Here's exactly what BoatDay checks before a captain, boat or trip ever shows up in a search, and what we don't.
Before a company can list a boat, we check a government-issued photo ID, boat registration and either an insurance policy or a signed passenger waiver. Nothing goes live until an admin has reviewed those documents.
The person actually driving your boat, whether that's the owner or a hired captain, has their own captain's license and any local fishing or charter license checked separately. A boat only earns its Verified badge once both the company and its operator are approved.
BoatDay does not insure trips and does not provide any coverage. Every captain must either carry their own active liability insurance or have every passenger sign their own liability waiver before boarding, and we check whichever they rely on before their boat can list. The captain, not BoatDay, is responsible for their vessel and everything that happens on their trips. Which route a captain chose is their call, and the risk of that choice is theirs.
Ratings and reviews come only from guests who actually completed a trip. We don't remove reviews because a captain doesn't like them.
If something about a trip, a listing or a message doesn't feel right, tell us. We review every report and can suspend a listing while we look into it.
Our Help Center covers the most common questions, or you can reach us directly.