ShareMySea, the mobile App for boat pooling

Connecting boaters who want company and people who need a boat to share sea excursions. This is the vocation of ShareMySea, the new mobile application for collaborative boating that arrived in July 2016.

ShareMySea was inspired by websites like the Bourse aux équipiers, or Cobaturage, and breaks ground by following the example of Blablacar or even Airbnb with a mobile application. Once downloaded, for free, the app allows the user to identify the outings offered around them thanks to the geolocation, and/or publish outings. What’s more, thanks to its scoring system for the community members at the end of each outing, and also the security of the transactions, the identification of members and the moderation of the exchanges, it can justify the argument of e-confidence and reassure new users. The economic model is the same as for other collaborative platforms, namely a direct debit on the transactions performed. 

”To make water sports more accessible”  is the goal claimed by the founders, two engineers from Nantes named Olivier Robé and Thomas Georgelin. Specialized in webmarketing, the two associates started with one observation: according to them, the boating market is changing (aging of the owners, low rate of boat outings, financial arbitrations, economic context…). Many ship owners refrain from sailing because they are alone. While other people who are attracted by the sea have neither the opportunity nor the means. The application is intended for them as well to the general public: sailing or motor yachts, fishermen… and any person wishing to practice or discover the pleasures of boating.

The winner of the call for projects launched as part of the 2016 Brest International Maritime Festival, ShareMySea (mobile application & mebsite) has already had over 50,000 visitors and 15,000 members. Even though there are not many users in Saint-Martin for the moment, we can find for example a cruise proposition from Martinique on a small sailboat for 22€ per person: "Sailing excursion between Martinique and Saint-Martin. Discovery of the islands, the coasts. Anchorage, trolling. 3 days of relaxation. I’m totally flexible on the program.” wrote Hélène in her announce. Launched in mainland France and in the Overseas Departments in its initial version, the application should be available in Canada and the major Mediterranean countries in its V2 for the summer of 2017. In the meantime, we’ll see if the concept is a success in the West Indies.