Dockshare is taking on the East Coast’s boat parking problem, one slip at a time 

This story was made possible through support from TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, which enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at tedcomd.com.

Dockshare wants to make parking your boat as easy as booking an Airbnb.

The Baltimore-based startup has built a web platform that connects boaters with alternatives to overcrowded marinas, while giving individual dock owners a marketplace to monetize their space.

Since its launch in 2021, more than 1,400 docks have been listed on the platform across 30-plus states. About 80% of those listings are in Florida, according to customer service lead Lauren Scharle, who said expanding into other parts of the country is challenging, in part because boating culture varies widely by region.

“Florida is the boating capital of the world,” Scharle said. “Sharing docks and renting private docks is more of a normal thing down there … It’s not the further up you go on the coast.”

While most of Dockshare’s business is in the US South, Scharle hopes to expand to more locations in Maryland, where the team discovered its love of boating. The startup is already generating revenue, she said, processing over $700,000 in bookings last year. Instead of seeking venture capital to grow, it recently opened a new equity crowdfunding campaign.
 
The platform has about 6,500 users, per Scharle, who also moderates interactions between people who use Dockshare’s chat feature. The company also lists a phone number people can call if they run into issues. 

That human touch matters, founder Nate Young told Technical.ly, because many of the users are older and less accustomed to online marketplaces. Plus, trusting someone with a boat is a high-stakes decision. The average boat costs between $25,000 to $150,000, per a Boat Trader analysis from last year — or a lot more, depending on the vessel. 

“You got to have humans and tech together when you’re dealing with 55 and older boat owners,” Young said. “We figured that out pretty quickly.”

Dock rental prices can range from $200 a month for a lake in Pennsylvania to $10,000 a month for a yacht in Florida. Hosts set their own rates, and it’s free to list on the site, with Dockshare taking a 15% cut.

Hosts are often unsure what to charge, so the company is planning to develop an algorithm that can suggest prices based on zip code, dock length and rental duration.

The startup is also eager to collaborate with other outdoor-focused companies. Dockshare has partnered with Maryland-based marine navigation app Argo, which features Dockshare listings on its platform. Out of more than 200 entrants, the startup was one of five finalists in Outdoors Magazine’s inaugural pitch competition for outdoor startups, though it didn’t take home the grand prize.

A workaround for private shorelines

Young and his wife got the idea after struggling to park their boat while picking up their daughters from camp in Ocean City. They ended up using a vacant dock but felt uneasy about trespassing with the kids.

This problem is common among boaters since most shorelines are privately owned. In Florida, only about 40% of coastal land is public, and that percentage drops even more farther north.

Waiting lists for marinas are often long, too, Young said, and short-term docking options are limited.

The company recently launched a new round of crowdfunding to add an optional liability coverage plan for hosts, expand its team, add new user features and support a marketing push in its core market: the Southeast. 

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Dockshare previously raised $125,000 from friends and family, followed by over $148,000 through equity crowdfunding in 2023. The startup also received a $100,000 investment from TEDCO that year.

But some people use the platform for more than boat parking, Scharle said, with requests to rent spaces for photo shoots, tending oyster gardens, storing minnow traps or just fishing for the day.

With limited marina availability, the startup sees the platform as at least another option to get closer to the coast.

“Creating more public access is so difficult, it’s already privately owned,” Scharle said. “Dockshare is like an in-between step where it’s not public access but it’s providing another way for people to reach the water.”