to understand their legal liabilities… Anyone can get sued for anything though. I never rent my boats. I do lend them to people I know and trust as actual ( not virtual) friends
I am with @kayamedic on this - too many liabilities to renting, but do lend from time to time to people who I know will be safe.
If one did want to rent, I would definitely go through one of these new boat rental apps, like getmyboat.com. Presumably they provide insurance (best to check, if you do this).
The nicest rental is when you show up put the gear on paddle a good boat then leave the boat at the take out and some youth puts it all away.
Rent one of mine …no. Don’t need the hassle, liability or the money. But I might loan out one to a club member on a paddle I’m on. But that means I have to load, haul, clean, etc.
I chartered my Tern once to a photog doing a shoot for the state parks and wanted a wooden boat. Contact was though a shop so I don’t know who if anybody insured it.
It was fun watching and I saw that boat in many ads and posters.
I don’t rent, or loan any of my canoes, guns, vehicles, or tools.
Don’t want/need the liability, or hassles, and I don’t need the money.
Don’t want/need to hear bogus excuses for how/why my canoes was damaged, or destroyed.
Happy to let people test paddle my canoes, but only it I’m present…
If you appear to be clueless with regard to paddling skills; you won’t even get a test paddle.
Want to paddle? Buy your own boat!
BOB
P.S. “Beware the helplessness of the chronic victim”.
I’ve not seen any ads for private rentals in my area. Only commerical ones offering rec/SOTs, and outfitters on Lake Superior which will rent sea kayaks provided you a) pass their water safety test; or b) demonstrate a wet exit, T-rescue, and paddle float re-entry (or roll); or c) Produce documentation from an ACA certified instructor attesting to your skills that the outfitter will accept.
Rent my boats? Nope. Lend? Maybe the 14-footer but I have foam foot braces in the other two so those wouldn’t work for anyone taller/shorter than me.
@kayamedic said:
Private renters ought to understand their legal liabilities… Anyone can get sued for anything though. I never rent my boats. I do lend them to people I know and trust as actual ( not virtual) friends
I’ve lent out a lot of boats through the years, fellow club members, my kids and their friends often borrow them, have a saying though, “no good deed goes unpunished”, I never take money though, don’t want the liability
I’ve loaned a few of my surf kayaks / waveskis /surfboards and canoe to fellow Pnetters and others I have known through the internet in the last 18 years. Never had an issue. (OK somebody lost a surfboard fin once.) What goes around comes around, and others have loaned me boats when i have been far from home travelling. Have not sued anyone that I can remember.
I own a fleet myself and people have suggested that I rent them out. Do NOT want the legal liability!!
I DO loan them to people I know but only if they are on the same trip as am I. I do not want the liability of someone borrowing my boat and getting in trouble by doing something stupid on a solo trip. At least if I am there, I can stop the stupid things and rescue the accidents.
