Frequently asked questions
I am a Boat renter
Explore our FAQ section for Boat renters.
I am a Boat owner
Explore our FAQ section for Boat owners.
Boat renter FAQs:
Booking Request
What is included in the price?
The displayed "Charges payable via Sail.me" price includes the renting of the boat, additional and/or required services if included, the insurance of the boat, and the Sail.me services fee.
The displayed "Charges payable at base" price includes the additional and/or required services if included, which the renter will have to pay on board at the beginning of the trip. The renter will not be charged by Sail.me for these services.
The "Refundable security deposit" if included will be required by the Owner and paid by the Renter at the start of the booking at base, either in cash or by credit card to cover incidental damage that may occur during the trip. The Owner and/or captain will have to return the deposit to the Renter after the completion of the trip unless he/she reports a problem.
Am I insured during a booking?
The boats are insured by the owners themselves. When they create their boat listing on Sail.me, the boat owners declare that they have valid insurance approved for renting out their boat.
What is the difference between Bareboat and a Captained Vessel?
A "Bareboat" is a boat without a captain, booking this boat means you will be responsible for captaining it yourself or find a captain to do it for you.
If you are captaining the boat yourself, don't forget to specify your boating experience and add your captain license in your profile under Settings > Boating Qualification. You can choose Power Boat and/or Sail Boat experience. You will be responsible for the boat during the entire length of the trip.
Finding a licensed captain to captain the boat during the trip is up to you, and you are responsible for choosing a trusted licensed captain.
A "Captained Vessel" is a boat with a professional captain or the boat owner on board. They will be with you during your whole trip and will be in charge of captaining the boat.
How can I contact the boat owner?
To contact the owner, you can go to the "Boat owner" section in the boat listing and click the blue button "Message owner" or click the "message owner" link in the blue booking form at the right of the page. The Sail.me messaging system allows you to ask all your questions via the website or the Sail.me mobile application.
Once your booking is paid and validated, you will be able to contact the boat owner as well to receive additional instruction if needed.
Can I make a booking even if I did not get a response from the boat owner?
If you contact the owner, but you haven't received a response yet, you can still book the boat directly by clicking "BOOK." You won't be charged until the owner accepts your request. You may always cancel the booking request, without any cancellation fees, if your booking hasn't been accepted yet by the owner. Both you and the boat owner will be notified for the booking request and the statuses (Pending, Accepted/Rejected or Cancelled) of the booking by email, text message, and notification message on Sail.me.
Can I see the boat before booking it?
You will be able to see the boat as soon as your booking is made and accepted by the owner; you will then be able to exchange contact information with the owner and visit the boat. The Sail.me messaging system allows you to ask all your questions via the website or the Sail.me mobile application. If the boat does not represent the one displayed on the listing's photos, you can cancel your booking according to our Cancellation Policy for "poor functional or presentational features."
What are the cancellation policies?
The cancellation policies are predefined by Sail.me and are visible on the Cancellation Policy page on the website. Depending on the status of your booking and the time of the cancellation, Sail.me will apply the specified Cancellation Policy. You can find our cancellation policies here.
If you need further assistance on cancellation for a specific reason (e.g., bad weather, miscommunication with the owner, etc.), please contact us at [email protected]
Can the boat owner reject my booking request?
The boat owner may reject your booking request on his sole discretion. In that case, you won't be charged, and Sail.me will offer you similar boat listing based on your booking request. To prevent further booking rejections, make sure your profile is completed and verified, and if booking a bareboat – provide your boating qualifications in your profile settings.
How long does a boat owner have to respond to my booking request?
The boat owner will have to accept your booking within 48 hours, after that period your Booking will be automatically become "Rejected," and you will not be charged. Both you and the boat owner will be notified for the booking request and the statuses (Accepted or) of the booking by email, text message, and notification message on Sail.me.
Can I receive the boat owner's contact information before booking?
As soon as your booking is accepted by the owner, you will be able to exchange contact information with the boat owner by going to "My Trips > View Detailed," then you will see the Boat Owner section and a blue "Message Owner" button at the left. Do not hesitate to ask the owner all your questions via the Sail.me messaging system.
Be assured that Sail.me protects you by using a secured payment system. With our secure end-to-end encryption, you will avoid fraud and payment abuse.
The payment with my credit card was not accepted. What should I do?
If your payment was not accepted, you could try again with another credit card.
Most credit cards have transaction limits - contact your card issuer to increase your transaction limit and try to pay again. If the payment is still not accepted, you can select the Wire transfer option.
How to know if my booking request is accepted or rejected? What should I do if it was rejected?
You can check the status of your booking by going to your account under "My Trips" - you will see the reservation status at the color badge.
A yellow "Pending" means the owner hasn't yet accepted your request and you are still not charged for it.
A green "Upcoming" means the owner has accepted your request and you have an upcoming trip, you were charged for the booking according to the payment you selected by the time of booking. You will have access to the boat owner's contact information, and to the Trip info (Dates, Duration, Departure, Return, Boat rules, etc.).
The green "Upcoming" will become a blue "Passed" when your trip has finished.
A red "Rejected" means the owner either hasn't responded to your request within 48 hours or he has decided not to accept your request and you were not charged for it.
A red "Cancelled" status will appear if either you or the boat owner has canceled the booking, once it has been accepted.
All changes to your Trip's status will be sent to both you and the boat owner via E-mail, SMS, and Message.
Can I cancel a Pending booking? Will I be charged?
You can cancel your booking request at any time if its status is still "Pending." To do so, go to your account's "My Trips" and click on "Cancel Booking." You won't be charged if the boat owner has not yet accepted the booking request.
Payment
What payment methods are you accepting on Sail.me?
Payments are made by credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, CB) or by Wire Transfer.
Is my payment secured?
All payments on Sail.me are processed by Stripe. All the personal and payment information present on Sail.me is secured and never shared with third-parties. Your card/bank information is not stored nor saved on our website. The site www.sail.me is verified by an SSL certificate.
When will I be charged?
You will be charged as soon as the boat owner accepts your booking request, according to the payment plan you have selected. If you are paying the amount in installments and with a credit card, the first one will be placed on your credit card by the time the owner accepts the booking, and the second one will be placed automatically at the time it was specified in your payment plan. Make sure you have the exact amount in your credit card, if we were unable to charge your credit card after three (3) attempts, your booking would automatically become "Cancelled" according to the "Cancellation Policy."
The same applies to payments in full or in installments via Wire Transfer. You will receive the payment details on your E-mail and failing to complete the Wire Transfer in the time specified will result in booking cancelation according to the "Cancellation Policy."
What is the Sail.me service fee?
The Sail.me Service fee covers handling guests’ payments and the cost of running the site. The Service fee is a total of 20% of the Booking price and can be split between the Owner and the Renter. The Owner sets the percent, which is paid by him/her and the precent, paid by the Renter upon creating the Boat Listing.
The price, where displayed on the website, the Service fee is indicated as "including" or "excluding."
Can I pay in installments?
Yes, it is possible to pay in installments if your booking dates and the boat allows you to pay in installments. Installments are set by the boat owner and can vary. The first installment is always placed by the time the boat owner accepts your booking request, and the second one is set by the owner in (number of) days after booking or before the trip.
The percentage of the installments is also set by the boat owner.
Make sure you have the exact amount in your credit card by the time of each installment, if we were unable to charge your credit card after three (3) attempts, your booking would automatically become "Cancelled" according to the "Cancellation Policy."
You will receive a notification e-mail for each successful or unsuccessful transaction.
When will Sail.me transfer the payment to the boat owner?
Sail.me will transfer the payment to the boat owner 24 hours after the booking has passed, which means 24 hours after your "Return" time. You will then have an additional 24 hours (48 in total after your "Return" time) to notify us if any problems occurred with your booking at [email protected]sail.me.
Do I get an Invoice from Sail.me for the payment?
Since Sail.me acts only as a payment intermediary between you and the boat owner, you can get an invoice for the service fee you were charged by Sail.me from your account's "My Trips." In the corresponding Trip, click the button "Get Invoice." Your invoice will be accessible on the first day of your trip (Departure Time) onwards. In case of canceled bookings where a service fee was placed on your card according to the "Cancellation Policy," you can access the Invoice immediately after your booking has been canceled and the service fee was placed successfully on your card.
Insurance
Are the boats insured?
All boat owners, declare that their boat as insured for renting out, upon listing their boat on our website.
What is the Security Deposit?
Boat owners can include a "Security Deposit" in every Boat Listing. It will cover any incidental damage that may occur during the trip. The Owner can choose the refundable security deposit to be paid in cash or/and by credit card at base at the beginning of every booking and after the booking is completed and no claims were reported, he/she will have to return the security deposit to the Renter.
Booking Management
Am I insured during a booking?
All boat owners, declare that their boat as insured for renting out upon listing their boat on our website, so that you can enjoy your booking.
Can I contact the boat owner after I've made a booking?
As soon as your booking has been confirmed by the boat owner, you will be able to send a direct message to the owner via the blue "Message Owner" button, located in the Trip details under the owner's name (Account > My Trips > View Detailed).
I chose a captained boat; can I still captain the boat?
If you book a captained boat, the boat owner or the captain is the only captains on board. Although, if you are an experienced captain and have your boating experience with you to show it to them, they may authorize you to captain the boat. However, it is always up to the boat owner and/or the captain to decide whether or not they will authorize you to do so.
Are captain fees included in the booking price?
For most captained boats, the captain service fees are included in the booking price. If otherwise, the boat owner must specify it in the boat listing as an additional or required service (add-on). The boat owner cannot expect any service fees, except those listed in the boat listing.
For bareboat (boats without a captain), do not hesitate to ask the owner via the Sail.me message system if he/she can offer you a licensed captain for an additional fee, most boat owners have a person to recommend.
Are fuel costs included in the booking price?
You should check the boat description in the boat listing to see if the boat comes with or without fuel.
Motorboats, for example, most of the time come with fuel NOT included in the price you pay on our website. In this case, the renters are obliged to return the boat with the same amount of fuel the boat was given to him. For more precise details on the boat's fuel policy, you can directly send a message from the listing page to the boat owner before booking.
What is an add-on? Are they included in the booking price?
The add-ons are side-services on the boat, defined by the boat owner and are not included in the initial price for renting the boat. They can be varied from port and cleaning taxes to catering services, diving equipment, etc.
Add-ons can be "Extra Features," which means you can choose whether or not to include them in your trip; and "Required Features" where they will be automatically added to your trip upon booking, based on your trip length and guests count.
An add-on can be free of charge, payable at booking or payable at base.
- payable at booking means that based on the quantity of the selected add-on, its price will be added to the total booking price and will be placed on your payment upon booking confirmation.
- payable at base means that based on the quantity of the selected add-on, its price will be added to your booking request, but you won't be charged for it via Sail.me. Instead, you will have to pay for the add-on directly to the boat owner upon checking in on the boat.
Note that a certain add-on can be unavailable for your trip (your dates, guests count or your trip length).
What is an itinerary? Are they included in the booking price?
The itineraries are sample routes, made by the owners for specific boats as an example of where you can go and places you can see during your trip on that boat. No extra fee will be placed on your booking for selecting an itinerary. The itinerary is indicative and must be consistent with your trip duration and meteorological conditions. If a captained boat is chosen, the captain determines and decides whether the desired route can be executed. If a bareboat is selected, you or the captain should always consider the meteorological conditions before executing the trip.
Note that itineraries, longer than your trip duration will be shown as "Unavailable."
What documents should I bring on the day of the booking?
On the day of your booking, you should bring with you an official ID, your boating license in case you will be captaining the boat and the bank card you used to pay for your booking, so the boat owner can follow the security verification process.
Account
How can I join the Sail.me website?
To register as a user on Sail.me, click here or on "Register" on the top right corner of your screen on www.sail.me
To register as a boat owner on Sail.me, follow the same steps and after you've registered as a user, hit the green "Add Boat" button at the top right corner of your screen. Adding a single boat to your account makes you a boat owner, and you will unlock the boat owner features of your account. You will have access to your boats, bookings and boat statistics.
To join the Sail.me social media pages and recommend them to friends or family, click on the following links: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
Can I change my password?
To change your password, click on your username (top right of your screen), then go to "Settings" and under Account section, you will find "Password."
Enter your old (current) password and then your desired new password two times and click "Change."
I can't remember my password / My account was suspended. What can I do?
If you can't remember your password, click on the "Forgot password?" link on the login page to reset it.
If your account was suspended for some reason, you could contact our customer support on [email protected] Make sure you provide our customer support the details of your problem if possible. For example, your account may be suspended for violating our Terms of Use.
Booking Cancellation
Can I cancel the booking?
Yes. You can cancel your booking request at any time. Make sure you read our "Cancellation Policy" before canceling a booking.
You may cancel your booking by going to your account's "My Trips," clicking on the corresponding booking details, and "Cancel Booking."
There are different scenarios, according to the status of your booking and the time you cancel it, as follows:
If the booking's status is still "Pending" (the owner hasn't yet accepted the booking) you can cancel free of charge, no compensation fees will be placed on your credit card.
However, if the booking was already accepted and you were charged for it, booking cancellation will be made as follows the 3 different scenarios in our Cancellation Policy page."
What can I do in case of bad weather?
If bad meteorological conditions are preventing you from captaining the boat securely and after discussing it with the boat owner, you can cancel the booking up to 1 hour before the beginning of the booking by going to your account's "My Trips" then "Cancel Booking." We will ask the boat owner to confirm, and we will proceed with the reimbursement of the booking payment, excluding the Sail.me service fee. The reimbursement is in the form of a credit on our website, valid for one year.
You may also come to an agreement with the boat owner and change the date of the booking.
If the booking is longer than 1 (one) day, please check our cancellation policies by clicking here.
If you want to cancel 1 (one) or more days over a longer charter period, send us an email at [email protected]
Can I modify a booking?
To modify an accepted by the owner booking, first, you need to discuss it with the boat owner. If his schedule allows modification of your booking, contact us at [email protected] so that your booking can be updated.
To modify a pending booking (not yet confirmed by the owner), you may simply cancel the booking, and send a second booking request with the right details (dates, guests, etc.).
Damage, Litigation, Guarantee
How do security deposits work?
The "Security Deposit", if included will cover any incidental damage that may occur during the trip. The Owner can choose the refundable security deposit to be paid in cash or/and by credit card at base at the beginning of every booking and after the booking is completed and no claims were reported, he/she will have to return the security deposit to the Renter.
If minor damages occur during your trip, you may contact the boat owner and agree on a reparation price, then pay him directly.
If significant damages occur during your trip and the boat owner request it, the security deposit will then be held by him.
Sail.me will never take a side in claims and will not responsible for administering, accepting or refunding the security deposit, and disclaims any liability in this regard.
What shall I do in case of an accident with the boat or if it sustains damages during the booking?
If the booked boat breaks down during your trip, it may be possible (treated on a case to case basis) to cancel the booking.
If such cases occur during the booking, the Renter needs to notify our customer support team at [email protected] to discuss further actions on cancelling the booking.
A customer service representative will contact you as soon as possible.
Can the boat owner request the security deposit?
If significant damages occur during your trip and the boat owner request it, the security deposit will then be held by him.
Rating and Reviews
Did the boat owner write a review for me? How may I see it?
The boat owner is prompted to leave a review for you after your booking has finished. You will get a notification when you have received a review from the boat owner. To see it, you will have to leave a review back; then you can click on your profile dashboard and check the review at the "Reviews" section.
How can I leave a review?
After your trip has finished, you will be prompted by e-mail to leave a review of the boat, and the boat owner/captain, as well as he/she, will be prompted to leave a review for your trip. To leave a review, follow the link in your e-mail or go to "My Trips" and click "Leave a Review" for the corresponding trip.
Can I answer to a review?
If either one of you has left a review for the other side, you will not be able to see what the review is, unless the other side leaves a review back, thus preventing fraud/false reviews.
After both sides have left reviews, they will appear at the user/boat and boat owner review sections.
Can I delete a review?
If you believe the review is false, misleading or abusive, contact our customer support at [email protected] and describe your case. We will contact the boat owner and discuss both sides of the event to decide on the relevance of the review and if it should be deleted.
Boat owner FAQs:
Booking Management and Cancellation
Can I use my own contract?
Yes, you can use your own boat rental contract, as long as it does not violate our Terms of Use. You will find the Terms of Use on the Sail.me home page, at the Help menu at your upper right or by scrolling all the way down to the footer area. Sail.me acts only as a payment mediator between you and your renters, Sail.me is not a part of any contracts you have between you and your renters and is not responsible in any violation of the same contract.
Can I contact the renter after a booking has been accepted?
After a booking request has been accepted by you, you can send a direct message to the renter. To do so, go to your account (your username at the upper right corner of your screen), click "Bookings," and click on the corresponding booking details. The blue "Message Renter" will be displayed at the left side of your screen, under his name.
What are the usual check-in/check-out hours for a booking?
You are the one choosing the check-in/check-out hours for your bookings. They may vary depending on your availability, or renter's request. If you have specific working hours, you can define them in your boat's listing and in your Price & Availability Calendar.
For Daily trips (8 hours), usually, the trip time is considered as follows: Departure at 9:00 AM and Return at 5:00 PM.
For Weekly trips (7 nights), usually the trip time is considered as follows: 17:00 on the day of departure and 09:00 on the day of return
For Half-day trips (4 hours), usually the trip time is considered as follows:
- Before Midday - Departure at 8:00 AM and Return at 12:00 PM.
- Past Midday - Departure at 2:00 PM and Return at 6:00 PM.
- Evening - Departure at 8:00 PM and Return at 12:00 AM.
Note: You can choose not to include a specific period at all in your working schedule.
For Hourly trips (1+ hours), you can set your own working hours by choosing the "From-To" option, or for more specific working periods choose the "Custom hours" option.
Note: Here you can set custom service hours if needed, meaning that after every booking, Sail.me will make your boat unavailable for booking for the specified time.
Make sure you discuss with your renters if you or they desire different than the usual hours for a confirmed booking.
I won't be able to do the check-in/check-out of the renter(s). Can I ask a person I trust to do it for me?
Yes, you can ask a person you trust to do the check-in and check-out of your guests for you. Don't forget to tell them to verify the condition of the boat before and after the trip, along with the renter.
What should I do for the start of the trip?
If you have prepared a contract, make sure to bring it with you on board.
It is essential to:
- Do the verification process: boat license (if the renter will be captaining the boat), ID card, a credit card which the renter used to make the booking (verify the four last digits).
- Verify the condition of the boat with the renter during check-in and check-out.
- All documentation must be filled out and signed by you and the renter.
- Request the security deposit from the Renter by the time of the booking start at base.
Who cleans the boat after the booking? What to do if it was not done?
If not stated otherwise in your listing, the renter has to return the boat in the same condition it was given to him/her at the beginning of the trip. Cleaning the boat is the renter's duty. You may also include an additional or required add-on for cleaning services (where cleaning the boat will be made by a professional for an extra fee).
In case the cleaning has to be done by the renter, and it was not, you are also able to bill the renter a cleaning fee, charging it from the security deposit.
What can I do in case of bad weather?
If bad meteorological conditions are preventing the renter/the captain/you, and you are anxious about your boat leaving the harbor, you may cancel the booking up to 1 hour before the beginning of the booking by going to your account's "Bookings," and click "Cancel Booking."
The renter will be reimbursed the full credit for the booking amount, excluding the Sail.me service fee, valid for one year.
If the booking is longer than 1 (one) day, please check our Cancellation policies by clicking here.
If you want to cancel 1 (one) or more days over a longer booking period, send us an email at [email protected]
The renter canceled the booking. Will I still be paid?
If the renter cancels a booking in advance, the cancellation policies will apply as follows to the boat’s selected policy. Check our Cancelation Policy page for more info.
A booking cancellation due to bad meteorological conditions will allow the renter to receive a full refund of the booking, excluding the Sail.me service fees. The renter will receive the refund as a credit on our website valid for their next booking, valid for one year. Sail.me has to be informed in such cases.
Can I reject a pending booking?
Yes, you can cancel a pending booking if:
- The renter has little or no verifications on his profile. You can choose not to accept bookings by users who haven't yet verified their profile or ask them to provide verifications before accepting the booking.
- You have unexpected changes in your schedule, and you won't be able to handle the booking. Although not recommended in such force-major situations you have the right to reject a pending booking. But always make sure your Prices and Availability calendar is up to date to prevent such case and thus leaving disappointed customers.
Can I cancel an accepted booking?
You can cancel an accepted booking if:
- Meteorological conditions prevent you/the captain/the renter to navigate the boat safely.
- The renter/the captain does not have the required experience/level to navigate the boat safely.
- The boat was damaged.
Note that by accepting a booking, you are committing to handle the booking. If you choose to cancel an already accepted (Upcoming) booking, you will be contacted by a member of our customer support to provide details on the cancellation reason. Note that in such cases our Cancellation Policy is applicable and having more than 2 unfounded canceled bookings will result in deleting your boat listing.
To cancel a booking, you should log in to your Sail.me account and go to "Bookings," click on the corresponding booking details and click on the "Cancel Booking" button.
Insurance
My boat is already insured. Does it need different insurance for renting it out?
Renting out a boat have different insurance rules depending on the country your boat is located in.
For more detailed information on what insurance you will need, contact your current insurance agent.
Can I have a security deposit on my boat? How much should it be? Who takes care of it?
Yes, you can set a security deposit on your boat in the "Insurance" section of the boat listing. It is up to you to choose the amount. On average, security deposits range from $500 to $2000.
The security deposit is managed you and needs to be charged from the Renter prior to the booking start time at base.
Booking Request
What is a booking request?
When a renter makes a booking request for your boat, you will receive a booking request notification. Then you will have 48 hours to answer to that booking request. If you accept it, the renter's credit card is charged; if you reject it, the renter won't be charged.
How do I know if I receive a booking request?
You will receive an e-mail and message in your account on Sail.me every time someone sends you a booking request.
Also, you can receive a text message if you have entered a phone number in your account and it was validated. To validate your phone number, go to your account, "Settings" and then got to "Verifications."
By using the Sail.me mobile app you will also be notified every time you have a new booking request.
How to accept a booking request? Can I reject a booking request?
You may choose to accept or reject a booking request via the website or the Sail.me mobile app by going to "Bookings," "View Detailed" and then select Accept or Reject.
If you accept, the renter will be debited, and the booking will be confirmed and marked as "Upcoming."
If you reject or you did not answer to the booking request up to 48 hours, the renter will not be debited, and the booking will be marked as "Rejected."
How much time do I have to answer to a booking request and what does the different booking status mean?
Every new booking you receive will be displayed in your "Bookings" page marked with a yellow "Pending" status. You will then have 48 hours to answer to that booking request.
If you accept it, the renter will be charged, and the booking status becomes a green "Upcoming." After the trip has passed, the status changes to a blue "Passed."
If you reject it, the renter won't be charged, and the booking status becomes a red "Rejected."
If you don't answer within the 48 hours, the request will expire, the renter won't be charged, and the booking status will become a red "Rejected."
If you choose to cancel an already accepted (Upcoming) booking, it's status will change to an orange "Cancelation Request," you will be contacted by a member of our customer support to provide details on the cancellation reason. Note that in such cases our Cancellation Policy is applicable and having more than 2 unfounded canceled bookings will result in deleting your boat listing.
If you wish to accept the booking request after the 48 hours has expired, send a message to the renter, asking them to make the request again so you can accept it.
Can I exchange my phone number with the renter?
Yes, as soon as you accept the booking, you will be able to share contact information with each other (email, phone number, etc.). The Sail.me messaging system allows you to discuss any questions concerning the booking details. The messaging system is also available on the Sail.me mobile app.
What can I do if the pricing in my calendar was wrong?
If you have entered a wrong price in your calendar, you can reject the booking request and go to your boat listing's Price & Availability calendar to correct your prices. We highly recommend you to check your schedule regularly and update it to prevent cases such as these. Your boat listing will be deleted if there are 2 unfounded cancellations from your side.
Don't forget that for every booking, you will receive the amount for that booking, displayed on Sail.me minus Sail.me's Owner Service fee.
How can I see how much boating experience a renter has?
To see the boating experience the renter has, you should check his profile. You can find his profile by going to the corresponding booking, click on "View Detailed" and on the left you will see the renter's profile.
If the renter has not filled out his boating experience, do not hesitate to send them a message to ask them via the blue "Message Renter" button.
The renter doesn't speak my language, what can I do?
If the renter doesn't speak your language, you can try to speak English with them. If they don't speak English, Google Translate is a great tool to use; just go to www.translate.google.com to use it.
Pubilsh Boat Listing
How much will I earn?
You are free to choose the price of renting out your boat. Although we recommend you to choose appropriate pricing and thus to have a lot of bookings, rather than having an expensive boat with fewer bookings.
Sail.me’s Service fee helps process guests’ payments and covers the price of running the site. The Service fee is equal to 20% of the Booking price and can be split between the Owner and the Renter. The percent of the Service fee which every part pays is set by the Boat owner in the Service fee section of the Add Boat page. Renters are charged upon creating the Booking and Boat Owners are charged before the bank transfer after a booking has passed.
How can I create a boat listing, is it free?
Yes, you can create a boat listing for free. You will need to be a registered user on Sail.me to do so. After login, you will see the green "Add Boat" button at the top right of your screen (Add Boat link in "Profile" page on the Sail.me app). Fill out the "Add Boat" form carefully and make sure you provide accurate information along with reasonable pricing and boat availability, as well as great high-quality photos of your boat. The more information and pictures you provide, the better chance to be seen in search results. When you have filled out all the information, your listing will be online.
The pricing and availability of your boat are essential, after publishing your boat listing online, you will be working with your renters and receiving booking requests, so make sure you will be able to handle bookings. It is always better to set unavailable days than to accept booking requests which you can't handle and ultimately you will reject.
My boat listing is still not published, why?
Make sure that you correctly filled out everything in the "Add Boat" form, and that you uploaded at least one photo. A green "Published" status will appear on your boat listing after it has been successfully published.
Your yacht is published and active when:
- your email address is validated
- your profile is complete: first and last name and a verified phone number
If you are sure that everything is done correctly and your boat status is still unpublished, send us an e-mail at [email protected] with your names, boat listing Headline and details about the problem. A member of our team will contact you as soon as possible to resolve the issue.
What's the difference between a Bareboat and a Captained boat?
If you choose to publish your boat as a "Bareboat," it will be considered to be available for booking without a qualified captain on board. The renters will be responsible for providing someone qualified to navigate the boat throughout the whole booking. You can offer a qualified captain (either you or someone you trust) to captain the boat for an extra fee. You can use the "Add-ons" option to add additional features such as Captain.
If you choose to publish your boat as "Captained", it will be considered to be available for booking with you or a qualified captain on board. The renters will rely on you to provide someone to navigate the boat throughout the whole booking.
Should the fuel cost be included in the pricing?
It's up to you to choose whether or not you want to include the fuel cost in the pricing. Make sure to let your renters well informed, you should specify if the fuel is included or not in the description of the yacht. This option is located in the "Feature" section of the "Add Boat" page.
In most cases, boat owners decide to set the "Renter Pays" option - the boat is available for the booking with a full (fuel) tank, and the renter must return it with a full (fuel) tank too.
If you consider not to include fuel in the pricing, it highly is recommended to state the average price of a full fuel tank for your boat. Furthermore, you can specify how much it would cost the renter to return the boat without fuel in it.
I represent a boat rental company; can I register anyway?
Yes, we do accept boat rental company representatives to register and list boats if those two conditions are respected:
- The boat pricing displayed on Sail.me have to be lower or equal to the pricing shown on your website or in your agency/office.
- Your company or website should not be mentioned at any time: not in the boat description, not in the photos, and not in any messages with your renters.
Can I make my boat available for booking at night for night parties/dinner cruises?
Yes, you can make your boat available for booking at night by going to the "Prices" section of the "Add Boat" / "Edit Boat" menu and choose the following options:
- select the "Half-day" calendar from the "Hide/Show Calendars" drop-down menu. Here you have the option to rent out your boat in 3 different periods: Before Midday (08 AM - 12 PM); Past Midday (02 PM - 06 PM) and Evening (08 PM - 12 AM), choose the ones you need and set prices for the days/months you will be available for booking.
- select the "Hourly" calendar from the "Hide/Show Calendars" drop-down menu. Here you can set your own working hours by choosing the "From-To" option, or for more specific working periods choose the "Custom hours" option. Choose the working hours you need and set prices for the days/months you will be available for booking.
Note: Here you can set custom service hours if needed, meaning that after every booking, Sail.me will make your boat unavailable for booking for the specified time.
You can set flat prices quickly for large periods from the "Set flat price" option under the selected calendar's name. Enter the price, select for what period you want to set the price (1, 3, 6 or 12 months ahead) and click Apply. This will apply the same price for all days of the desired period. If you would like to set different prices for different days/months, you can go to the calendar below, select the days/months you want and enter custom prices.
How can I add photos to my boat listing?
You can add as many photos of your boat to your listing at any time. The more pictures you have - the better. Go to your account's "My Boats" link, click on "Edit" (or if you are adding a new boat, go directly to next step) and go to the "Photos" section at the left. Verify that your photos are large (at least 1200x800 pixels), high-quality and the right file formats: JPEG or PNG.
Note that you will need to have at least one high-quality photo of your boat to be able to publish your listing. The main picture will be used in search results and at the top of your boat listing page, make sure you select the best boat of your photo as main, it will represent your boat everywhere across the website and mobile app. Set an image as main by holding the "Reorder" button (two arrows) at the bottom left of the photo and dragging it in front of the list of uploaded photos.
What is an add-on? How can I add add-ons to my boat?
The add-ons are side-services on your boat, defined by you which are not included in the initial price for renting the boat. They can be varied from port and cleaning taxes to catering services, diving equipment, etc.
Add-ons can be "Extra Features," which means your renters can choose whether or not to include them in their trip; and "Required Features" where they will be automatically added to your renter's trip upon booking, based on their trip length and guests count.
An add-on can be free of charge, payable at booking or payable at base.
- payable at booking means that based on the quantity of the selected add-on, its price will be added to the total booking price and will be placed on the renter's payment upon booking confirmation.
- payable at base means that based on the quantity of the selected add-on, its price will be added to the booking request, but the renter(s) won't be charged for it via Sail.me. Instead, they will have to pay for the add-on directly to you upon checking in on board.
To add an add-on, go to the "Add-ons" section of the "Add/Edit Boat" page and choose the type of add-on you want to add, select payment time, price, etc. Make sure to add a beautiful photo to attract more people to your boat.
What is an itinerary? How can I add itineraries to my boat?
The itineraries are sample routes for your boat as an example of where your renters can go and places they can see during their trip on that boat. The itinerary is free of charge, and it is consistent with the booking duration. If your boat is captained, you/the captain determines and decides whether the desired route can be executed. If your boat is bareboat, the renters should be advised to always consider the meteorological conditions before executing the trip.
To add an itinerary, go to the "Itineraries" section of the "Add/Edit Boat" page and create a new one by giving it a name and selecting the duration. After that, add as many stops as you want and use the "Click to close the route at the starting point" option to close the route at the starting point if your route returns at the same point it starts. Make sure to add a beautiful photo and a good description for each stop of your route to attract more people to your boat.
Account
How to register my account? Do I need an account and a profile picture to publish a boat listing?
Yes, you need to be a registered member of Sail.me to publish your boat for rent. To create an account on Sail.me, go to the homepage and click on "Sign up" (top right-hand side of your screen)
Fill in the form, or register by connecting with your preferred social media account (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Google). Make sure you confirm your e-mail after registration by clicking the link we will send you to your e-mail.
A complete profile is needed to identify you on Sail.me and lets renters see who is the owner of the boat. The will also contact you once a booking is confirmed. Until booking is accepted by you, the renters will only be able to see your first name (not your surname), your profile picture and how long have you been a member of Sail.me.
Think about putting up a good profile picture. A boat owner with a genuine profile picture always has more chance to receive booking requests unlike a profile with no picture or that of objects, boats, etc.
How to change my password?
To change your password, click on your username (top right of your screen), then go to "Settings" and under Account section, you will find "Password."
Enter your old (current) password and then your desired new password two times and click "Change."
I can't remember my password / My account was suspended. What can I do?
If you can't remember your password, click on the "Forgot password?" link on the login page to reset it.
If your account was suspended for some reason, you could contact our customer support on [email protected] Make sure you provide our customer support the details of your problem if possible. For example, your account may be suspended for violating our Terms of Use.
Is my personal information on the website secured?
Yes, all your personal information on our website/mobile app is secured and encrypted. Sail.me will never share your personal info with third-parties. We use the highest security standards to assure your privacy. The site www.sail.me is verified by an SSL certificate.
I do not have a Facebook or other social media account, is it a problem?
Absolutely no! Connecting your account with a social media is just an extra level of verification, we will never share your social media profiles with third-parties, we will only show your renters you are verified through social media. Still, if you don't want to connect your accounts, you can register on Sail.me by using your e-mail address.
How do I validate my e-mail address or phone number? I did not get the confirmation e-mail or text message.
Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation e-mail on the e-mail address you used for registration. To confirm it, just click on the link we sent you in the message. To verify that you entered the correct email address, go to your account's "Settings," and then to "E-mail" in the Account section at your left.
To validate your phone number, go to your account's "Settings," and then to "Verifications" in the Profile section at your left. Enter your phone number and click the "Send code" button. You will receive a verification code which you have to enter in the form.
How can I delete my boat listing?
To make a boat listing unavailable for booking, you can choose one the following:
- go to the "Prices" section of the "Edit Boat" menu of the boat listing and clear all your prices from the calendars, make sure you clear all entered prices from today onwards. By doing this, your boat will still be visible in search results, but it will be displayed as "Ask for Price," and instead of direct booking, renters will be able to make booking requests.
- click the "Edit" button of the boat listing you want to delete, and at the top right you will see the "Boat Actions" menu and three dots. From the dots menu, select the "Unpublish Boat" option. Your boat will not be visible in any search result on the website and mobile app, but it will remain in your account, in case you change your mind and want to publish it later. If you are 100% sure you want to delete the boat from your account and the website/mobile app, select the "Delete Boat" option and check the "Yes, I'm sure!" checkbox and then hit "Delete" note that you can't undo this action and your listing will be permanently deleted from our base.
Can I turn on or off text message notifications?
To turn on or off the text message notifications, go to your account's "Settings," and then to "Notifications" in the Account section at your left.
There, you will see the options to activate or deactivate different settings as well as text message notifications.
Rating and Reviews
How can I leave a review for a renter?
You may leave a review for the renter after the booking has passed. To do so, go to your account's "Bookings" and clicking on the "Leave a Review" link.
How can I see reviews left by renters for me?
Reviews are posted by renters to boat listings after a certain booking has passed. Those reviews will also appear on your public profile page. If you have more than one boat listings, all the reviews you have received for them will be displayed on your public profile page. To see reviews left by renters for a specific boat, go to your boat's listing and scroll to the "Reviews" section. To see all reviews left by renters for your boats – go to your profile and scroll down to the "Reviews" section.
My boat was rented, but I did not receive a review. What do I do?
After the booking has passed, both you and the renter will be prompted to leave each other a review for the trip and how it all went. Leaving a review for the renter will notify them of that, and they will be invited to leave a review back for you. After both sides leave a review for each other, you will be able to see the reviews on your profile pages. If even after you leave a review, the renter still hasn't done it, you can ask them to write you a review by sending them a message (open the booking details, and contact the renter).
Can I answer to a bad review I received?
If either one of you has left a review for the other side, you will not be able to see what the review is, unless the other side leaves a review back, thus preventing fraud/false reviews.
After both sides have left reviews, they will appear at the user/boat and boat owner review sections.
If you believe a certain review is false, abusive or misleading, you have the right to request the review's removal. Send us an e-mail at [email protected] and describe your case, along with your boat listing and the review you would like to be deleted. We will contact the renter and discuss the situation to determine the necessity of the removal.
Payment
The renter already paid online for the booking, when will they be charged?
The renters are debited as soon as you accept the booking request.
Do I need to enter my IBAN-RIB and where should I do it?
Yes, we will not be able to send you your earnings from bookings if we do not have your bank information.
You may enter your IBAN-RIB by going to your account's "Settings," and under Payments section, you will find "Payment Settings." Click on the blue "Edit Payout Details" and enter your information. Your payment details and all your sensitive data is encrypted on our site, and we will never share it with third parties.
Are my bank details secured?
All your personal information on our website/mobile app is secured and encrypted. Sail.me will never share your personal info with third-parties. We use the highest security standards to assure your privacy. The site www.sail.me is verified by an SSL certificate.
Do I have to declare my earnings?
We advise you to contact your local fiscal (taxes) administration to answer this question.
The trip has passed, and I haven't received any payment yet. What happened?
You can track your account balance by going to your account's "Settings," and under Payment Settings, you will find "Account Balance." The payment for each booking will be sent there at the end of the booking. Sail.me will disburse your account balance at the end of the month to your bank details entered in your profile. You will receive the payment from Sail.me according to banking delays, about 1 to 5 days later. Verify that you entered your IBAN by going to your account's "Settings" under Payments section you will find "Payment Settings."
When will Sail.me transfer my earnings?
Sail.me will pay the amount of each reservation on your account on the day of booking, to your bank details entered into your account. You will receive the payment from Sail.me according to bank delays, about 1 to 5 days later. Be sure to enter the IBAN by going to the Settings tab on the Payments tab, which will find "Payment settings".
Damage, Litigation, Guarantee
My boat was damaged during a booking, what should I do?
In case of damages to the boat, which the security deposit can cover, you have the legal right to obtain the Security Deposit to yourself.
In case of severe damages to the boat during booking, we are advising you to turn to your insurance agent and together with the renter(s) to come to an agreement.
Sail.me is kindly reminding you that we are not considered a party of the booking contract, the captain contract, nor any other contracts, signed between the boat owner, the captain and/or the renter(s).
In case of damages to the boat, Sail.me will not, in any case, be held responsible.
How can I manage the security deposit after damages were caused to my boat?
The security deposit is managed by you and you should decide whether or not the damages can be covered by the Security Deposit.
If the damages caused to your boat during the booking are minor, you can choose to discuss an agreement with your renter(s), so you can avoid the hassle of the damage declaration process.
In all cases, Sail.me is not considered a party of the booking contract, the captain contract, nor any other contracts, signed between the boat owner, the captain and/or the renter(s) and will not take any part in the decision-making process.
If you have any questions, contact Sail.me's customer support by sending an e-mail to [email protected], a member of our team will contact you as soon as possible.
My boat is insured by my insurance: What should I do in case of damages to the boat?
If your boat was damaged during booking, you have to declare the incident directly to your insurance agent.
Consider:
- filling out and signing a check-in/check-out sheet after verifying the conditions of the boat before and after the booking, with the presence of the renter(s).
- declaring the damages to your boat within 24 hours following the booking to the Sail.me customer support by sending us an e-mail at [email protected] with the declared damages so that our team can disburse the security deposit.
- filling out a report along with explicit photos of the damages, your ID, the renter's ID, and the renter's boat license.
- declare the damages to your insurance agent so that they can estimate the reparation costs.
My boat broke down during a booking. What do I do?
If your boat brakes down during a booking, make sure the renter(s) are safe. In case of an emergency, contact the local authorities and avoid further damage to the boat.
Then it will have to be decided whether the situation was due to a wrong utilization of the boat by the owner/captain or the renter(s).
My boat was returned later, not cleaned, and/or with an empty fuel tank. What should I do?
A boat always has to be returned in the same condition it was given to the renter(s). If the boat was returned later, not cleaned, and/or with an empty fuel tank you are also able to bill the renter the fees, charging it from the security deposit.
Still can't find what you were looking for? Contact our Customer support.
E-mail: [email protected]
Call us: +1 (888) 515 8130