How does OnBuoy work?
This article will help you learn about what OnBuoy is and how it works for guests and hosts.
OnBuoy is free for buoy and private dock owners. Owners (aka "hosts") list their moorage on the service by providing details on the location of the buoy, the max boat size allowed, and the low-tide water depth at that location.
Boaters (aka "guests") search the OnBuoy website for available moorages at their next destination and use the site to contact the host to request permission to reserve their moorage.
Hosts are notified when a Boater requests to reserve their buoy for a certain date. Hosts have full visibility into who is making the request as well as details about the requester's boat. Hosts can accept or decline the Boater's reservation request. Once a reservation is accepted by the Host, the reservation is confirmed and the Boater and Host are notified via email.
Boaters snap photos of the moorage and send them to the Host when they first arrive at the moorage and also when they depart. The photos serve as documentation that the moorage was left in good condition and no damage occurred during the stay.
Boaters pay a reservation fee for the convenience of reserving and tying up to the Host's moorage as well as a damage waiver fee to cover any potential damage to mooring equipment that might occur during a stay.
OnBuoy creates a sustainable community through a transparent, shared fee structure: OnBuoy Hosts keep 85% of the nightly rate they set. To support the platform and provide a seamless and secure experience, Boaters pay the Host's nightly rate plus a 15% service fee and a $9 nightly damage waiver to protect against damage that may occur to the Host's property during a stay.