A Cautionary Tale From The Sharing Economy

One of my staff came across a disturbing Story on Buzzfeed about a young woman’s life that is now in tatters.

This is a disturbing story about renting a boat through the boat sharing website Boatbound. It is recommended reading for anyone contemplating a boat sharing start-up in Canada or for any owner looking to use their boat to generate a little revenue.

The following story outlines how a woman from NY State rented a boat for the day and indicated on the contract that she would be the sole operator. Through a series of tragic events this woman ended up being struck by the prop while the boat was being operated by her friend.

The insurance companies for Boatbound and the boat owner have denied the claim because the rented breached the rental contract and they state their policyholder did not cause the accident. A massive lawsuit is currently underway in New York State while friends of the injured woman are desperately trying to crowdsource funds to pay the hospital bills.

To my knowledge boat sharing services do not currently operate in Canada but that could change any day.

If you visit the Boatbound website it all looks pretty simple but it can all unravel in a heartbeat and leaves lives in ruin. Mariners need to beware the sharing economy and the promise of easy revenue by renting out your boats.

A Woman Who Lost A Leg In A Boating Accident Is Suing The Airbnb Of The Sea

Boatbound argues Edyta Regnowski was in breach of contract because someone else was operating the boat at the time of her accident | posted on Nov. 24, 2015, at 10:16 p.m.

It was early August and Edyta Regnowski and four friends wanted to take advantage of the last of New York’s waning summer with a day on the water. On Boatbound, a boat rental marketplace that touts itself as the “Airbnb of the sea,” the group found a 19-foot Bayliner they could easily rent — without a captain. Regnowski registered with Boatbound, indicating she had five years of boating experience, and reached out to the boat’s owner, Bill Colwin. Colwin agreed to the rental but stipulated that Regnowski and her friends first take a “familiarization ride” with him before they set off on their own.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY CLICK ON THIS LINK FROM BUZZFEED

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